CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 21, The Eye of the Snake

[Phil Boswell]

No: HPFGUIDX 104572

"Dicentra spectabilis" <dicentra at x> wrote:
> 4. JKR very deliberately prevents Hagrid from naming the 'stringy
> Slytherin boy.' Who could he be and why keep his name secret? (And
> don't say it's that kid from
> That-Which-Should-Be-Discussed-On-HPFGU-Movie, because we don't know
> who *he* is, either.)

It should be obvious that Harry didn't know his name at this point, or
the narrative would have mentioned it.

Harry doesn't get to know who Theodore Nott is until Chapter 26 when,
as has been mentioned, Hermione whispers it to him in the Library.

How long is there between these two events (Thestrals and Quibbler
article)? Would Harry have forgotten if Theodore had been the "stringy
boy" who saw Thestrals? Bear in mind that this is only the fifth
person he knows of, including himself, who is capable of seeing them.

(That's Harry, Hagrid, Neville, Luna and tSB FYI.)

I would tend to think that Harry would remember if the "weedy" boy in
the Library were the same as the "stringy" boy who saw Thestrals.

Also, "weedy" is not necessarily the same as "stringy"; the former
implies far more physical weakness than the latter.

HTH HAND
-- 
Phil