GOF Chapter 36: The Parting of the Ways.
Sep. 9th, 2011 01:47 pmIn the previous chapter 7 persons were gathered in the DADA classroom: Barty, Harry, Albus, Minerva, Severus, Winky and (finally) the real Alastor Moody. These are the people who have heard Barty's confession first hand.
Albus secures Barty with magical ropes and orders Minerva to guard him. Sends Severus to arrange for medical help for Alastor and then to bring Fudge to question Barty. Takes Harry with him to his office. So what about Winky? I believe the previous chapter is the last time she is seen in canon. (I checked - in the next chapter Poppy is sent to return her to Dobby's care.) Dobby mentions her once in OOTP (when he tells Harry how he sometimes finds a bed for her in the ROR). I suppose as far as Rowling is concerned she vanished.
Suddenly Harry remembers the pain in his leg, that mysterious pain that never stops Harry when the plot needs him to act, but is at other times unbearable.
Pomona was Cedric's Head of house and knew him best (among the staff, I presume). If she was a more involved Head of House than Minerva, that is. Which I find easy to believe. Heck, I find it easy enough to believe Horace was a more involved Head of House than Minerva.
As Albus promised, Sirius was waiting in his office. What was he thinking when Severus took him there from Hagrid's place? Did Severus conjure a leash for him?
"I knew it - I knew something like this - what happened?" - What did Sirius know (or believe he knew) at this point? If he was outside Hagrid's hut during the third task then he did not see Cedric's body.
Does Albus really believe telling everything in detail now is the best for Harry or does he just say that because *he* wants to be the first to hear the details, so he can decide how to act and what to tell whom quickly? I don't think psychologists would agree with Albus' approach.
Both Sirius and Albus react most strongly to the part where Peter drew Harry's blood. Sirius because of Peter's pattern of repeated betrayal, but Albus because he had a realization that caused him to have that 'gleam of something like triumph'. He realized that if things played out right there was a chance for Harry to survive the destruction of the Horcrux. (Which meant it was time to revise his plans.) I notice no reaction to Voldemort's mention of going beyond any wizard before him in search for immortality, but that was supposed to be another major realization - that there were more Horcruxes around.
Sirius doesn't know about how brother wands interact, but he is familiar with the term. I wonder if there is a wizarding fairy tale about that concept. Actual brother wands must be rather rare. Except when you have a phoenix, you know a master wandmaker and you have a lifelong interest in an uberwand.
No spell can bring back the dead. But there are so many ways for the dead to stick around and interact with the living anyway: ghosts, portraits, the resurrection stone.
Just as Harry reaches the end of his tale he feels as though he can't continue. Strange that. Oh and Fawkes heals his leg, so we no longer have to worry about that pain coming and going.
Albus praises Harry's bravery - equal to those who died fighting Voldemort at the height of his powers. This of course includes Harry's parents, but I find it interesting that Albus doesn't mention them specifically, because I'd think this was an obvious place to mention them positively. Perhaps Albus didn't think all that much of Harry's parents' role in the fighting?
Now that Albus heard the story he can forbid others to pester Harry with questions. So was talking about the events good or bad for Harry? Or perhaps Albus didn't care one way or the other, he just wanted to control the flow of information.
So Harry, back from the maze and the graveyard, changes into pajamas (without showering! one bath per book is enough!) and goes to sleep, surrounded by Padfoot, Molly, Ron, Hermione and Bill (with Poppy and Alastor also in the hospital wing) as Albus goes back to the DADA classroom to talk to Fudge.
Despite the dreamless sleep potion Harry wakes up shortly thereafter, to the sound of a loud argument between Minerva and Fudge. Oops, Fudge's pet dementor just ate Barty's soul - and it looks like Albus doesn't know yet. So where did he go?
Ah, Severus is here to provide an explanation: When Fudge heard the events of that night were caused by a DE, and that DE was caught, he went to get a dementor. So it looks like Albus came to the DADA classroom, saw Minerva guarding Barty and that Fudge hadn't arrived yet so he went off somewhere. Of course there is a slight inaccuracy in Severus' version - unless he has an undisclosed conjoined twin there weren't any 'we' who told Fudge about Barty's capture, it was him alone. And what did he tell Fudge that prompted the latter to go get a dementor? As Jodel wrote, he may have said that the culprit was an escaped prisoner, knowing Fudge would assume it was Sirius and arrange for him to get kissed before he noticed it was some other escaped prisoner. Why do that? Doesn't such an action sabotage Albus? Well, only a bit. But not taking this action was a risk Severus couldn't afford - remember how in the previous chapter we saw him looking at length at his image in Barty's foe glass? The last thing Severus wanted was for Voldemort to learn about that. (He is so lucky Voldemort is too proud of his Legilimency skills to resort to more objective means.)
Fudge sees no harm in the desoulment of Barty, but Albus is concerned that now he can't testify. Not because justice matters in Wizarding Britain but because Albus knows that after all his information-hoarding people not in-the-know will find Harry's story hard to believe. Really, Fudge's version, whereby a DE driven to madness acted on a delusion makes a lot of sense. Still, doesn't Fudge care how Barty managed to escape Azkaban in the first place? OTOH, as far as Fudge knows, much hangs on the testimony of Harry, whom Albus forbids to question, and what people heard a crazy man say. And then this morning's article about Harry makes him appear almost as mad as Barty. Nor does Albus' partial explanation of what Harry's scar does help. Because Fudge is right - curse scars don't act that way. Or in DH we would have heard Bill say he knew Fenrir was acting up somewhere when he felt the pain in his face. Albus' concealment of the existence of the Harrycrux came to bite him.
Harry tries to help by repeating the names of DEs he heard at the graveyard - all of whose clearance years ago was published in the press. (The one I am most puzzled about is Nott. He was among the first generation of DEs, probably from Tom's own schoolmates. Albus knew he was a DE from the time Tom returned to the country, yet he managed to get himself cleared. What gives?) And since the previous year Harry claimed the dead Pettigrew was alive and the one who had committed the crimes Sirius had been accused of Fudge sees him as habitually delusional.
Oh! Severus makes a sudden movement upon hearing Lucius' name! (And then looks back at Fudge...) Because he doesn't want anyone to make accusations against his friend? Or because he knows Fudge won't take seriously accusations against people that were cleared (especially one whom he saw as a pillar of mainstream society)? Or was he astonished that Tom actually named people in the circle, against his past custom?
Now Albus starts offering advice, ie orders - remove the dementors, contact the giants - presumably because he heard from Harry Voldemort was going to use both groups. Perhaps if the dementors had been replaced by something else it would have been harder for Tom to break Bella and the rest out of prison. Maybe. As if he couldn't have mind-controlled whoever would have been posted in the dementors' place. Might have delayed him by a few weeks (or a year, if the plot demanded that). OTOH Albus doesn't say what to do with the dementors that are supposed to be relieved of their duty in Azkaban. So if Fudge had followed his advice would we have seen dementors breeding in the countryside since Harry's 5th year?
Of course Albus was doing his case no favors, considering Fudge has had reasons not to trust him for a year by now. On top of that, now Albus accuses Fudge of blood prejudice. Ahem, the only prejudice we have seen Fudge engage in was against half-giants (and to a lesser degree against werewolves) - which is common across wizarding political groups, including those who are inclusive towards Muggle-borns. He is also prejudiced against Parselmouths, which would actually place him away from traditional old wizarding families. In fact, Fudge's prejudices are no different from those Ron was raised with. We have discussed this many times here - Rowling's 'good guys' are just as prejudiced as her villains in all aspects but one. Which could have still been made to work if it were acknowledged. After all, many of those who fought against the Nazis went back home to racially or ethnically segregated societies (whether by law or social custom) and it took the work of generations to improve that situation (and we aren't all the way through still, there is plenty of tribalism and xenophobia still around). But no, somehow if we just put the trio and Order veterans in charge all will be well because we are not supposed to notice the prejudices of the 'good guys'.
As long as Fudge is against Voldemort Albus remains on the same side with him. But he still started a private army during the first war and recruited Aurors, when the Ministry was against Voldemort, so I'm not sure Ministry-Albus cooperation was ever an option. The only way they can cooperate is if the Minister does as Albus tells hir.
Yes, Fudge is refusing to believe that Voldemort is back, but it isn't as if he was given any serious evidence. But now Severus shows him his Mark is back. Too bad Fudge (having spent the first war in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes rather than in the DMLE) has no idea what this means. A great illustration of the downside of the compartmentalization of information. Does Fudge think Severus is part of Albus' conspiracy to take over the running of the Ministry?
Poor Harry! Because of Cedric's death he can't receive his prize in a proper ceremony!
It's Arthur's fondness of Muggles that held him back at the Ministry all these years - and kept him out in the shed while at home. Because Molly doesn't care for Muggles any more than Fudge does. (Fudge only became Minister a year before PS. What kept Arthur back before Fudge's appointment? I'll tell you what - he wasn't half as good at his job as Percy was at his.)
Bill gets sent to tell Arthur to contact potential supporters at the Ministry. This brings to the recruitment of Kingsley and Tonks. Maybe also Hestia Jones (Moody doesn't mention her when he shows Harry the Order photograph, but we don't know if she is at the Ministry, nor do we know if Moody simply didn't get around to showing her. She may have been somewhere in a corner with Mundungus and Arabella). Of course the greatest advantage of having the Weasleys' support is that they bring up the numbers all by themselves.
Minerva is sent to bring Hagrid and maybe also Olympe. Their mission will result in recruiting Grawp. Who will serve as a deus ex machina once. (OK, he also punches the 2 giants Voldemort manages to recruit.)
Poppy is sent to take care of Winky. Nice of Albus to remember her. But this is all because he doesn't want Poppy to see Sirius. Severus is horrified to see him - even if IMO he should have known Sirius was not the one who betrayed the Potters (all it would have taken was to PI his own wand after the dust settled the night Sirius escaped). But then, knowing Sirius' other history perhaps Severus was expecting Albus not to trust Sirius again. Of course Sirius isn't happy to see Severus among Albus' forces now that he received confirmation that indeed Severus was a DE.
Albus forces the two to shake hands and demands no open hostility. As if. Nice of Rowling to show that both of them were acting equally hostile to the other.
Sirius is sent to Remus and other members of the 'old crowd' - did Rowling only invent the term 'Order of the Phoenix' during the three year summer? Anyway, considering that much of the 'old crowd' was at the school that day (and I imagine Albus can contact his brother in Hogsmeade himself) the number of people Sirius was to alert is no more than 8 (and that includes Remus).
Sirius can't wait to go back to his dog form, that he ends up having to turn the door handle with his paw.
Severus' assignment is so secret Albus won't mention it in front of Harry (or anyone else present) despite the fact that soon enough both sides of the war will know he is reporting to both of them. (His real secret is his true loyalty - whom is he reporting to fully and truthfully?) I like the mention of unusual pallor and glittering eyes. This is not an easy moment for him. Hey, there's a 'trace of apprehension' on Albus' face for Severus! For the spy, not the person, of course.
How cruel of Molly to remind Harry of the money Cedric should have won at a time like this! Oh the horror! It is so bad Harry might risk crying in front of Ron, Hermione and Molly! Oh, thanks Hermione for making that banging noise to distract our hero from his emotions. Oops, that's not why she did it - she just captured Rita. Who must have entered the room through the window at some point. I can't find the moment the window was opened nor do we have any mention of a humming noise, so we don't know how long Rita was in the room and what she saw or overheard. But she certainly knows that wanted supposed criminal Sirius Black is being aided and abetted by Albus and that Albus is restarting his little extra-govenment militia to which he will recruit members of the government.
Albus secures Barty with magical ropes and orders Minerva to guard him. Sends Severus to arrange for medical help for Alastor and then to bring Fudge to question Barty. Takes Harry with him to his office. So what about Winky? I believe the previous chapter is the last time she is seen in canon. (I checked - in the next chapter Poppy is sent to return her to Dobby's care.) Dobby mentions her once in OOTP (when he tells Harry how he sometimes finds a bed for her in the ROR). I suppose as far as Rowling is concerned she vanished.
Suddenly Harry remembers the pain in his leg, that mysterious pain that never stops Harry when the plot needs him to act, but is at other times unbearable.
Pomona was Cedric's Head of house and knew him best (among the staff, I presume). If she was a more involved Head of House than Minerva, that is. Which I find easy to believe. Heck, I find it easy enough to believe Horace was a more involved Head of House than Minerva.
As Albus promised, Sirius was waiting in his office. What was he thinking when Severus took him there from Hagrid's place? Did Severus conjure a leash for him?
"I knew it - I knew something like this - what happened?" - What did Sirius know (or believe he knew) at this point? If he was outside Hagrid's hut during the third task then he did not see Cedric's body.
Does Albus really believe telling everything in detail now is the best for Harry or does he just say that because *he* wants to be the first to hear the details, so he can decide how to act and what to tell whom quickly? I don't think psychologists would agree with Albus' approach.
Both Sirius and Albus react most strongly to the part where Peter drew Harry's blood. Sirius because of Peter's pattern of repeated betrayal, but Albus because he had a realization that caused him to have that 'gleam of something like triumph'. He realized that if things played out right there was a chance for Harry to survive the destruction of the Horcrux. (Which meant it was time to revise his plans.) I notice no reaction to Voldemort's mention of going beyond any wizard before him in search for immortality, but that was supposed to be another major realization - that there were more Horcruxes around.
Sirius doesn't know about how brother wands interact, but he is familiar with the term. I wonder if there is a wizarding fairy tale about that concept. Actual brother wands must be rather rare. Except when you have a phoenix, you know a master wandmaker and you have a lifelong interest in an uberwand.
No spell can bring back the dead. But there are so many ways for the dead to stick around and interact with the living anyway: ghosts, portraits, the resurrection stone.
Just as Harry reaches the end of his tale he feels as though he can't continue. Strange that. Oh and Fawkes heals his leg, so we no longer have to worry about that pain coming and going.
Albus praises Harry's bravery - equal to those who died fighting Voldemort at the height of his powers. This of course includes Harry's parents, but I find it interesting that Albus doesn't mention them specifically, because I'd think this was an obvious place to mention them positively. Perhaps Albus didn't think all that much of Harry's parents' role in the fighting?
Now that Albus heard the story he can forbid others to pester Harry with questions. So was talking about the events good or bad for Harry? Or perhaps Albus didn't care one way or the other, he just wanted to control the flow of information.
So Harry, back from the maze and the graveyard, changes into pajamas (without showering! one bath per book is enough!) and goes to sleep, surrounded by Padfoot, Molly, Ron, Hermione and Bill (with Poppy and Alastor also in the hospital wing) as Albus goes back to the DADA classroom to talk to Fudge.
Despite the dreamless sleep potion Harry wakes up shortly thereafter, to the sound of a loud argument between Minerva and Fudge. Oops, Fudge's pet dementor just ate Barty's soul - and it looks like Albus doesn't know yet. So where did he go?
Ah, Severus is here to provide an explanation: When Fudge heard the events of that night were caused by a DE, and that DE was caught, he went to get a dementor. So it looks like Albus came to the DADA classroom, saw Minerva guarding Barty and that Fudge hadn't arrived yet so he went off somewhere. Of course there is a slight inaccuracy in Severus' version - unless he has an undisclosed conjoined twin there weren't any 'we' who told Fudge about Barty's capture, it was him alone. And what did he tell Fudge that prompted the latter to go get a dementor? As Jodel wrote, he may have said that the culprit was an escaped prisoner, knowing Fudge would assume it was Sirius and arrange for him to get kissed before he noticed it was some other escaped prisoner. Why do that? Doesn't such an action sabotage Albus? Well, only a bit. But not taking this action was a risk Severus couldn't afford - remember how in the previous chapter we saw him looking at length at his image in Barty's foe glass? The last thing Severus wanted was for Voldemort to learn about that. (He is so lucky Voldemort is too proud of his Legilimency skills to resort to more objective means.)
Fudge sees no harm in the desoulment of Barty, but Albus is concerned that now he can't testify. Not because justice matters in Wizarding Britain but because Albus knows that after all his information-hoarding people not in-the-know will find Harry's story hard to believe. Really, Fudge's version, whereby a DE driven to madness acted on a delusion makes a lot of sense. Still, doesn't Fudge care how Barty managed to escape Azkaban in the first place? OTOH, as far as Fudge knows, much hangs on the testimony of Harry, whom Albus forbids to question, and what people heard a crazy man say. And then this morning's article about Harry makes him appear almost as mad as Barty. Nor does Albus' partial explanation of what Harry's scar does help. Because Fudge is right - curse scars don't act that way. Or in DH we would have heard Bill say he knew Fenrir was acting up somewhere when he felt the pain in his face. Albus' concealment of the existence of the Harrycrux came to bite him.
Harry tries to help by repeating the names of DEs he heard at the graveyard - all of whose clearance years ago was published in the press. (The one I am most puzzled about is Nott. He was among the first generation of DEs, probably from Tom's own schoolmates. Albus knew he was a DE from the time Tom returned to the country, yet he managed to get himself cleared. What gives?) And since the previous year Harry claimed the dead Pettigrew was alive and the one who had committed the crimes Sirius had been accused of Fudge sees him as habitually delusional.
Oh! Severus makes a sudden movement upon hearing Lucius' name! (And then looks back at Fudge...) Because he doesn't want anyone to make accusations against his friend? Or because he knows Fudge won't take seriously accusations against people that were cleared (especially one whom he saw as a pillar of mainstream society)? Or was he astonished that Tom actually named people in the circle, against his past custom?
Now Albus starts offering advice, ie orders - remove the dementors, contact the giants - presumably because he heard from Harry Voldemort was going to use both groups. Perhaps if the dementors had been replaced by something else it would have been harder for Tom to break Bella and the rest out of prison. Maybe. As if he couldn't have mind-controlled whoever would have been posted in the dementors' place. Might have delayed him by a few weeks (or a year, if the plot demanded that). OTOH Albus doesn't say what to do with the dementors that are supposed to be relieved of their duty in Azkaban. So if Fudge had followed his advice would we have seen dementors breeding in the countryside since Harry's 5th year?
Of course Albus was doing his case no favors, considering Fudge has had reasons not to trust him for a year by now. On top of that, now Albus accuses Fudge of blood prejudice. Ahem, the only prejudice we have seen Fudge engage in was against half-giants (and to a lesser degree against werewolves) - which is common across wizarding political groups, including those who are inclusive towards Muggle-borns. He is also prejudiced against Parselmouths, which would actually place him away from traditional old wizarding families. In fact, Fudge's prejudices are no different from those Ron was raised with. We have discussed this many times here - Rowling's 'good guys' are just as prejudiced as her villains in all aspects but one. Which could have still been made to work if it were acknowledged. After all, many of those who fought against the Nazis went back home to racially or ethnically segregated societies (whether by law or social custom) and it took the work of generations to improve that situation (and we aren't all the way through still, there is plenty of tribalism and xenophobia still around). But no, somehow if we just put the trio and Order veterans in charge all will be well because we are not supposed to notice the prejudices of the 'good guys'.
As long as Fudge is against Voldemort Albus remains on the same side with him. But he still started a private army during the first war and recruited Aurors, when the Ministry was against Voldemort, so I'm not sure Ministry-Albus cooperation was ever an option. The only way they can cooperate is if the Minister does as Albus tells hir.
Yes, Fudge is refusing to believe that Voldemort is back, but it isn't as if he was given any serious evidence. But now Severus shows him his Mark is back. Too bad Fudge (having spent the first war in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes rather than in the DMLE) has no idea what this means. A great illustration of the downside of the compartmentalization of information. Does Fudge think Severus is part of Albus' conspiracy to take over the running of the Ministry?
Poor Harry! Because of Cedric's death he can't receive his prize in a proper ceremony!
It's Arthur's fondness of Muggles that held him back at the Ministry all these years - and kept him out in the shed while at home. Because Molly doesn't care for Muggles any more than Fudge does. (Fudge only became Minister a year before PS. What kept Arthur back before Fudge's appointment? I'll tell you what - he wasn't half as good at his job as Percy was at his.)
Bill gets sent to tell Arthur to contact potential supporters at the Ministry. This brings to the recruitment of Kingsley and Tonks. Maybe also Hestia Jones (Moody doesn't mention her when he shows Harry the Order photograph, but we don't know if she is at the Ministry, nor do we know if Moody simply didn't get around to showing her. She may have been somewhere in a corner with Mundungus and Arabella). Of course the greatest advantage of having the Weasleys' support is that they bring up the numbers all by themselves.
Minerva is sent to bring Hagrid and maybe also Olympe. Their mission will result in recruiting Grawp. Who will serve as a deus ex machina once. (OK, he also punches the 2 giants Voldemort manages to recruit.)
Poppy is sent to take care of Winky. Nice of Albus to remember her. But this is all because he doesn't want Poppy to see Sirius. Severus is horrified to see him - even if IMO he should have known Sirius was not the one who betrayed the Potters (all it would have taken was to PI his own wand after the dust settled the night Sirius escaped). But then, knowing Sirius' other history perhaps Severus was expecting Albus not to trust Sirius again. Of course Sirius isn't happy to see Severus among Albus' forces now that he received confirmation that indeed Severus was a DE.
Albus forces the two to shake hands and demands no open hostility. As if. Nice of Rowling to show that both of them were acting equally hostile to the other.
Sirius is sent to Remus and other members of the 'old crowd' - did Rowling only invent the term 'Order of the Phoenix' during the three year summer? Anyway, considering that much of the 'old crowd' was at the school that day (and I imagine Albus can contact his brother in Hogsmeade himself) the number of people Sirius was to alert is no more than 8 (and that includes Remus).
Sirius can't wait to go back to his dog form, that he ends up having to turn the door handle with his paw.
Severus' assignment is so secret Albus won't mention it in front of Harry (or anyone else present) despite the fact that soon enough both sides of the war will know he is reporting to both of them. (His real secret is his true loyalty - whom is he reporting to fully and truthfully?) I like the mention of unusual pallor and glittering eyes. This is not an easy moment for him. Hey, there's a 'trace of apprehension' on Albus' face for Severus! For the spy, not the person, of course.
How cruel of Molly to remind Harry of the money Cedric should have won at a time like this! Oh the horror! It is so bad Harry might risk crying in front of Ron, Hermione and Molly! Oh, thanks Hermione for making that banging noise to distract our hero from his emotions. Oops, that's not why she did it - she just captured Rita. Who must have entered the room through the window at some point. I can't find the moment the window was opened nor do we have any mention of a humming noise, so we don't know how long Rita was in the room and what she saw or overheard. But she certainly knows that wanted supposed criminal Sirius Black is being aided and abetted by Albus and that Albus is restarting his little extra-govenment militia to which he will recruit members of the government.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-11 08:49 pm (UTC)Something else we can add to the list (http://deathtocapslock.livejournal.com/159192.html?thread=6476248#t6476248) of sublots that go nowhere.
----Suddenly Harry remembers the pain in his leg, that mysterious pain that never stops Harry when the plot needs him to act, but is at other times unbearable.
I actually find this somewhat realistic, as I've been reading and watching a lot about the 9/11 attacks for the last couple of days. Many of those who fled the towers were able to do so despite severe injuries. Your emotional state can really affect the amount of pain you're experiencing, and you're emotional estate can change moment by moment in a crisis.
----OTOH Albus doesn't say what to do with the dementors that are supposed to be relieved of their duty in Azkaban. So if Fudge had followed his advice would we have seen dementors breeding in the countryside since Harry's 5th year?
Good point. The dementors appear to be difficult to control and impossible to eliminate. I've wondered if maybe Azkaban island was originally established as a containment area for the dementors, and the wizards later decided to stash their prisoners there as well. It would make more sense to relocate the prisoners than to remove the dementors, I think.
----Actual brother wands must be rather rare.
Maybe. Would wands with hairs from the same unicorn or heartstrings from the same dragon count as brother wands, or is it something unique to phoenix feathers?
----OTOH, as far as Fudge knows, much hangs on the testimony of Harry, whom Albus forbids to question, and what people heard a crazy man say. And then this morning's article about Harry makes him appear almost as mad as Barty.
It seems like so many problems could have been solved if Fudge had been shown Harry's memories of the graveyard in a pensieve. I don't really understand what information Albus was trying to protect by keeping Fudge away from Harry.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-11 08:58 pm (UTC)Since heartstrings are fictional organs (of fictional animals in this case) I don't even know if a dragon has more than one heartstring. Maybe Ollivander does use more than one hair from each unicorn, but the chance the people owning those particular wands would face one another in a duel can't be that high. Apparently Sirius never saw or heard of such occurrence before.
Zing! $24,000 Question
Date: 2011-09-12 02:25 am (UTC)Yes, what information WAS Albus trying to protect by keeping Fudge away from Harry??? Conspiracy theorists, have at this one!
Re: Zing! $24,000 Question
Date: 2011-09-12 01:50 pm (UTC)Re: Zing! $24,000 Question
Date: 2011-09-12 03:40 pm (UTC)Re: Zing! $24,000 Question
Date: 2011-09-12 03:53 pm (UTC)1) Voldemort was born under the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle, the son of a Muggle named Tom Riddle and a witch named Merope Gaunt, originally from Little Hangleton.
2) Albus met Tom at the orphanage when Tom was 11 and already there Albus learned of Tom's sadistic and Machiavelian nature.
3) Albus is the owner and master of the Elder Wand.
4) In 1943 it was Tom who unleashed a basilisk on Hogwarts' residents.
5) Tom has a collection of historically significant magical objects which he acquired through murders with which he framed others.
6) These objects include the Resurrection Stone, which together with Albus' wand and Harry's cloak complete the set of Deathly Hallows.
7) On two occasions Tom applied for a teaching position at Hogwarts.
8) It was Tom who cursed the DADA position when refused this job.
9) Sybil Trelawney made a prophecy about the impending birth of a potential vanquisher of Tom.
10) Part of this prophecy was leaked to Tom by Severus. The other part is known only to Albus (and an Unspeakable).
11) Severus turned his coat because Lily was endangered, he committed to protecting her.
12) After Lily's death Severus made a commitment to protect Harry.
13) It was Lily, not Harry, who defeated Tom at Godric's Hollow.
14) The above resulted in Harry becoming a Horcrux which anchors Tom to life.
15) This results in some mysterious mental connection between Tom and Harry.
16) Albus placed a special protection on 4PD, Harry's home in the Muggle world.
17) It was Peter, not Sirius, who betrayed the Potters (and restored Tom).
Feel free to add more.
Of these Tom reveals 1, 13 and 16 directly. Knowledge of 1 can lead anyone with awareness of events of 1943 to 4. Some digging around at Little Hangleton and reports from there either in DMLE records or maybe the Prophet should reveal at least part of 5. I'm not sure if anyone could make the connection to 6.
Knowledge of 13 may lead to 14 and 15 if one knows what Horcruxes are - especially in light of Rita's recent revelation about Harry's collapse in Divination.
Re: Zing! $24,000 Question
Date: 2011-09-12 04:53 pm (UTC)19) Tom killed his Muggle family and framed his wizarding uncle while still at Hogwarts.
20) Albania has been Voldemort's go-to hiding place for over a decade, and Dumbledore has been monitoring the area.
Re: Zing! $24,000 Question
Date: 2011-09-12 04:59 pm (UTC)I think listing the separate incidents in which he killed and framed people to get the artifacts is useful, anyway, because while the Marvolo incident could be discovered just by researching Tom's family, the Smith incident wouldn't be.
Re: Zing! $24,000 Question
Date: 2011-09-13 04:56 am (UTC)