Complete secret. . .the whole school knows

[orzchis]

No: HPFGUIDX 146039

Steve wrote:
> 
> Harry saved (or at least, helped save) one of the most precious
> artifacts in the wizard world. There is only one known Philosopher's
> Stone in existence, and Harry saved it from being captured by the most
> dangerous and notorious criminal who ever lived. That is worth far
> more in value than the detriment of being out past curfew.
> 

But does the average student know anything about it?  Dumbledore tells Harry in the 
hospital wing that what happened in the dungeon between him (Harry) and Professor 
Quirrell is a complete secret, and so naturally the whole school knows.  I'm sure one of the 
reasons he expresses himself like this is to keep Harry from getting a swelled head or 
bragging.  But it turns out that "the whole school" knows only rumors -- when Harry tells 
Ron & Hermione what happened, they are amazed (and Hermione screams).  So. . .what 
_does_ "the whole school" assume has happened?  Quirrell _is_ dead after all.  Does the 
average random student know this?  What might he/she think of it if he/she did know it?  
Here's one place (among many) where we (the readers) are handicapped by Harry's 11-
year-old POV; by Harry's limited POV in any case.  (Harry wouldn't necessarily question 
what Dumbledore has told him; why should he fill in everybody on what happened if "the 
whole school knows"?)

In OOTP when Harry (referring to the abovementioned event) blurts out in Umbridge's 
class that Quirrell had LV on the back of his head, the general reaction seems to be 
embarrassment -- too bad Potter's delusional.  This reaction on this particular occasion 
could be aided & abetted by Umbridge, who proclaims Harry a liar, being the authority 
figure on hand; and by the events having been four years' previous, with vacations & stuff 
in between to put everything on the back burner of people's memories.  (I think this effect 
kicks in every year.  At the end of spring term Harry usually confronts LV; then everybody 
goes home to have a summer, & the excitement of sensational events potentially cools off, 
I'm guessing, for an average student who doesn't know Harry well, even if they did get a 
whiff of events when they happened.)

Thoughts?

Sandy Straubhaar