Slytherin Serpents, Talking to Animals (was Re:The Falling-Out )

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 126000


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, imamommy at s... wrote:
> 
> Thanks, Steve!  This was a very well-written, plausible explanation.
> 
> I have another question for you, or anyone who's got an idea:  why 
do 
> you suppose Slytherin chose the snake, a long-standing 
representation 
> of evil, as his mascot, apart from an uncanny similarity to his 
> name?  We know he was a Parselmouth, and while I'm disinclined to 
> think every Parselmouth is inherently evil, it is interesting to me 
> that this should be a symbol he became so connected with.  It makes 
> sense for a Parselmouth to choose a basilisk as a defensive tactic, 
> as it's something he or she can control, but why the close ties 
with 
> serpents in general?
> 
> This raises another question about magical (and non-magical) 
> animals.  Why is it that certain animals (eg. owls, phoenixes, and 
> certain cats) are able to understand human language, and able to 
> express certain communication to their owners, while others are 
not?  
> IMO, the biggest drawback to having a rat or a toad as a pet 
> (familiar) seems to be a failure to communicate.  (To be fair, the 
> only rat I know of turned out to be a murdering animagus, and 
> Neville's got the only toad I know of and I'm not sure he could 
keep 
> a slug form running away, no disrespect intended.)  Are there any 
> witches or wizards who have the gift of speaking to different kinds 
> of animals besides snakes?  And where, and why, does Parseltongue 
> originate from.  There must be some practical, natural reason why 
> some wizards, albeit a few, need to communicate with this species.

Finwitch:

Now, for one thing snake is not even nearly always associated with 
evil. For one, it's the symbol of medication -- of *healing*, and 
nothing bad about that, is there? And it's supposed to represent 
intellect, fake death etc. as well.

As for these *few* wizards able to communicate with snakes - well, 
it's just a mutation. And Harry saving Justin from that snake shows a 
benefit from that. Also, snake venom, eggs, scales, fangs etc. are 
(or could be) important potion ingredients, which means that a 
parselmouth, being able to gain them, has a benefit!

As for other species... maybe Dumbledore can speak with Fawkes? Few 
wizards can tame a phoenix, after all. And how many (besides 
Dumbledore) can speak Mermish? How many wizards can speak 
Gibbledegook?

Who knows, though - we may yet see... A toad. Maybe Toadsweat is a 
potion ingredient...? At any case, most pets wizards have, are 
*magical* somehow...

Finwitch