Homorphus Charm - Cured Red Herring

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 94250

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Cindy Jenkins" <CindyJ2 at c...>
wrote:
> 
> > "... -I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the 
> > immensely complex Homorphus Charm - ...- the fur vanished - the 
> > fangs shrank - and he turned back into a man.
> > 
> > Simple, yet effective - and another village will remember me 
> > forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of 
> > werewolf attacks."
> 
> bboy_mn wrote:
> 
> >First, it is real. Second, it is not a 'medical' charm, but a
> >defensive charm. ...
> 
> >As I said the charm does not cure werewolfism. It forces a werewolf
> >back into human form, and may force enough humanity back into the
> >person to stop a werewolf attack. ...
> 
> >I also believe that the charm is transient. That is, it's good for
> >maybe an hour. In that hours time, you must either flee, or capture
> >and imprison the werewolf.
> 
> Me now--
> 
> I'm curious...  Why do you think this?  Is there something in canon 
> to suggest it?
> 
> I suppose you could interpret the passage that way.  
>

bboy_mn:

When we have only a seed of information, and we would like to know
more, absent any further information, all we can do is IMAGINE what
might be a LIKELY extension of the concept.

In other words, when in doubt, make something up. BUT, and this is a
big but, it can't just be random fantasy, it has to be a LIKELY
extension of the world that we do have documented.

> Cindy continues:
>
> I think you can also read it as a cure.  ...edited...
>


bboy_mn: 
Except we have documentation in 'Fantastic Beast...' that says there
is no known cure for werewolfism. 

True the (far) above quote does say, "... delivered them from the
monthly terror of werewolf attacks...", but as noted, the book
"Fantastic Beast..." says there is currently no cure. That means the
transformation is not permanent. Logical conclusion then is that it is
temporary. Now we only need to determine how temporary.



> Cindy responds:
> 
> I don't think JRK would intentionally write contradictory canon.  In
> FB, she writes that there's no known cure for werewolfism, but the 
> passage from Lockhart (to me, anyway) suggests that there is a cure. 
>

bboy_mn:

Again, I come back to what is likely taking precedence over what is
possible. If we interpret the quote as implying a cure, then we have a
contradiction with 'Fantastic Beasts...' as well as a contradiction to
Mr. Weasley statements when he is in the hospital. Now, Mr. Weasley
may not be correct in his assessment, but his statements would seem to
reflect the overal concensus of the general wizarding population, and
consistent with the more common myths regarding werewolfism. However,
if we interpret it as a temporary charm, then the two (actually 3)
books are consistent. Given that, and acknowledging that both
interpretations are possible, which is more likely? Personally, I have
to go with consistent interpretations.


 
> Cindy concludes:
>
> Lockhart admits in COS *he* didn't perform the feats, but he says
> *somebody* did, and he had to track them down and find out exactly 
> what happened.  If he's going to 'fess up to stealing their stories,
> why wouldn't he just admit the whole thing was a lie?  I think it's 
> because it isn't--he really did find someone who cured
> werewolfism.
> 
> I really think that Lupin will be eventually cured, and this charm
> will be part of it.  I really hope so, too, because I like the guy.
> 
> Cindy


bboy_mn:
All Lockhart says is that the werewolf was transformed back into a
human in that moment. Then he says that the village was saved from
monthly attackes.

Let change werewolf attacks to burglary to create a new perspective.
If the burglar is unmasked, that is, if he is identified, that would
seem to logically stop future burglaries (by that person). Everyone
knows who the burglar is, so he can't get away with it any more. That
same principle applies equally to werewolf attacks. 

It would seem reasonable that once a werewolf is discovered, if he
values his life, he will flee from the village he is in, and take up
residence somewhere else. And even in the new location, his secret
could easily be discovered by others; people talk to people, word gets
around. So, the village is saved without curing the werewolf; the
werewolf flees, dies, or is imprisoned.

In addition, Lockhart is a very popular author, many many wizards have
read his books and have them in their homes. If that passage could be
interpreted as a cure, someone in the wizard world would have done so,
and started researching the subject. If there was a charm somewhere
that could cure a terrible disease that has plagued men for centuries,
certainly that would not go unnoticed. That would be headline news,
top priority research.

I will admit, I can see your point, I just don't think it is correct.
But remember, we are all guessing. We have two key pieces of
information that could imply an as yet unnoticed cure. JKR said in FB
that there was no KNOWN cure. Then in Lockharts book or at least his
narative, he say he force a werewolf to transform, and saved a village
 from MONTHLY terror. That does create a 'maybe'. It does create room
for the possibility that at some point in the story those two
'maybe's' will merge into a 'YES!'.

But again, I personally weigh in my own mind, what is POSSIBLE against
what is LIKELY, and I don't think it is likely that this Charm is the
cure. I could forsee a cure, but not in the scope of this 7 part
series, unless it is mentioned in the epilog as something occuring at
some future time.

However, I could see Hermione studing the charm and learning it, and
when the TRIO is inadvertently trapped with Lupin after he transforms,
 the ever brilliant Hermione saves the day. 

Again, I do see your point, I do see that element of uncertainly; but
personally, I don't think it is likely.

Just one man's opinion.

bboy_mn