Lily's physical description, and a bit more apparently :-)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 125738


Beth:
> I may have missed this, either in the book or in discussion here, 
> but I found the physical description of Lily in Snape's Worst 
> Memory (in OOTP) a little odd -- even though it was a very brief 
> description of her, the fact that JKR gave her "thick, dark red 
> hair that fell to her shoulders" leaves me with more of a vision 
> of Ginny Weasely than anyone else.  Especially odd because we know 
> that Aunt Petunia is a blonde.  

Jen: I find her red hair odd, too. Especially since the Weasleys and 
Dumbledore also have red hair. Another coincidence like the Mark 
Evans scenario? Maybe not.

I don't think JKR is going for familial connections here though, 
given all the evidence that Harry has no other family. But maybe 
there is some kind of *magical* connection, an ability certain 
subsets of people share. Sort of like Albinism in Muggles. Someone 
with Albinism can be (or ususally is?) born into a family with no 
other Albinism present. And many people with Albinism have vision 
problems. Both traits are present. So why not red hair co-joined 
with special magical power?

Now if only Harry had red hair my speculation might lead somewhere. 
But alas, if there *is* a special magical ability found in wizard 
genetics, it's almost certainly marked by the green eyes:

{Interview CBBC 2000)
"Now, can I ask you: are there any special wizarding powers in your 
world that depend on the wizard using their eyes to do something? 
Bit like ... 
Why do you want to know this?
I just vaguely wondered.
Why?
Well because everyone always goes on about how Harry's got Lily 
Potter's eyes.
Aren't you smart? There is something, maybe, coming about that. I'm 
going to say no more, very clever."

But back to the Pensieve scene. I've never found a satisfactory 
answer for what important information we find out about Lily in Book 
5. JKR said: "We will find out the significant information about 
Harry's mother in two parts: books 5 and 7. Both are "very important 
in what Harry ends up having to do." [Read the exact quote from WBUR 
interview, 1999, Quick Quill Quotes].

So we already knew Lily had red hair and green eyes from the Mirror 
of Erised. We guessed she was a powerful witch from what happened at 
Godric's Hollow. She's always been portrayed as a good person and an 
almost saint-like mother. Check, check, check. All these traits are 
present in the Pensieve scene. What's new? The only thing left is 
standing up for Snape, I guess. 

Or the information we find out about Lily isn't even in the Pensieve 
scene, but comes at the end of the book when DD explains the blood 
protection. I didn't feel like I learned anything particularly new 
there. But then if what Harry 'has to do in the end' is sacrifice 
himself, that would fit in with the interview comment.

Beth:
> I always try to keep in mind, however, that JKR insists that we 
> should all be trying to figure out why LV didn't die.  One thought 
> that keeps popping into my head is that since Lily's love saved 
> Harry, and that love was in Harry's blood protecting him, perhaps 
> LV also had some of the Evans/Potter blood in him thus protecting 
> him from the rebound.  

Jen: Never thought of that possibility. Interesting speculation. 
I've always assumed the reason LV didn't die was pretty much the 
explanation LV himself gives in the graveyard, that his dabbling in 
immortality saved him. But he's not exactly the best historian, eh? 

Beth:
> Anyway, just some thought, but enough of my late night ramblings --
> have I written too much for a newcomer? :)  

Never! Welcome to the group. Jen