Plugging my theory (was Re: A BIAS in the Pensieve: A Batty

[nkafkafi]

> Naama wrote:
> 
> If Voldemort is somehow vampirish, why doesn't he have vampirish 
> features? Bat-like, that is, rather than snake-like? Or, do you think 
> the (numerous) snake connections are unrelated to Voldemort's 
> immortality thing? If you do, how to combine to one solution both the 
> vampire (for which there is no evidence, yet) and the snake 
> connections?
>

Neri: 
I don't know, but I'm thinking about it.

As I wrote later in that post, I tend to think that the vampire thing
is strictly in the metaphorical level. In this case JKR is free to use
those metaphors she want, change them and combine them with other
metaphors, like the snake thing, to create her own unique blend, so
Voldemort doesn't have to turn into a bat, drink blood and be afraid
of mirrors. He can have also snake-like properties if this serves
JKR's purposes. Although I suspect that the vampire experts around
here will be quick to discover also snake connections of the vampire
myth. 

It is true that the more superficial vampire allusions (cold dungeons,
billowing black cloaks, direct "bat" references) are mostly suggested
in regard to Snape, not Voldemort. But Voldemort still seems to have
some deeper vampirish properties: he is in some sense "undead". He is
a parasite.  He seems to take power from other people fearing him. As
Charme noted lately the description of Ginny possessed by Riddle
sounds vampirish. And Voldemort (or at least his Dark Mark) seems to
exert some source of mind control over Snape and probably the other
Death Eaters. 

I'm not sure how to combine the snake connections with the vampire
connections, mainly because I'm still not clear about what is the role
the snake connection. For example, how does Harry freeing the Boa
Constrictor in SS/PS fits into this?   

Neri