TBAY: DRIBBLE SHADOWS (long)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 128717

On a lovely, bright, shining day in the Bay, a lone individual sits 
on the dock, splashing her feet in the water.  She can be heard 
singing a little ditty, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Sittin' on the dock of the Bay,
Watchin' the boats all sinkin' away....

"Man!" says our unidentified Bay visitor, "There's NOBODY around 
here.  It's like a ghost bay!"

She returns to splashing and singing:

Sittin' in the morning sun
I'll be sittin' when the evening comes
Watchin' the ships go NOWHERE
Then I watch `em going NOWHERE again.

I left my home in Indiana....

"Man!" says this woman who seems to do a lot of talking to 
herself, "I wish Jen Reese or Grannybat were around, to bounce this 
idea off of!"

At that very moment, a speedboat whizzes by, with skier in tow.  
Alas, the skier falls, and our visitor discovers that she is none 
other than Ms. Jen Reese herself.

"Wow!  I must have some cool, telepathic, magical summoning 
ability," remarks the woman.  She waves an old, beat-up life 
preserver at Jen, upon which can just be made out the word DRIBBLE.

"Jen!" she shouts.  "Over here!!"

"Goodness gracious," replies the waterlogged skier, climbing up onto 
the dock.  "What are you doing here, SSSusan?"

"Well," says SSSusan, "I've been thinking about that old theory of 
yours & Grannybat's, DRIBBLE."  She holds up the faded life 
preserver.  "See?"

"Oh, my," says Jen.  "I haven't thought of that in ages!"

"Well, look," SSSusan cries excitedly, flipping over the life 
preserver, revealing another faded DRIBBLE and what appears to be a 
Magic-Markered addendum:  SHADOWS.  "I've added onto your theory!"

"Oh, really?  Do tell."

"Happy to.  First, you do remember what DRIBBLE stands for, right?"

"Of course," says Jen.  "Grannybat came up with it.  It stands for 
Dragon's Resistance in Blood Brings Life-saving Effects.  It was all 
about the idea that dragons are extra difficult to slay, owing to 
the *ancient magic* that imbues their thick hides, which none but 
the most powerful spells can penetrate.  And then Grannybat pointed 
out that it's only reasonable to assume that dragon *blood* contains 
at least as much protective quality as dragon *hide*."

"Right," replies SSSusan.  "And you pointed out that JKR has told us 
Harry's EYES are his most vulnerable area, which is also a 
*dragon's* most vulnerable point."

"Yes!" says Jen, warming to the topic.  "And Grannybat wondered if 
Harry's poor vision came about *because* he's got dragon blood in 
him."

"Yeah!" says SSSusan.  "Now, I'll admit, that's the part I had the 
hardest time going along with.  I'm not sure if it's the VISION 
which indicates the presence of dragon blood protection in Harry.  I 
think it may be the similar point of vulnerability which indicates 
that.  But, whatever!  I think I know just how and when that dragon 
blood protection came into effect for Harry – and who was behind it!"

"Really??  Tell me!"

"Okay.  But you maybe better grab that beach chair, Jen; this could 
take awhile."

Jen runs to grab two comfy lounge chairs, and the two settle in.  
SSSusan, having come nicely prepared for the day, pulls a pitcher of 
margaritas out of the little cooler at her side.  "Can I tempt you, 
Jen?"

"Why, thank you," Jen smiles.

"Okay.  So anyway....  I always liked DRIBBLE and its emphasis on 
Harry's eyes.  Their vivid greenness -- like a Welsh Green?  The 
fact that JKR said a couple of scenes in the PoA movie gave her 
goosebumps because of their significant foreshadowing -- and I 
wondered if Harry's glasses coming off under the Whomping Willow 
might've been one of those.  You know, hinting again that his EYES 
are his vulnerability, and if his glasses come off, then they're not 
protected?

"So I started thinking about what we still need to know, and I think 
I have fit a whole bunch of things together.  

"We know Lily protected Harry through her sacrifice, made out of 
love for him.  We know there's also *some* protection afforded Harry 
through his returning to the Dursleys each year, though we don't 
know how far that extends and whether it protects him only from 
Voldy or from the DEs or from any kind of harm.  Well, I think there 
is a *third* protection on Harry, and that is what DRIBBLE: SHADOWS 
is all about."

"So what's it stand for?"

"Dragon's Resistance In Blood Bestows Life-saving Effects:  Snape, 
Hagrid And Dumbledore's Ointment Was Supplement."

"Hmmmm.  Sounds interesting.  Tell me more."

Sipping greedily at her margarita, and eyes beginning to dance with 
excitement, SSSusan continues, "I think what happened – and the 
reason DD trusts Snape – is that Snape found out Voldy knew a 
portion of the prophecy *and* that he was targeting the Potters.  
Snape decided to turn away from Voldy – maybe because of old 
feelings for Lily, who knows? – but he went to DD with the 
information.  And then these two began to consider what they could 
do to protect Harry.  DD, already knowledgable about dragon blood – 
having determined its 12 uses, after all – asked Snape about the 
possibility of somehow utilizing it.  And Snape—"

"Oh!  He developed a potion utilizing dragon blood that might 
protect Harry!" Jen interjects.

"Right!  An ointment, actually.  Only Snape couldn't work on the 
ointment without help, because he had no access to dragon blood."

"Ah, so Hagrid helped."

"Yes.  Hagrid, having the way with creatures that he does, was able 
to gather dragon blood samples for Snape.  So Snape made the 
ointment.  Only – of all pieces of bad luck – it hadn't yet been 
applied to Harry when Voldy attacked at Godric's Hollow."

"Huh?" says a puzzled Jen.

"Just hear me out!  It was nearly ready, but the attack happened 
before DD could get to Sirius, who he believed was the Secret 
Keeper, to find out how to get to Harry and get the ointment 
applied.  So, when Harry survived the attack – due to Lily's 
sacrifice – the Fidelius Charm was broken, and DD sent Hagrid to GH 
immediately, with *very specific* instructions."

"You mean... the missing 24 hours?"

"Yup," grins SSSusan.  "Dumbledore, mightily relieved that Harry had 
survived the attack, decided to do anything & everything he could to 
FURTHER protect Harry, because he believed Voldemort to not truly be 
dead.  He had Hagrid pick up Harry from the wreckage and take him to 
Snape, who applied the ointment.  The ointment needed several hours 
to sink into the blood stream and to become activated there.  Once 
that had happened, Hagrid flew with baby Harry to meet DD at the 
Dursleys."

"Hmmmm," Jen responds.  "It's interesting, anyway."

"AND it explains so much!" says SSSusan.  "Why Hagrid defends Snape 
to the Trio all the time.  Why DD trusts Snape.  What the missing 24 
hours was about.  Maybe why Snape is so hateful to Harry.  Harry, 
after all, has NO IDEA what Snape's already done for him, and Snape 
receives no credit for his efforts.  It *might* even explain why 
Harry was able to hold out against Voldy in the graveyard, mightn't 
it?  The extra protection?  Harry's dragon-like ability to hold out 
against powerful spells?  I tell you, DRIBBLE: SHADOWS suits me just 
fine."

The two friends sip their margaritas in silence, contemplating the 
possibilities.

Siriusly Snapey Susan, 
with gratitude to Grannybat for her DRIBBLE TBAY in 83354