[HPforGrownups] Re: Question #1

[Happy Smiley]

No: HPFGUIDX 183357

> CJ:
> ... Dueling Club, when Harry was unaware that he'd been speaking
> parseltongue.
> Any theories as to why that would be?

> Goddlefrood:
> Harry must have been so familiar with Parseltongue without
> knowing it that when he heard it, and spoke it himself, he
> must have thought he was speaking English. Odd though that
> may sound.

Earlier too, Harry has exhibited this inability to consciously
realize parseltongue is being spoken. In HBP, when he goes into
Dumbledore's memory containing the Merope-Gaunt-Morfin-Ministry
official incident, only after Dumbledore points out to him does
Harry realize that Morfin was speaking parseltongue - in fact,
till that point, the ministry official's reactions (indicating
inability to understand Morfin's talk) didn't make much of a
sense to Harry.

I think something similar happened at Bathilda's place too -
Harry never consciously realized that parseltongue was being
spoken.

> kennyg1864:
> *But* what is odd is Hermione's reaction, or lack thereof:
> Why didn't Hermione recognize that it was Parseltongue?
> She's heard Harry speak it on more than one occasion.
> Surely she would do more than just jump, as smart as
> she is. Something like "Harry, what's that hissing
> sound?" :P


Good point! :) I think Hermione has heard Harry speak
parseltongue only once (in CoS, dueling incident). Yet
her reaction *is* odd. I think she was too very scared
and suspense-filled at that moment to apply cool logic
- clutching Harry's arm and Harry's reassurance ("It's
okay") seem to indicate that. And "come" is probably
too short a word even in parseltongue for one to realize
that a *word* was spoken in the first place. LOL.

P.S: And yes, Nagini is a she. :) Actually, Nagini means
"female serpent" in Sanskrit / Hindi (Indian languages).
JKR has used this word to name this character. Hope you
found that information interesting. :)

Cheers,
Joey