[the_old_crowd] OoP: Flints, errors, and other details (LONG)

[Neil Ward]

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I'm impressed by some of the detailed comments so far.  After one reading, I
have difficulty recalling major parts of the plot let alone the finer
details.  Here am I still chuckling about the flying brains while the rest
of you are cataloguing flints and drafting FAQs!  I am not worthy.

Richard said:

<< 1. The Thestrals. JKR admitted in the Albert Hall on Thursday that Harry
should have seen them at the end of GoF, but preferred to leave it until
OoP. The explanation is a bit flimsy, but at least she recognised the
problem. :-) >>

Thestrals in "Fantastic Beasts..." are described as having the power to make
themselves invisible and as being associated with bad luck.  I think it's
only Hagrid who mentions the association with having witnessed death?  If
that is the case though, following up the theory that it's the psychological
impact of death that allows people to see them, and that Harry builds to
that, perhaps Neville sees them because he regards his parents as dead even
though they are alive.

I can't help thinking of cough sweets when I hear the word "thestrals".  I
think I'm reminded of Strepsils (throat pastilles).

Richard:
<< 5. How does Harry manage "Lumos" while not holding his wand? (p. 21) As
far as we know, like all spells and incantations, it only works if the
wizard is holding his wand at the time. Yet Harry picks it up (indeed finds
it) only once it's lit. >>

I agree that this isn't a flint, but an illustration of Harry's power to
perform wandless magic.  I think perhaps he "saw the light" in that scene
and we'll see him trying out magic without his wand in the next book.

Richard:
<< 9. Harry in Snape's Pensieve memory. If the Pensieve is an accurate
record of Snape's *memories* (rather than a "flashback film"), Harry should
not be able to have concentrated on following MWPP around, but should have
retained Snape's perspective. >>

Is it possible that Snape's memory was seen at least partly from
Dumbledore's perspective?  We're told that Snape and Dumbledore are both
skilled in Legilimency and Occlumency, so it is feasible that they have
shared memories at some point and retained them among their own thoughts.
Taking this further, perhaps Dumbledore's pensieve memory in GoF was from
Snape's perspective in the auditorium, which is why Harry found himself
sitting next to Dumbledore in both scenes.  If Dumbledore had vouched for
Snape and brought him back to the good side, wouldn't it be likely that he
would sit next to Dumbledore at the trial?

One flaw in this theory is that in Snape's memory, we don't experience
Dumbledore stepping in to  stop the taunting of Snape.  I have a thought on
that, although I'm really stretching it to snapping point with it.  In the
past, Dumbledore has given the impression that he knows exactly what is
going on in the school: I once proposed that Peeves was Dumbledore's id (or
wild spirit), which is how he keeps an eye on the students and noted that
pensieve is an anagram of "in Peeves".  The latter was based on a specific
connection between the pensieve and Dumbledore, but I'm still fond of the
idea that there is a connection between Dumbledore and Peeves, perhaps a
mental connection similar to that between Harry and Voldemort.  At one
point, doesn't Umbridge try to have Peeves removed from the school?  I guess
she would do that if she thought Peeves was a fly on the wall for
Dumbledore.  Did Dumbledore kill Peeves and forge a bond between them?

Okay... so the painful scene for Snape is recalled partly from Dumbledore's
perspective, which is partly fuelled by Peeves' perspective, which is
somehow connected to Dumbledore... if there's an 'R' in the month.  Yes, it
is a bit far fetched, isn't it?

Neil

(who also spotted the Black Black translation of Phineas Nigellus)

***
Flying Ford Anglia