Is HP related to Voldemort?

[Danielle]

No: HPFGUIDX 89469

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ilubom" <irina_l_ at h...> wrote:
> Hi everyone,
> 
> Just want to start off by saying "hello", I'm new here.

Now Danielle:

Hello! I generally lurk here as opposed to active involvement, but I 
wanted to answer your post. It is a topic that's been discussed in 
the past, so hopefully I can provide some enlightenment.

IL writes: 
> I've got this theory that is bugging me at the moment. Is it 
> possible that Harry is related to Voldemort? There are some parts 
of 
> books that suggest he may be.

<heavy snippage of some of IL's reasons> 

Danielle again:

I used to wonder this myself. However, there is an interview with 
JKR, and I'm sorry that I don't have a link to the transcript. 
Perhaps a more organized listee can provide that. In this interview, 
JKR says that having Voldy and Harry related would be "too Star Wars."
So, it's highly doubtful they are. And, when you think about it, 
she's probably right.

IL continues:
> 3. LV was reluctant to kill Lily - he only killed her because she 
> would not get out of the way. When LV is speaking through Quirrell 
> he says that Harry's mother need not have died. Why wouldn't he 
want 
> to kill her if she was working against him - he is not exactly a 
> humanitarian! (on the other hand he thought nothing of killing his 
> father and grandparents so even if Lily was a relative it should 
> not have influenced him).

Danielle again:

This topic has also been discussed, but to my knowledge there has 
been no agreement yet on why Voldy was willing to spare Lily's life 
if she had gotten out of his way. And some of the theories are pretty 
gross! <g> It's something I hope we find out in the next two books.

My own feeling, at the risk of sounding like a Voldy apologist (which 
I'm not), is that he has not yet personally killed anyone that we 
know of unless that person has gotten in his way. He says he killed 
Bertha Jorkins only because he had already destroyed her mind, and 
she was useless as a person. Frank Bryce was in his way in that he 
was going to call the police if he left the Riddle House. Cedric was 
in the way in the graveyard. And Lily was in the way when she blocked 
Harry from him. If she had moved (as if she would have!) she would 
not have been in the way, and by Voldy's warped reasoning, could have 
been spared.

I admit, he doesn't need much of an excuse to consider someone "in 
the way." But that's the pattern I see. He doesn't expend his energy 
in that area unless he feels he has to.

> 4. The comment made by the Sorting Hat that Harry had Slytherin's 
> power in him and would do well in that house. As LV is the "heir of 
> Slytherin" it may suggest a commonality of blood (although what DD 
> says about LV transferring his power to Harry when he failed to 
kill 
> him may also provide an explanation.

Danielle replies:

I think the Slytherin connection has to do with the backfired AK 
curse, which allowed Voldy to inadvertently transfer some of his 
powers to Harry. So, in that way, they are in fact related, if not by 
birth.

And think about how Voldy got his body back. Harry's blood was one of 
the main ingredients in that potion, and Voldy himself says that 
Harry's blood affords him some of the same protection that Harry had 
due to his mother's sacrifice.

So, in a sense, Voldy and Harry are now "blood brothers," definitely 
related physically, though not in the "regular" way. I'm sure that 
blood connection will play a major role in upcoming events.

And, finally, the mind connection that Voldy and Harry share. 
Certainly a more intimate connection than most true blood relatives 
ever share.

So, are they related? No, not in the traditional uncle or father or 
grandfather sense that I originally considered way back when. But 
they are more closely related than many true family members, based on 
the reasons I gave above.

Well, perhaps this just muddied the water for you, but I hope not!

Danielle