TBAY: DRIBBLE SHADOWS (long)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 128892

> Potioncat looks around. Everyone is thinking. But what, she wonders, 
> are they thinking? The slight breeze is growing stronger and cooler. 
> Comfortable now, but threatening a real storm. Potioncat looks out
> at the vessels in the bay. Even the most seaworthy ones look a bit 
> battered.

"Sure is pleasant, isn't it?" Jen remarked to Potioncat, noticing the 
group around the battered life preserver had dispersed one-by-one for 
the weekend. Or maybe the empty margarita pitcher had something to do 
with it.

"You know what I'm thinking?" Jen said suddenly, animated by the 
thought of a good canon discussion.

"No, actually I don't," Potioncat sighed, "SSSusan is the Occlumens, 
remember?" Jen grimaced at Potincat's little joke and went on. "It's 
about that shiny canonball Neri summoned earlier today, Voldemort's 
speech at the graveyard." Potioncat murmured something in agreement, 
her head resting on the back of the lounge chair, eyes closed. A 
drifting audience never stopped Jen though, she pushed ahead. 

"Well first, just to set things straight with Neri, I originally said 
the dragon ointment was an *additional* protection" Jen pouted, "One 
that keeps Harry safe at times when forced to leave the blood 
protection at the Dursleys. I never said that the ancient magic/blood 
protection isn't what keeps Harry safe at Privet Drive."

Jen continued, oblivious to snoring from the general direction of 
Potioncat, who now had her head covered by a TURBAN-like towel and was 
looking quite distinguished. 

"So say the dragon blood is administered originally to Harry during 
the 24-hours, until he could get to the safety of the Dursleys. When 
the threat of LV returned Harry's first year, the ointment is re-
administered and he continues to receive boosters throughout each year 
before returning to Privet Drive. Because surely there's more keeping 
him safe than 'being under the watchful eye of that Muggle-loving fool 
from morning to night'. Really, LV gives Dumbledore a bit too much 
credit, don't you think? It's not DD's mere prescence that messes 
things up for Voldemort, it's his **clever ideas**."

Potioncat mumbled again, and Jen realized she was actually listening 
while dozing, quite an impressive skill. "So, what's your point Jen? I 
mean, we're getting to that, right?"

A little huffily, Jen rummaged around in her backpack and pulled out a 
shiny ball labeled 'Prophecy'. "Useful, isn't it? No one knows exactly 
what it means and yet, on occasions like this, you pull it out and 
conjure up whatever you want. I asked Stoned!Harry to pick it up for 
me and he was quite obliging. Sweet boy, really. Surly at times, 
but...." She rolled her eyes.  15 year-old boys needed little 
explaining to Potioncat.

"So, this orb tells us Harry possesses a 'power Voldemort knows not' 
right? Well, I think being protected by dragon blood, being extremely 
hard to bring down in any manner unless you hit the vulnerable area, 
is quite powerful isn't it? Harry gets nothing but protection while 
living at the Dursleys. With the ointment....he has power over LV."

"And it really doesn't matter if the prophecy was made prior to his 
birth. The old self-fulfilling prophecy at work, eh? By attacking baby 
Harry, Voldemort sets in motion not only his own temporary demise, but 
also propels Dumbledore to think up one of his clever ideas, thus 
protecting Harry even more."

Oblivious to Potioncat's snores, Jen happily speculated away, "And 
another thing, remember the infamous gleam? Well, DD sure knows where 
LV is vulnerable now, doesn't he? Right in the red, gleaming eyes. 
Hehehehe."

Suddenly a shadow fell across her backpack, and Jen looked up to see 
SSSusan re-joining the party. "Suse! Hey! With more margarita mix, you 
dog, you. Sit down, sit down!!" The word 'margarita' caused 
Potioncat's eyes to fly open and she quickly resumed normal posture, 
reaching out her empty glass at the same time. "Fill 'er up, SSSusan. 
And please stay, won't you, please? We were just, er, chatting" 
Potioncat swung her head a few times in Jen's direction, oblivious to 
the frowns.

"First, another toast!" SSSusan said enthusiastically, "To TURBAN!! A 
bloody brilliant idea from Potioncat, and a fine addition to DRIBBLE 
SHADOWS! Jen and I especially liked the visual of Snape wrestling with 
15-mos. old Harry as he tightened the TURBAN around his head!" 
SSSusan, obviously a few margaritas down the road from Jen and 
Potioncat, fell laughing off the longe chair, undoubtedly imagining 
Alan Rickman as Snape in that particular scene. ;)

"Seriously though," SSSusan sat back down, "This issue about 
Dumbledore is bothering me. People accusing him of lying because he 
said *he* placed the charm. The dragon ointment was his idea!! He's 
the one who understands the 12 uses for dragon blood and recruited 
Snape and Hagrid. Maybe there's even a Dumbledore incantation you have 
to mutter while applying the ointment! Heck if I know"

"But why did he have to say 'my charm' in OOTP?!" Jen 
exclaimed, "people don't like him taking the glory if several people 
were involved with the dragon-blood ointment. Especially Snape fans. 
You *know* how people feel about Snape losing his rightful glory!"

Susan looked surpised, expecting a little more canon depth from her 
friend at the moment. "He's not exactly going to sit Harry down in 
OOTP, at the moment he hates Snape more than he ever has, and tell him 
Snape actually helped protect him! You think Harry would believe that? 
Duh. And if he brings up Hagrid, well Harry would never believe Hagrid 
mixed an ointment of dragon-blood on his own. All roads lead to Snape 
on this one. Better to give Harry part of the story and move on."

Jen nodded wisely, "Ahhhhhh, yes. Smart guy, Dumbledore. I would have 
done the same, of course." SSSusan neatly covered her mouth with her 
hand and made what sounded to be a choking noise. Potioncat feigned a 
noisy nose-blowing, and for a brief moment, Jen was finally silent.