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

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 141840

>Potioncat:
>It's not a bad idea to go back to canon every now and 
> then 
> > to make sure we've got it right.
> >
> 
> Neri:
> I fully agree with that, which is why my posts generally have a lot 
> of quoted canon in them.



THEORY BAY

The sun is shining brightly on Theory Bay. Potioncat comes out of a 
dilapidated old warehouse and pauses to look around. She spies Neri 
admiring a collection of cannons at the edge of Theory Bay and goes 
to join him.

 "What we have here," Potioncat says, "Is a failure to communicate."

Neri frowns, "Have you ever seen the movie that line is from?"

"No, and I don't plan to," She answers. "You may recall that not too 
long along I congratulated you because your ideas about Snape's delay 
had taken on canon-like status among some of the list members? Of 
course, you are right that things start around supper and end at 
dawn. A lot of time and research went into working out the timeline, 
as I recall. Many, many posters were engaged. However, who does what, 
when they do it and how it should have been done is a matter of 
interpretation."

"Agreed."

"But it's not at all unusual for a post to begin with, 'Remember when 
Snape postponed informing the Order' and then adding some thoughts 
based on that theory. Now, perhaps the writer knows they're adding to 
an interpretation, or perhaps by now, the writer has forgotten that 
it is interpretation. Or the person reading the post may not have 
been around when the discussion first occurred."

Neri frowns, "Your point?"

"Quite a few of us agree that a dead person who looks as if he is 
sleeping has a peaceful expression. It is canon, I won't quote the 
passage here, that DD looked as if he were sleeping except for the 
position of his limbs.

"How any of us interpret that appearance and the meaning behind it is 
up to us. Of course we need canon support to go along with it, and 
it's acceptable that others may interpret the canon differently. But 
it's valid for me to say that DD's peaceful expression reflects his 
state of mind at the time of death."

Potioncat continues, "Snape's delay and DD's peaceful expression are 
here to stay
at least until the next hurricane. I don't remember if 
you ever gave the delay its own name and vessel, but I think you 
should. I've decided to launch the Peaceful Expression theory."

Potioncat waves toward the bay and Neri sees a small version of a 
Viking ship in the middle of the bay. The ship is draped in black and 
contains a bier. "I give you SLEEP.  Sleeping Leader Enjoys Eternal 
Peace."

"SLEEP is the theory or interpretation that DD's appearance of sleep 
immediately after his death means that he has died with assurance 
that his requests are being obeyed.  With some details and variations 
to be worked out in other posts."

Neri nods, "I see. And you're the captain?"

"Oh, no. No one would actually sail on it. It's a replica of a Viking 
funeral ship
sort of like a museum. I could use a curator and some 
docents to help educate the masses and provide canon backup for the 
whole idea. Someone to state the interpretation in its variations a 
little better.

"Now, how about a name for Snape's delay?"

(Potioncat who played  herself. Neri was portrayed by a T BAY re-
enactor and may not actually be stating his opinions. )