"Voldemort"

[GulPlum]

Magda said (in reply to my previous):

 >personally I think if you re-read the entire series with the idea in
 >mind that Dumbledore and Snape are watching Harry for signs of
 >V-possession, then some actions make more sense.
 >
 >Especially in COS where there's a lot of concern that Harry might be
 >responsible for the unexplained attacks.  Is Harry really Harry or is
 >he perhaps Harry+Voldemort?

Whilst I like your idea, I've just skim-read CoS with that in mind (noting 
all exchanges involving Snape and/or Dumbledore) and I'm afraid it doesn't 
gel. Apart from the explanation scene at the end, there is one relevant 
exchange with Snape and Dumbledore each, and another with both present. The 
only person who's afraid that Harry is doing things he shouldn't be doing 
and doesn't know he's doing them is Harry himself, who is concerned about 
being the Heir rather than being possessed.

Harry gets a "searching look" from Dumbledore a couple of times (when he's 
lying), and as for Snape, the petrification of Mrs Norris has his "black 
eyes glittering in the candlelight" and "a triumphant smile flickering 
across his gaunt face" when the kids have obviously lied about not being 
hungry and were going to bed without supper (rather than chasing the 
voices). Then, during the Duelling Club, when Snape "look[ed] at Harry in 
an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look, and Harry didn't 
like it. "

Yeah, well, I'd be calculating as well, if someone in my presence showed an 
unnutural and dangerous ability... Possessing!Voldy's presence might have 
brought on blanching, fear, consternation, but shrewdness and calculation? 
I think not.

Besides, considering that only a few months previously, Voldy had needed to 
be physically attached to Quirrell in order to possess him, I suspect that 
Dumbledore (and Snape?) would have thought it highly unlikely that he'd 
been able to possess Harry from his hideout in Albania, in his weakened state.

Changing the subject ever so slightly, though, while we're talking about 
CoS, there was one sentence which takes on a new meaning post-OotP (bear in 
mind that was the first time I'd given CoS more than a casual glance since 
OotP came out and I'm sure someone else has remarked on this before):

"This wasn't the first time Snape had given Harry the impression of being 
able to read minds." (in Snape's office when Harry and Ron arrive at Hogwarts).

:-)

 >Looking back on the occlumency lessons again, can we imagine Snape's
 >POV if he's not sure if it's Harry he's dealing with or the Dark Lord?  I 
don't think
 > the Dark Mark can be activitated by the DE's but if Voldemort can 
activate it
 > with his own name and Snape's mark starts reacting to Harry's 
pronouncing it,
 > then that would mean that the possession of Harry is advancing 
rapidly.  The
 > lack of reaction on his arm might have reassured Snape that there was still
 > time to keep Harry safe.

That's a genuinely interesting observation, though, and I'll have to think 
about it some more. Thanks.

--
GulPlum AKA Richard, who had hoped to catch up completely on reading and 
writing posts but has only managed this one. :-(