[HPforGrownups] Re: CHAPDISC: HBP24, Sectumsempra

[Kemper]

No: HPFGUIDX 161252

> Zgirnius wrote:
> > >The songlike chant for a
> > > healing spell makes some sense because of the association of
> > > phoenixes with healing.
> >
> a_svirn countered:
> > I don't think so. The songlike quality was due to the fact that
> Snape *chanted* (that is intoned the incantation in certain rhythm)
> rather than pronounced it normally. Fawkes, on the other hand, sings
> without words.
> >
> Carol responded:
> But what I was wondering when I wrote the question is why the spell
> requires a chantlike countercurse rather than a single word or phrase
> (contrast Levicorpus/Liberacorpus).
> .... Perhaps Sectumsempra
> requires a stronger, more complex countercurse simply because it's a
> stronger, more complex spell than Levicorpus, not to mention Darker
> magic, but when have we seen anything resembling this chantlike spell
> in a language Harry doesn't understand (perhaps Latin, perhaps not)?
>
> Possibly, Snape discovered through experiments
> ... that no simple, one-word
> countercurse could undo the effects of Sectumsempra and searched the
> records for some ancient healing spell that could counter it, a spell
> that he alone of modern wizards has memorized. Or perhaps he sat down
> and invented that complex, chanted countercurse based on what ancient
> wizards had done to counter similar Dark spells. Wither way, the spell
> is unusually complex, it's songlike, it's powerfully magical, and its
> magic is that of healing, not destruction.
>
> What does it tell us about Snape that he would invent or seek out such
> a spell? Snape seems almost motherly, but also very powerful, as he
> sings it.


Kemper now:

Addressing a_svrin, Fawkes heals physical woulds with tears. Though, I
can see how his song heals despairing spirits by inspiring courage and
hope.

I think Snape composed the song-like incantation to mend the rending
curse he contrived or conknifed (get it?).

I also believe, as I said in a thread about nightingales, that this
chant -- quick question before I go on, when is human sound not a
song?  when it's spoken, yelped, or moaned? -- this chant requires a
desire to heal, maybe even the passion to do so.  Much like the
unforgivables require the intent, and maybe even the pleasure, to
possess, hurt and kill.

Wonderful questions, Carol!

Kemper, who's late for work...