Re: Dumbledore's "“peaceful expression”? (was: Dumbledore's pleading)

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 141773


> Neri:
> > > Another interesting inconsistency I found is that in the Frank 
> > > Brice case and in the spider case there's a "rushing sound" 
> > > after the green light, which in the spider case is further 
> > > described "as though a vast, invisible something was soaring 
> through the air". 
> > > This quite distinct sound is *not* described in Cedric's case,  
> > > nor in the fox case, 
> > 
> > Valky:
> > The rushing sound, I have to admit is genuinely inconsistent in 
> > the text. 
> 
> Geoff:
> 'From far away, above his head, he heard a high, cold voice say, 
> "Kill the spare."
> A swishing noise and a second voice, which screeched the words to 
> the night "Avada Kedavra!"
> A blast of green light blazed through Harry's eylids and he heard 
> something heavy fall to the ground beside him...'
> 
> (GOF "Flesh, Blood and Bone" p.553 UK edition)
> 
> Referring to your comment above,I realise it seems to be in the 
> wrong order but how do you interpret the swishing noise?
>

Valky:
There seems to be only one relative point in the case of Harry hearing
the rushing sound, which is his proximity to the caster. If we assume
narrator views the AK at a distance from the caster then the rushing
sound needs only be described once. Out of curiosity, does Harry
recall the rushing sound in Godrics Hollow? Because, by this logic, if
he does then the wand that casts it would need to be very close to him.

The swishing in the case of Cedric, I'd then say, is the sound of
Pettigrew raising the wand in congruence with the order of the
description.


Cerridwen:
I mean, as long as I've got the book out, right? The spider, pg. 216
US:
There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound, as
though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air -
instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked, but
unmistakably dead. Several of the students stifled cries; Ron had
thrown himself backward and almost toppled off his seat as the spider
skidded toward him.

Valky:
The flash of green light is harder to explain, although we have two
descriptions of it, they seem to have only in common Harry's proximity
to the victim. I'd like to say that the blinding green light is
exclusively the way an Avada Kedavra looks when it's coming towards
you. But unless Harry is in miniature standing beside the spider on
the bench, it doesn't hold well. 

OTOH Barty Jr would *like* to have cast the AK on Harry so it's still
slightly possible that he cast it deliberately at an angle that leant
toward Harry. For that to hold I kind of need to know what the other
classmates were saying (not Ron, the spider skids toward him so if
he's standing beside Harry then we having backing for the assumption)
 *after* they saw Barty peform the AK in the spider, but I am *still*
missing my copy of GOF (humpf) so I can't check. Cerridwen, could I
ask you to check and see if the others recall the blinding flash too?


So I guess to answer your original question Geoff, I do see some
consistency in the varying descriptions of AK, but it's mostly found
by picking nits and differentiating minutiae, which I know doesn't
appeal to you greatly. The one thing that is not the least bit
inconsistent, however, is the effect of the successful Avada Kedavra
on the victim. Instant Death, no sideshow. Dumbledore's death is the
*only* exclusion in that case.

Valky