Is HP related to Voldemort?

[Hitomi]

No: HPFGUIDX 89493

> 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.
  
> 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.

Hitomi:
The interview you mentioned is a Scholastic interview, and a link 
for it is:

http://www.twwn.net/jkr14.htm

The direct quote is:

Q: "Is Voldemort some sort of relative of Harry's? Possibly his 
mother's brother?" 
 
A: "I'm laughing...that would be a bit Star Wars, wouldn't it?"
 
And for the record I agree with Danielle on this.  I HIGHLY doubt 
Harry is related to LV.

 
> 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! 

Hitomi:
Ok, Danielle talked about how LV only kills those he views as 
obstacles as a theory.  My personal theory is that he just wanted 
Lily out of the way, and said that in order to get her to move more 
quickly, but he probably would have killed her anyway.  She 
had "thrice defied" him, after all.  He probably just wanted to kill 
Harry first, or as soon as possible, viewing him the greater threat 
due to the prophecy.  I seriously doubt he would have spared Lily 
regardless, that or he viewed killing her as a waste of his time; LV 
can be very apathetic when he isn't just plain enjoying his cruelty.


> Danielle: 
> 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.

Hitomi:
Exactly what I meant.


> IL: 
> > 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.

Hitomi:
I don't have all that much to add, Danielle has covered the majority 
of anything I would have said.  I just think that all the relations 
we continually look for (the trio being siblings, relation to LV, DD 
being Harry or Ron, Remus actually being James) is a result of 
grasping for straws.  A lot of these theories ring slightly cliche 
with me, but I would have said that about the prophecy theory before 
Book 5.  Rowling may well have some characters be related, but for 
the most part she has created this huge world filled with a wide 
assortment of people, and I think she'll leave them mostly 
seperate.  

Just my two cents, though the fact that Sirius was cousin to 
Narcissa, Bellatrix, and what, second cousin I think, to Tonks, not 
to mention a distant relation to the Weasley family by marriage, 
rather surprised me.  But that is only in the pure-blooded families, 
what with them pratically in-breeding.  Maybe that's what's wrong 
with Draco.  But anyway, the Potters, as far as we know, were pure-
blooded until James married Lily, so perhaps there's a relation 
there.  But I do honestly believe LV to be the last of his line.  
Though, if I turn out to be wrong, I again step back in all humble-
tude.

Lastly, I think it going against Rowling's primary theory of choice 
being more important than blood.  So really, even if Harry were 
related to LV, it wouldn't matter.  He'd still be Harry, the person 
we've watched grow and make his own decisions concerning his life.  
And that would be rather depressing, LV being a relation of Harry's, 
considering Harry has to defeat him in the end, and considering 
everything LV has put him through.

'Kay I'm done now :)

~ Hitomi