Old threads revived and sewn together.

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 141531


Remember before HBP, there were listees that predicted there was more
than one piece of Voldemort in the WW, and that Snape would end up
shooting Dumbledore, that potions would be the big doo dah in book
six... etc...

Although we are a bit hit and miss around here, the hits are pretty
amazing, you gotta admit. I recently trawled the database of
recomended posts, and found a couple of threads that I thought should
be ressurrected post HBP. Y'know, narrow the chances that after book
seven we'll be looking at the FP section and saying to ourselves
"Shame we got sidetracked by the latest book, hey?" <g> 

Ok so here are two of the posts that I found interesting but severely
undeveloped:

Fools Gold - Jotwo
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/121594

Alchemy and the Purple Flames - DianaSiriusfan
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/116307

Now I couldn't really pinpoint a thread that discusses thoroughly the
sequence of under the trapdoor tasks as parrallels to their respective
books, but we all know that one don't we?

So, I thought, somehow that these three belonged together, and heres
how they fit-

The first post Fools Gold, speculates that the cut character Pyrites,
whom Jo said she was planning to artistically stain with blood on his
gloved hands every so often, may have been a predecessor to a known
and current character.  Jotwo suggested Severus Snape, and here's why
I have decided that I agree and would like to pursue it-

First, JKR tells that she planned to stain Pyrites' hands with blood.
It follows that any character who would be the alter-ego of Pyrites,
would be one who is *seen* to have blood on his hands for most of the
series. Note that JKR says that she planned to artistically put blood
on his white gloves, as in a suggestion that this man has blood on his
hands, JKR is not saying that it was planned he'd be sketched in
gloating over the dead bodies of the nice characters, blood on his
gloves is not specifically saying that Pyrites was going to be shown
an obvious killer, it's suggestive imagery and suggestive imagery,
let's be frank, is exactly what canon Snape is made of.

The second reason is that when telling us about Pyrites, JKR suggests
that he was planned to be present at Godrics Hollow. The Fourth Man
that JKR remains extremely tight lipped about. Since HBP and the
revelation that he was the Hogshead spy, Snapes rank on the fourth man
sliding scale has shot through the roof, IMO. Pyrites and Snape seem
to have a fair stack in common, that's for sure. 

So lets assume that Pyrites *was* Snapes predecessor character. And go
from there, what can we say about the name Pyrites.

Heres what JoTwo said:
I am also speculating whether another plot function for Pyrites was
performing alchemy for Voldemort.
In the very early page of Philosopher's Stone that you can find on
the web site Harry, Ron and Hermione are discussing Nicholas Flamel
and the Philosopher's Stone. Hermione says she has read about this
in a book, Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science by Argo Pyrites. The
Argo was the ship of Jason and the Argonauts on their voyage to find
the Golden Fleece. Thus the first name is also connected to gold.

Whether or not the Pyrites who worked for Voldemort was the same as
the author of the book about alchemy, a name that means fool's gold
seems the type of punning moniker that JKR would give an alchemist.
Especially as the quest to turn base metals into gold is, in reality,
fruitless (and even in legend only Flamel achieved it).

------------------------------end quote

Now this is where we sew in the second post. The one by Diana Sirius fan -

My first thought was that this is the secret that Voldie used so he
didn't die in PS but then I realized that it is a spiritual process
and it couldn't be. Then I thought it was interesting that at the
end of PS, Harry had the stone and he could be 'like the gods'
pursuing the gold of the wise (Dumbledore).

-------------------------------end quote

So, let us now assume that Harry is the Alchemist, pursuing the the
Spiritual Gold, and Pyrites is the lesser Alchemist, as JoTwo
suggested, pursuing only fools gold. 

Then, if Snape were Pyrites reincarnated, it would be self evident
that the two of Harry and Snape are similar but on divergent paths. 

Post HBP, there are few of us who are not convinced of this now before
I even mention it, right? :D

If not here's some staple ingredients:

The similarities in their childhood experiences.
Both Half-Blood
Hermione's comments that Snape sounded like Harry in DADA.
Numerous mirror events in HBP of Harry doing what Snape did and vice
versa.

You get the picture..

Okay so, there we have a fairly firm basis IMO for another corrollary,
correct me if I am wrong about that.. <g> and that's where I'd like to
bring in one more part of Diana's post and the famous Under the
Trapdoor foreshadowing theory. 

First Diana's post -
"The violet flame is a tool of transformation. In alchemy, base
metals are transformed into gold and this is symbolic of what the
violet flame does. The alchemy of self-transformation. The violet
flame has the capacity to bring this transformation by transmuting
negative elements within ourselves. It has a unique ability to
transform fear into courage, anxiety into peace and hatred into
love.

-------------------------------end quote

Diana compares this violet flame to the flames that Harry walks
through at the end of his 6th task under the trapdoor. In that scene
Hermione and Harry are standing together but then their paths diverge
dramatically. There is only enough potion for Harry to go on, while
Hermione, takes a different potion. One that takes her *back* where
she helps Ron who is alone and needs help to get back.

Now lets add the Under the Trapdoor foreshadowing theory and call this
*the end of book six*. 

It's fairly obvious where I am going with this, right. If DD's death
is the flame of Harry's transformation, and Harry goes forward like he
did under the trapdoor, then who goes back? 

We see a character go back in the end of book Six. Snape retreats and
he takes with him someone who needs help to get back, Draco. 

So lets put all the pieces together. 

Snape/Pyrites, is likened to an Alchemist, but his chances of getting
the real stone instead of fools gold aren't that great with a name
like that. Harry OTOH is the "chosen one" so he goes ahead alone to
stop Voldemort, he walks through the flames of transformation just as
he did in book 1.

At the very least, IMHO, we have plenty of reason to speculate that
book seven will be just like the Man with two faces chapter. 

And perhaps a little reason to believe it won't be Snape we find
helping Voldemort on the other side of the flames. ;D

Valky