Mark Evans (Re: Privet Drive / Ethical Legilimency /)

[marshbur at cs.unc.edu]

No: HPFGUIDX 103852

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at y...>
wrote:

> I for one expect to see little Mark in the Sorting Hat scene in Book 6
> and believe him to be a distant relation of Harry's (whom Dumbledore
> doesn't know about about because his parents are Muggles).

The only problem with this is that Hogwarts, the MoM or someone
apparently knows about all wizarding-capable children when they are
born, shortly thereafter, etc.  I _think_ there's a reference to this
in canon somewhere, possibly in connection to the letters that are
sent to incoming students (the reference escapes me at the moment,
however...  i believe it's inference, however, and not an explicit
statement).  As such, it seems unlikely that DD would be in the dark
about any familial relation between Mark Evans and HP.  If nothing
else, it seems a gross miscarriage of investigation on DD's part to
remain, after 10-15 years, unaware of any relatives of HP's parents.  

OTOH, I do think the mention of Mark Evans is significant, and I do
expect to see him sorted in Harry's year six (and sorted into
Gryffindor, no doubt!).  I also believe that the surname 'Evans' is
significant (here's hoping that Rowling will answer the poll question
about Mark Evans in her website's FAQ!).  What I can't fathom, though,
is why DD would withold this information from HP, unless it's in the
same vein as all the withheld information in OotP (that is, to keep
the info from VM).  We could hypothesize that Mark Evans is hidden in
a manner similar to Harry for many years...

I'm convinced that Harry must be bereft of all family (or, all kind
and caring family) throughout the books and very much so as we
approach the end of the series.  Something about the parallels between
a young Tom Riddle and Harry are too suggestive to ignore -- I wager
there's a fine hair Rowling wants to split related to the differences
between the two.  So, I don't believe Mark Evans will be a Harry's
family member, but I'm at a loss to say why he's significant (and why
such a surname is chosen for him).

cheers,
-David