LONG collection of DH related thoughts.

[faery_wisdom]

No: HPFGUIDX 173168

> Joe:
> Questions which still linger...
>
> How does the (by my scoring anyway) third best wizard in the world,
> Snape, "accidentally" curse off George's ear?
> "Remember my last?" Whatever happend to a clarification of THAT?
> What did *Lupin* ever do to earn Snape's wrath? (Being friends with
> James & Sirius doesn't count for much here.)
> Why did Lupin go from being one of the most self-posessed and
serene adults to near-unhinged in DH?
> Why didn't Neville get burned by the flaming hat? (I'm guessing it
> was because Neville was a "true Gryffindor" and the hat was
Godric's)
> If Grindelwald wasn't the true master of the Elder Wand -- as he
> swiped it from Gregorovitch -- how is it that DD became the true
> master? This assumes that at some point DD found the true master of
> the Elder Wand and disarmed him, allowing him to win the duel.


Beautiful post Joe, of course that may be due to my residing in the
same camp as you. Rather than duplicate what you've already
eloquently stated a couple of comments to the above Q's and Snape's
patronus.

Remember in OP that Tonk's Patronus changes form due to her pining
after Lupin? What's to say Snape's patronus did not change to a doe
after Lilly's death?

The sectumpsempra curse used to blow George's ear off is actually
explained in the Pensieve. Snape was cursing a death eater who
swerved / swooped at the last minute - so it was truly an accident.
Can't recall which book of the last three, but I do remember a convo
about not being able to take back or divert curses and that's a
particularly nasty one. Second point there is that had he targeted
George he probably would have lost a hell of a lot more than just an
ear.

Remeber my last is clarified for me when we realize that Petunia
wrote to Dumbledor to attempt entering Hogwarts, and more than once
from the sound of it. We know DD left her a letter when he dropped
Harry off so it stands to figure he explained in that letter (his
last) the importance of Harry calling her house home.

The festering bitterness Snape clearly feels towards the Marauder's
combined with Lupin's acceptance of Snape's coveted professorship
explains his wrath toward Lupin. Especially when you consider that he
was forced to make the potion meant to keep Lupin from his
transformation and that Lupin and Harry Bond as well as they do.

As far as the unhinging of Lupin in DH I can only ask, do you have
children Joe? How many former husbands have you heard of who turned
into someone else once the couple went from newly weds to expecting?
It fits given that he had more than staunchly opposed any
relationship between himself and Tonks to begin with. Whatever served
to sway his opinion changed the second he realized they were having a
baby. Lupin's greatest fear is that his affliction would cause harm
to those he loved, and the ultimate harm would be to pass it on
through birth to a son. Harry's treatment of him in Grimauld
certainly seems to rehinge him for the remainder of the book. I'm
just sorry he had to die!

I think you answered the hat question yourself. I didn't concern
myself with that so much b/c it was a classic Voldy thought he knew
how to get rid of another pesky brat, but wait - he's come out
unscathed and WITH the sword of Gryffindor. So is it a Voldy failed
to understand the magic behind the object / person / act yet again?
I'm inclined to think so.

Lastly, I read the Elder wand stolen by Grindelwald part differently.
I thought that DH states that Grindelwald did become master of it
when he stole it, and then when DD was forced to face his fears and
duel Grindy he won it when he beat Grindelwald in the infamous duel.
DD was master until Malfoy managed to disarm him. That part works
brilliantly for me. DD tells Snape that sometime in the next year the
right moment for his death will present itself. He hasn't uttered a
word, but soon as Malfoy disarms him we get the "Severus, please." DD
admits to Harry in King's cross that he believed LV would seek the
Elder wand at some point. Makes me think that when Malfoy unwittingly
earns mastership by disarming him DD sees it as a perfect time to
have Snape euthanize him as only he will know Malfoy is true master
of teh wand.

Your list of unanswered questions is great!! I would add one more to
the list, unless someone caught this. Who performed magic at a later
than expected age under desperate circumstances?

Kit