White peacocks?

[anne_t_squires]

No: HPFGUIDX 173132


>
> Aslý Tümerkan:
> I first thought that it was Malfoy's animagus form. It probably wasn't
> though, and I couldn't make any sense of it afterwards. Anyone knows
what they were?
> 
> Aslý Tümerkan
>
Anne Squires:

Your question prompted me to google peacock symbolism.  I found
something very, very interesting.

All of the following quotes come from a site about peacock symbolism:
http://www.khandro.net/animal_bird_peacock.htm

I'm going to copy and paste just afew things I found to be
particularly significant to DH, imo, of course.

"In the iconography of European alchemy and hermaneutics, the peacock
represents the soul.  In Christianity, it stands for immortality and
the incorruptibility of the soul.."

"The motif of two peacocks, one on each side of the Tree of Life, is a
well-known feature of Persian decorative arts. A  pair of peacocks
stands for the "psychic duality of man" similar to the role played by
the Gemini in western astrology, says Cirlot (A Dictionary of Symbols.)"

"Among the Muslims of Java in Indonesia there is a myth about how the
peacock guarding the gates to Paradise ate the devil, and that is how
he managed to get inside.  This myth makes a unity of the duality of
good and evil, and also explains the bird's mysterious iridescent
colour.  It also incorporates the Indian notion of the
incorruptibility of the peacock."  

And most significantly of all, "Since a potentially deadly emotion
such as anger is depicted as a serpent, and the peacock is immune, the
peacock also symbolizes  victory over poisonous tendencies in sentient
beings."

Thus, to summarize, the peacock symbolizes an immortal, incorruptible
soul.  It also represents the defeat of the devil, the triumph of good
over evil.  It symbolizes immunity to serpents and poisonous
tendencies. Wow!  who knew?

I think an albino peacock might represent the idea that in the very
dark, disturbing scene there is a element of purity, hope, that which
is good.  We find out later that DD had given Snape the information
that is discussed in the meeting.  Although everything looks bleak and
lost, Albus, which means white, is involved and there is hope for the
coming battle against evil. 

Anne Squires