Chapter 27 Discussion / Why LV is bad / How TMR found the CoS / Cup Soul Bit

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 184190

> 
> Carol responds:
> 
> The problem I have with your reasoning is that Basilisk venom,
> according to Hermione, is "so destructive that [a] Horcrux can't
> repair itself." It's also ""dangerous to carry around with you" (DH
> Am. ed. 104).

Pippin:
The problem I have with your reasoning is that if it could be safely
transported in a magical container, Hermione wouldn't think it was 
dangerous to carry around. 

Carol:
 I'm not at all sure that a Basilisk fang, out of
> which the venom can drip, is a safe container. 

Pippin:
It's safe in the sense that it can't be destroyed by the venom. 

A real serpent's fang would be a *very* leaky bottle, since it has
openings at either end.   A basilisk's fang must be constructed
differently, with the poison reservoir inside it. As these particular
fangs have had five years to drain out, they're not leaking,
or they'd be empty. But if the venom loses potency once it dries,
which seems to be the case, then carrying the fangs in the open air
might seem safer than enclosing them, just in case they *do* leak.  

And if they do, then some of them might be empty. Too bad if you
haven't got any spares, then. <g>

Surely, "as sabers" refers to a curved shape, and not to being sharp
on the edges as well as the point.  Otherwise Harry would have cut his
hand. But perhaps Hermione  put a cushioning charm on the points, just
in case.

Dropping the fangs is a bit of slapstick, obviously. I'm sure Hermione
was carrying them very carefully until she lost her wits in her
surprise, like McGonagall dropping her books. This little joke is
apparently the main reason for having the fangs make an appearance at
all, although they do also serve as a red herring so that the
fiendfyre is more of a surprise.

Carol:
  In any case, their
> concern is the existing Horcruxes and defeating Voldemort, not what
> Voldemort will do if he wins the battle. They're not planning to let
> that happen.

Pippin:
I can't recall anyone who thinks that Voldemort *isn't* going to win
entry to Hogwarts.  Canon? 

Pippin