[HPforGrownups] Inferi Schminferi

[Lisa Williams]

No: HPFGUIDX 137355

Prep0strus wrote:

Was anyone else rather unimpressed with the Inferi?  I mean, aside from
the extreme echhh/jibblies factor, they didn't pose much of a
challenge.  I wouldn't expect the production of fire to be beyond the
capabilities of an average adult wizard.  Sure, being frightened,
creeped out, shocked, horrified etc (especially if you knew one of the
inferi when they were alive) would affect your reaction, but I don't
recall anything that would make me think a ring of fire would be hard
for a trained wizard to produce.  Dumbledore is very powerful, but was
also very weakened, and managed to do it.  If citizens took some
preparation classes, and had 'inferi drills', so that rings of fire was
a well rehearsed spell.... I figure, I must be forgetting something
that would make them a real threat.  Help, anybody?
==================

Lisa responds:

Actually, when I read what Inferi were, my first thought was, "Oh, how
horrible -- Voldemort is going to use Harry's parents against him!" 
Or Sirius, or Dumbledore, or whoever dies in Book 7.  Of everything
that's been in the books to date, that single thought sent shivers
down my spine -- how best to paralyze Harry?  By having his parents
standing in front of him.  As long as he had access to fire (and being
a wizard, we'll assume he does), he wouldn't be in physical danger ...
but WOULD he, psychologically, be able to repel his parents?  Enter
the redemption of Snape, at that point, to "kill" his parents, in
essence, AGAIN, in order to assist him?  Oh, it's just too disturbing
...

Lisa/SassyMommyOfThree