Voldemort *inside* Harry's head (mind)? (Was: Re: Wanting or presenting: Was: Snape's reaction to Harry in Slytherin)

[fiondavhar]

No: HPFGUIDX 93443

>   Berit replies:
> 
>   I'm inclined to agree with you. But, there is also Harry's own 
>   interpretation of the Hat's words to consider:
> 
>   Quote:"'But I'm a Gryffindor,' Harry thought. 'The Sorting Hat 
>   wouldn't have put me in here if I had Slytherin blood...'
>   'Ah,' said a nasty little voice in his brain, 'But the Sorting hat 
>   *wanted* (italics in the book) to put you in Slytherin, don't you 
>   remember?'" (CoS p. 147 UK Ed)
> 
>   SnapesRaven:

>   This little voice bothered me throughout the whole book. It keeps 
reappearing in moments of doubt and inner battle for Harry, and it 
doesn't reassure him but rather makes him insecure...

(snipped) 

>   I thought the voice might be Voldemort's, since he now shares 
Harry's blood and they had a connection through the scar all zhe 
time. I just didn't think of Voldemort using such subtle means, 
carefulle 'planting' bad feelings in Harry in order to make him turn 
from everyone he trusted thus far. 


Bonny writes:

   What I find very interesting (and this ties in closley with the 
subject of your post) is that, the night of the sorting, Harry has a 
nightmare in which Quirrels turban is on his head, telling him to 
transfer to slytherin.
  
   'Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit to much, because he had a very 
strange dream. He wa wearing Professor Quirrel's turban, which kept 
talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, 
because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to 
be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off 
but it tightened painfully - and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as 
he struggled with it - then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed 
teacher, snape, whose laugh became high and cold - there was a burst 
of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking. 

  He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he 
didn't remember the dream at all.'

                           PS/SS, Canadian edition, pg 97
  
  This is obviously the very first evidence of a mental link between 
Harry and Voldemort being used to Voldemorts advantage. I am not sure 
that I agree with your idea that the little voice Harry hears 
throughout the series is Voldemort, as we all have those thoughts 
that should reassure us but can't, but I think it is interesting that 
Voldemort must have known he had a way to penetrate and influence 
Harry's mind (when he is near, at any rate) from the very beginning. 
The fact that Harry forgets about the experience shows us that his 
mind is much stronger than Vapourmorts, and can not be so easily 
influenced; but the fact that JKR wrote it in at all should awaken us 
to some questions.

  Obviously, it is foreshadowing that Quirrell is possessed by 
Voldemort. However, I have always wondered why Voldemort wanted Harry 
in Slytherin. Does he think that he can manipulate Harry into 
following him instead of killing him? Why is being in Slytherin 
HArrys "destiny"? And, if it is somehow Harry's destiny, maybe he is 
the one to switch houses (I don't really believe it is but it can be 
considered, there has certainly been a stress on that in the books). 

  I think that the part of the dream that follows where Harry is 
struggling to take the turban off is probably more a collection of 
sub-concious images that are prompted by Harry's unwitting encounter 
with vapourmort than anything else, but those associations might have 
some relevance.

  I know this has been rather a disorganized post, but if anyone has 
any thoughts to lend or to elaborate with, I'd be happy to hear them.
   
    Bonny