Red Herrings

[brassgryphon]

No: HPFGUIDX 101793

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mnaper2001" 
<mnaperrone at a...> wrote:
> "Wanda Sherratt" <wsherratt3338 at r...> wrote:
> Ally:

> 
> Now, Mark Evans - that's another story, if you ask me.  ;)

Yes. Mark Evans is just way too convenient - a kid who's about to 
be eleven walking around Little Whinging with Lily's surname? 
Other than Harry, there's no documented witches or wizards in 
Little Whinging anyway. (5:8 "The Hearing")

He seems a pretty harmless red herring - one who takes up our 
speculation time, but isn't meant as an actual cover for anything. 
Normally, a red herring is meant to distract from the real thing - 
which in this case would be another living magical relative of 
Harry's. Riiiight.

This harmless brand of red herring is what gives me the most 
confidence in Lupin's survival, because the silver hand may be 
that sort of red herring (as per The Goblet in 5:5) rather than a 
distraction from a real threat.

Damned if I can name any other example of such a herring, 
though. And that hand is unquestionably a gun over the 
mantelpiece - though, as the author of  "Creating Plot" said, 
"it's not yet clear whether that gun will be used for homicide, 
suicide or cracking Brazil nuts."