[HPforGrownups] Religion in the Wizarding World. (Was: Re: Halloween Toasts)

[Philip Whitehouse]

No: HPFGUIDX 191413



> > > Geoff:
> > > That is a logical non-sequitur.
> > >
> > > You might just as well say that because we never hear of Harry or
> > > any of the others going to the toilet, they are all constipated or
> > > because they never apparently eat carrots, there aren't any.
> 
> Eric: 
> > Hermione's mentioned as nipping into the ladies' a couple of times, 
> > and ISTR that Harry _Sectumsempra'd_ Draco after they ran into each 
> > other in a loo.
> 
> Geoff:
> This is US English raising its head again.....
> 
> In HBP, Harry meets up with Draco in a "boys' bathroom". To a 
> British person, a "bathroom" is a "bathroom" is a "bathroom". We 
> never refer to toilets as bathrooms. The most common usage, 
> which has crept into informal speak in the last few decades is "loo"; 
> in more polite society "toilet". Lavatory has rather dropped out of 
> regular usage. In my house, we have a ground floor loo and on the 
> first floor we have a bathroom which also contains a loo.
> 
Being British, I would contend that given the movie depiction, Hermione was certainly crying in one in CoS, which makes far more sense than an actual bathroom when you compare the behaviour in real life. The only 'bathroom' mentioned is the prefect's one - I seem to remember showers being mentioned in reference to Quidditch practices. So that takes care of that.

Moving away from metaphors and avoiding search the entire series for mention of carrots, I don't think it is necessarily the case that Harry was baptised - there was certainly a church and carols [I think] in Godric's Hollow, which are much more religious than godparents - so it remains plausible. 

A counter example might be Teddy Lupin. There is less evidence of his being baptised.

Doubtless JKR had god parents. It also serves a way to both allow Dumbledore to justify leaving Harry with Aunt Marge, while giving Harry a meaningful 'non-relation' connection and father figure. (It's clear Molly is a 'replacement' mother).


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