Severus Snape and Davey Gudgeon

[entropymail]

No: HPFGUIDX 93593

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "a_b_desert_king"
<a_b_desert_king at h...> wrote:
> I was re-reading PoA trying to find a particular reference for 
> another post (which suddenly seems to be of minimal importance.  
> Guess I'll have to do that one later)and came across this:<snip>
Lupin sighed.
>  'They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at 
> Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to 
> touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost 
> an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. <snip>
> We know that JKR doesn't mention names without reason.  What does 
> this mean beyond the fact that SS has a truly human name?  Perhaps 
> it's an indication that SS is less than pure-blood (Davey is a 
> pretty Muggle sounding name to me, although Gudgeon is more magical 
> sounding) and part of his choice in the name Severus had to do with 
> sounding more like a pure-blood.  I'd be interested to see how 
> everyone else sees this.

Interesting reference.  A gudgeon, by the way, is defined as a person
easily duped or cheated. As a verb, it means to cheat or dupe.  One
can be "gudgeoned" of the opportunities which had been given you.  It
is also a fish used as bait, such as a minnow.

:: Entropy ::