The House of Gaunt

[huntergreen_3]

No: HPFGUIDX 134484

Dave wrote:
>>-- In the whole scene Morphin speaks only Parseltongue. Why? Is that
all he *can* speak?<<

HunterGreen:
I got the feeling that they spoke parseltongue to each other partly 
because they *could* and partly because of the tie to Slytherin, 
which was the *only* thing their family had to be proud of. 
Morfin must be able to speak English because he told the Ministry 
Officials about killing the Riddles, and I don't know why he wouldn't 
know English if Merope does.

Dave:
>>-- How are the Gaunts able to talk to each other in Parseltongue?
In _CoS_ when Harry tries to speak it to anything other than a
snake, he can't do it.<<

HunterGreen:
It could be, as someone suggested, that its because Harry never spent 
any time practising Parseltongue. My initial thought was that perhaps 
its because Harry wasn't born with the gift but was rather *given* it 
(literally) by Voldemort, so it doesn't come as easily to him. Or 
maybe its easier when you are talking to someone who speaks it or to 
a snake rather than a faucet (after all, he had no problems talking 
to the snake in the dueling club or the one at the Zoo in PS/SS). 

Dave:
>>-- If the Gaunts are all Parselmouths, why does Diary!Riddle tell
Harry that the two of them are the only Parselmouths to come
to Hogwarts since Slytherin himself? Were the Gaunts homeschooled?<<

HunterGreen:
>From their reaction to the ministry official and their strange 
behavior, I'd guess neither of the children have been to Hogwarts. I 
doubt they'd want to associate themselves with muggle-borns and half-
bloods. As for homeschooled, that's up for debate. I don't think 
they've been schooled much at all (do we know if they are even 
literate?).


Since we're on the subject of Parseltongue-speech, I have a question. 
Did Dumbledore know what they were saying? He knew it was 
Parseltongue, since he mentioned Harry understanding it, but did he? 
If he did, how did he? And if he didn't, why didn't he ask Harry what 
they were saying? When I first read that scene I was surprised when 
Dumbledore *didn't* ask Harry to translate, I was thinking that was 
why he was showing it to Harry. Because if he didn't understand them, 
wouldn't he be a little curious, and take advantage of the 
conveinent, rare Parseltongue who just happens to be the person he 
wanted to show the memory to anyway? 

I know that Dumbledore speaks a lot of languages, but I got the 
impression that Parseltongue is a gift (or ability, if you will), not 
something you can learn. Harry can't even distinguish it from regular 
conversation. 


-Rebecca / HunterGreen