Bloody Relics and Unexpected Tasks

[Jen Reese]

Talisman:
> Rowling has nixed Harry as an heir to Gryffindor, so the money is  
> on DD as having been in Godric's family tree, leaving the 
> redoubtable Aberforth as an extant member of that blood line 
> (assuming DD *is* even dead, which, I agree, is no sure thing.)  
> This comports nicely with Rowling's suggestion that DD's family
> line is of future interest.

Jen: Yes! This theory is getting no response on TOL and I'm 
wondering why--what's the downside to this one? We're due an 
explanation of why Lily and James were protected at Godric's Hollow, 
how Dumbledore came to own Fawkes, and like you said, the importance 
of DD's family. All could be nicely answered by this theory. 
Personally I'd like to see Ron's watch come into play as well, that 
it was given to him by the Weasleys via Dumbledore (Catlady's 
theory?)and will help him destroy a Gryff horcrux or provide some 
other useful Gryffindor function.

Another thought, Aberforth will buy the farm in Book 7 so the 
remaining heirs of the two feuding founders will be laid to rest.

As Gryffindor's heir, DD might be uniquely *unqualified* to deal 
with finding and destroying the Horcruxes, especially those objects 
of Slytherin. Both the ring and locket could have protections on 
them from Salazar ensuring no one but a Slytherin heir could wear 
them. Is that why Dumbledore struggled with the ring protections, 
resulting in the literal and symbolic burning of his wand hand? 
Maybe the delay on the ring story was Rowling waiting to unveil the 
Gryffindor backstory. 

Talisman: 
> Just what will come of it remains to be seen, but I'm betting that 
> the need for Slyth blood is one of the reasons DD has kept LV
> around all these years.

Jen: Whatever do you mean by that, Talisman? I'm shocked you would 
even think that.

Heh.

Talisman:
> For another, we know from Hepzibah Smith that the Founders' relics 
> have special powers, all their own.  She only dabbled with the 
> powers imbued in the Hufflepuff Cup.  Perhaps simply out of the 
> greater interest she had in her ancestor's item, but also possibly 
> because a "true heir" would have more success with the powers of a 
> given ancestor's relic.  If so, she wouldn't have bothered 
> experimenting with the Slyth pendant, not being blood-linked to 
> activate it's powers.  

Jen: Or was smart enough not to? I'm not sure I would put a bona-
fide Salazar Slytherin relic around my neck if I had no Slytherin 
blood; safer storing it in the box. Once it became a horcrux it 
would certainly require a Slytherin to deal with it more easily is 
my guess. Which brings us to another thought by Talisman:

> If the Slyth pendant isn't just waiting for Harry in Kreature's 
> nest, available even by the master's command, then perhaps LV put 
> enough of himself into Harry to allow the boy to conjure it out of 
> the old chapeau.

Jen: I'm convinced the reason Harry could easily dispense with the 
diary was because he's attached to the last heir of Slytherin by the 
power transfer. True there aren't any protections on it like the 
other horcruxes since it was meant to be a weapon, but still there's 
some doubt Ginny could have destroyed it even if she tried more than 
flushing.  Since the soul of the Heir of Slytherin is in each 
horcrux, Harry will probably need to be part of each destruction 
along with each object's descendant.

As for summoning horcruxes via the sorting hat, that's an idea I 
haven't read and a good one.

Talisman:
> Harry *did* use a Founder's object in CoS to defeat a *version* of
> LV, and a troublesome serpent in his employ. (A nice bit of 
> foreshadowing/mirror symmetry.)

Jen: Foreshadowing for destruction of the Nagini horcrux, you're 
thinking? Or maybe you're saying everything could happen together 
like it happened in COS, with Harry's Parselmouth coming in handy to 
destroy Nagini prior to destroying Voldemort.

Talisman: 
> Fawkes delivers the Sorting Hat.  I'm guessing this was per DD's 
> instructions, as well. Harry asks for help, and the sword
> appears.  Later, DD tells him that "only a true Gryffindor" could
> have pulled the sword out of the hat.
> Our silver-bearded heir of Gryffindor likely directed the sword to 
> respond to Harry. Not only did he want to save Harry's buns and 
> secure Harry's identification with/ownership of his place in 
> Gryffindor House, but he has given a little lesson in what a *true 
> heir* can do vis-a-vis the hat, with it's bits of  Founders'
> brains, and a bona fide Founder's relic.

Jen: I believe this is actually coming from Godric himself. 
Slytherin was likely not the only founder who left a little magical 
reminder of himself in the castle. If it's true Fawkes was handed 
down by Godric through his family line to Dumbledore, then I think 
the magic in the castle actually brought the sorting hat and sword 
to Harry. Perhaps even *because* he was located in Slytherin's 
chamber at the time, a counter measure left by Gryffindor should the 
chamber open again. Dumbledore said 'help will be given to those who 
ask for it' and could be referring to himself, but more likely the 
magical castle since he won't be headmaster forever.

Talisman:
> Zacharias will have to be reasoned with, but after all, he has a 
> claim to the cup and might want it back for his Hope chest.
> Who will the Ravenclaw assistant be? Luna? That would be dandy.
> It would teach a thing or two to the Ravenclaws who don't think 
> she *belongs in their house.*  She'd certainly be willing enough
> to help Harry defeat the Dark Lord.

Jen: The vision of Zacharias and Luna working together might be 
enough to make me read Book 7, just to see what JKR would do with it 
<g>.