Of Basilisks and weasels and rue (Was: A basilisk in the final book?)

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 171274

Carol quoted:

> "The name Ruta is from the Greek reuo (to set free), 
> because this herb is so efficacious in various 
> diseases. It was much used by the Ancients; 
> Hippocrates specially commended it, and it 
> constituted a chief ingredient of the famous 
> antidote to poison used by Mithridates. The 
> Greeks regarded it as an antimagical herb, 
> because it served to remedy the nervous indigestion 
> they suffered when eating before strangers, which 
> they attributed to witchcraft. In the Middle Ages 
> and later, it was considered - in many parts of 
> Europe - a powerful defence against witches, and 
> was used in many spells. It was also thought to 
> bestow second sight."

houyhnhnm:

Ron consumed a lot of rue when he was recovering 
from the poisoned mead.  I wondered if it might mean 
Ron would become a Seer, but maybe he was just given 
rue because he's a WEASLey.