Inferi (was Re: CHAPDISC: HBP21, The Unknowable Room

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 158815


Marianne wrote: 
> 10. Will any of the characters that we have met and who are now 
> deceased, such as Emmeline Vance or Amelia Bones, make an appearance 
> as an Inferi in Book 7?  

Potioncat:
I'd like to come back to this question. Inferi are introduced in this 
chapter when Snape comments on the article about Mundungus 
impersonating an Inferius. Certainly, it provided a way to teach the 
reader about Inferi for the later events at the lake in the cave. 

Seamus asks Snape a question about Inferi--although they are studying 
Dementors. Snape mentions Mundungus, and brings up the difference 
between ghosts and Inferi. He says twice-- and I think it's repeated 
twice by a student-- that ghosts are transparent. Why do you think 
Snape is so insistant that the students understand that difference? 

The Inferi we saw at the cave were obviously animated dead bodies, and 
nothing like the ghosts we've seen. Do you think an Inferius could be 
enchanted to appear more like it had in life? So that perhaps someone 
might be tricked into thinking an Inferius was a ghost? 

I think it's interesting that Seamus had no hesitation at asking Snape 
an unrelated question. Does Snape get points for adding current events 
to his daily lecture? Something I missed in any number of other 
readings--Snape's previous lesson was on resisting the Imperius Curse.