Re Ghouls and Inferni

[ceridwennight]

No: HPFGUIDX 136216

Snapeophile wrote:
> Sorry for reposting on my posting BUT, I possiably didn't give 
> Cerid enough credit. After I re-read his post,it was obvious to me 
> that *she* was making my same point.(((blush))))) So I am very 
> sorry for taking credit for thier idea!It was very Slythering of me.


cerid:
Then we're both Slytherin.  I got the idea from a post here by Deb.  
The book says there are poisons for which there is no cure, then goes 
on to contrast them with the poison in the mead, for which a bezoar 
is a cure, and the note in the HBP's book stating to simply shove a 
bezoar down their throats.  The idea that the potion in the pensieve 
was just part of a complete mixture was suggested by Deb, too, 
reinforced by an old hobby during high school involving epoxy.  At 
the time, epoxy came in two tubes, and had to be mixed at use to 
create the glue.  So, potion + lake water = full potion to create 
Inferi.  And Harry's only recourse for water when Dumbledore begged 
for a drink, was the lake water.

Snapeo'phile:
>IF whoever drank the potion would eventually turn into Inferni, could
> this be why Dumbledore was asking Snape(in theory) to AK him?
> Because he didn't want to end up as an Inferni?

cerid:
I don't think that Dumbledore planned to die quite then, personally.  
I do think this was him turning a situation to his advantage.  Given 
that he lost so much time, I believe he was already on his way toward 
becoming an Undead.  I think that his words to Draco, that LV 
couldn't kill him if he was already dead, was also a covert message 
to Harry that Dumbledore was already a dead man walking, so he 
couldn't be killed.  Because Snape was on his way, too slowly to 
counter the potion, but able enough to off Dumbledore when he saw the 
state he was in.  Whether by pre-existing plan, or a vague 
request/order at some earlier time (If you see me dying slowly and 
painfully, do the deed, there are worse things than death).

I do believe, as you say, that Dumbledore does not wish to end up as 
an Inferi.  Maybe this is one of those things worse than death.  I 
think Deb mentioned that as well in Message 135647.  I can understand 
a man like Dumbledore blanching at becoming a mindless, soulless tool 
of Voldemort against his own people.  The shock value alone against 
his own troops would be devastating.  Not to mention the loss of 
dignity!

I believe that when Snape appeared, Dumbledore felt safe enough to 
show his true state, hence the sudden weakening of his voice, the 
pitiful pleading.  He was in pain, he trusted Snape to save him from 
it one way or another.  Showing, IMO of course, that he did indeed 
trust Snape with his life, or with snuffing his life when the 
situation demanded.  Maybe they had a sort of Living Will pact?  Or, 
maybe there were signs showing clearly that Dumbledore was becoming 
an Inferus (?) that Harry, being so new to the idea at all, missed?  
The whitening, which he did see, for example, when he notices that 
Draco was turning as white as Dumbledore.

And, the AK.  Is Snape just an explosive spell caster?  The 
Expeliarmus against Lockhart, then the AK against Dumbledore?  Or was 
it as another poster (sorry, still too new to remember just who, 
apologies to that person!) suggested, and the AK was weak/not meant, 
and Dumbledore offed himself, as shown by the spell on Harry not 
releasing until Dumbledore had the time to reach the ground?  Not 
quite being 'already dead' when Snape performed the curse, yet not 
being dead because of it.

There's a lot to think of in this book, which is why I like it so 
much.  It's becoming my favorite of the six so far.  And I love 
reading the discussions.  My brain's being stimulated, which is a 
good thing in the summer doldrums with the bored kids around the 
house chafing to get back to school.  I expect twists, HBP was 
nothing like I expected.  It could be that we're all reading too much 
into it, no matter which side we're on, and Snape only knows how to 
do what he's told and not think beyond that, come Book 7.  Still, 
it's fun to speculate!


cerid