Of Hxs and parasites

[Barry Arrowsmith]

Had an off-site mail exchange - ostensibly about Possession Theory,  
but wandering into other areas, Hxs for one. they aren't my favourite  
plot device by a long way - too messy and vague IMO, but we're stuck  
with them.

My correspondent (dung, as it happens) mentioned that Hxs don't  
necessarily preclude PT -  after all Tom had to find out about them  
from somewhere - and it wouldn't be the Hogwarts library. Why not Sally?

Possible.
'Soul' is not a synonym for 'powers' in any usual comparison.
But take her line of thought further - supposing the Hxs pre-date  
Tom? What if they're Sally's? Not unreasonable, I'd have thought. He  
claimed to be No.1 in the wizarding charts, been there, done that,  
sought immortality, power, all that good stuff. Who fits the bill  
better?

And the Hxs themselves - HH's cup, SS's ring, possibly RR's wand,  
though probably not GG's sword (if the Tarot connection holds up).  
Heirlooms. Really old stuff. Who is more likely to be able to lay  
hands on artifacts associated with the Founders? Tom (after 1,000  
years) or Sally (the wizard on the spot)?

And if it was Sally then we can make a good guess at what happened to  
the Founders, can't we?

So Sally!Essence is *using* the Voldy construct to collect Sally Hxs  
manufactured centuries ago. Sally wants to come back.

If correct (bloody big if, I'll admit) then the Diary probably wasn't  
a Hx within the meaning of the act. Never did like it anyway. If  
there was only one 'life' shared between her and Tom, then Ginny  
should have died when that life was snuffed by the Basilisks deadly  
dentition.  Besides, we've been led to believe that when a Hx goes  
blooey there's some nasty magical fallout in the vicinity -  and I   
don't recall any in the Chamber.

Hm. An on the spur of the moment hypothesis. Rough, needs work.
Comments please.

Oh - and there's a sort of real-life parallel, if you're prepared to  
stretch a point or two.
The parasitologists among us will be familiar with Toxoplasma gondii.  
Interesting beastie. It has a life cycle switching between cat  
intestine, followed by excretion, then it's picked up by rats -   
where it infects the brain and causes behavioural changes that make  
it highly likely that the said rat will be caught and eaten by a cat  
-  thus perpetuating the cycle.

It nearly makes sense, depending on who you cast as what.

Kneasy