THE LILY & JAMES ALCHEMIST THEORY

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 131944

Tinglinger:
> So now you have the Lily & James are Alchemists Theory
> as described above, and here is why it makes even more sense.......
> 
> You might ask why James and Lily would agree to such a thing?
> Even for all the gold in Gringot's! Two reasons.
> First, the wizarding world and the order are doomed if nothing is
> done, and second BECAUSE DUMBLEDORE HAS DONE IT ALL BEFORE AND
> SUCCEEDED..... almost. 

Jen: I'm afraid the motive is the break-down point for me, even 
though you make a good case for your theory, tinglinger. Dumbledore 
himself admits there's not much positive about immortality, that the 
very things we hope to gain through immortality turn out to be the 
very things humans don't truly need--neverending life, money, fame--
all the temptations that can conquer us in the end.

True DD might be willing to take drastic steps at that point in the 
war, but at what price? Eternally altering the course of Harry's 
life goes against every principle DD stands for when he talks of our 
choices. Certainly he took away some of Harry's choices by arranging 
for his stay at the Dursleys (who of us doesn't make life-altering 
decisions when taking care of infants?), but that's a little 
different from irrevocably altering Harry's biology and genetic 
future.

JKR's seems to take great pains to portray Harry as 'everyperson', 
an imperfect individual with faults many of us relate to, or at the 
very least are annoyed by! Not a super or enhanced wizard.

Marcela: 
> So, if we allow your theory about Dumbledore, James and Lily sort 
of 
> planning on producing a philosopher's child, I'm afraid that 
> the 'dying' part of James and Lily was not an accident or 
something 
> that went wrong, but *part of* the plan.  This could explain the 
> reason why Dumbledore had 'powers' to take Harry to Privet Drive 
and 
> then control his education, he is the alchemist/philosopher/foster-
> parent, he sees that the "orphan" grows up and is burnt/fed in the 
> three alchemical Fires: Natural, not Natural and against Nature.  
> The first and second fires produce the Nigredo and Albedo stages, 
> which IMO Harry has just gone through... so what's left is the 
third 
> fire, is it called 'against Nature' because it's water, it's the 
> fountain of living water, mercurial water.  Perhaps that boat in 
the 
> cover of HBP might signify this stage?
> IMHO, Dumbledore just picked up the process once Harry was hit 
with 
> the AK, there was no planning of making him a Stone.  Dumbledore 
has 
> stated many times that he's not sure what happened at Godric's 
> Hollow on that fated Hallowe'en night, he's working on educated 
> guesses...


Jen: To add to your thoughts, there's a theory called Stoned!Harry 
which is summarized here: 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/38542

Basically the idea is pretty much what you laid out, that Harry is 
the embodiment of the living Philosopher's Stone.

Still, I belive this must be symbolic in nature and not literal. So 
far the alchemy symbolism continues to play out in the series with 
the nigredo stage represented by OOTP, and the dissolution of Black 
to further Harry in his process of transformation.

Will HBP continue this symbolism as the work of the albedo stage? 
The albedo stage is the process of rebirth after death, represented 
by Albus Dumbledore here and is sometimes called the 'uniting 
stage'. But Albus will have to literally or figuratively be released 
for Harry to move on to the next stage, the rubedo, represented by 
Rubeus Hagrid. Where the final transformation takes place--of Harry, 
of the WW?

Who knows if this will play out, but alchemy has provided a certain 
symmetry for the series so far. It's not much of a stretch to view 
Harry as Dumbledore's apprentice given the nature of their 
relationship. It's not father-son or parent-child IMO, and that's 
why I believe DD made the choices he did. He understands Harry's 
life will be a painful burning away of all he holds dear in order to 
rise to his destiny.

Jen