harry potter and the theory of awesomeness
I don't even think you guys are ready for my amazing theory about Harry Potter. If you don't want to know what happens in the seventh book with Snape, don't read this, seriously I'm a genius and have it figured.
Snape is Fawkes the Phoenix.
No, I'm deadly serious. Andy and I were talking about Animagi when it suddenly dawned on me. A couple of other people on the internet have apparently thought of this, though it's not the most popular theory.
I'm too tired to write you an essay or to go through the trouble of finding exact quotes and citing page numbers (I may snatch a couple important ones from other sites), but here are some things to consider.
-During his time as a student at Hogwarts, Snape at once reviled and envied James Potter and his friends. If he found out they were studying to become Animagi, he would probably be tempted to become one, if for no other reason but to prove to himself that James was not a better wizard.
-Dumbledore has some unknown but apparently infallible reason to trust Snape.
-Snape and Fawkes have never shared "screen time" in any of the six books.
-Fawkes, who in Chamber of Secrets embodies both of healing and of the utmost devotion to Albus Dumbledore, does not come to his rescue when Snape performs the killing curse on him, nor does he help in the battle with the Death Eaters at Hogwarts.
-An Animagus becomes an animal that expresses something about that person's personality. Snape, who has gone back and forth to the dark side several times, may be seen to have been continually reborn from his own moral ashes and redeemed.
-As potions master, Snape is the one trusted to heal. As a phoenix, Fawkes heals Harry with his tears.
-'Harry, you were never a good Occlumens -'
The word was the spark that ignited Harry's fury.
'Snape!' he said, very loudly, and Fawkes gave a soft squawk behind them."
(547-8, HBP)
-"Pushing Harry roughly aside, he knelt over Malfoy, drew his wand, and traced it over the deep wounds Harry's curse has made, muttering an incantation that sounded almost like a song." - Page 523, Chapter 24 HBP
See? Seeeeee?
And this quote from an interview with JKR really seals the deal on this for me:
"During the writing of Chamber of Secrets, the story line of the Half-Blood Prince in this book was initially incorporated into the second book and I obviously do not want an elaborate on that in case people haven't finished the book and that is why the working title of Chamber of Secrets was the Half-Blood Prince, it became clear to me during the writing of that book that I had two major plots here that really did not work too well together side by side, so one had to be pulled out, it became clear immediately that.
I could have soldiered on, included that information there and that would have been messed up the later plot, as you know if you have. I will be very careful, the revelations about the half-blood, for instance, would have blown a lot of things open..."
The only reason those two story lines would tie together is the redemption of Snape being the Half-Blood Prince, writing spells like Sectumsempra and his becoming Fawkes. This would certainly have blown a lot of things open in the second book.
Andy came up with two arguments against me.
1)Fawkes can apparate inside the castle; Hogwarts has enchantments to prevent any wizard apparating within the grounds.
Easy! When an Animagus transforms, he or she takes on all the qualities of that animal, besides keeping their own mind. When Sirius transformed into a dog in Prisoner of Azkaban, for example, the Dementors gaurding Hogwarts failed to detect him. Why not, then, would Severus gain the magical properties of a Phoenix when he transforms into Fawkes? We already know House Elves can apparate within Hogwarts, it's logical that other powerful creatures aligned with good would be able to do the same.
2) Fawkes gave the feather that makes up the core of Voldemort's wand
Not as easy. In book one, Ollivander the wand-maker tells Harry that the feather in his wand is one of only two feathers from a Phoenix we later find out is Fawkes. Harry's wand's brother, Ollivander says "gave you that scar". In book two, Dumbledore specifically states that "very few" people know that young Tom Riddle became Voldemort. I see know reason to believe that one of those few is Ollivander. The wand he told Harry about, the wand Voldemort was using at the time of his attack on the Potters, was therefore sold to him well after his school days, when everyone knew the man he had become as Voldemort, and certainly within time for Fawkes to be Snape.
So there you have it. Your mind is blown.
Yes, I do care this much about Harry Potter. Yes, I am a nerd. Helllo? Former comic book store manager, speaking.
Snape is Fawkes the Phoenix.
No, I'm deadly serious. Andy and I were talking about Animagi when it suddenly dawned on me. A couple of other people on the internet have apparently thought of this, though it's not the most popular theory.
I'm too tired to write you an essay or to go through the trouble of finding exact quotes and citing page numbers (I may snatch a couple important ones from other sites), but here are some things to consider.
-During his time as a student at Hogwarts, Snape at once reviled and envied James Potter and his friends. If he found out they were studying to become Animagi, he would probably be tempted to become one, if for no other reason but to prove to himself that James was not a better wizard.
-Dumbledore has some unknown but apparently infallible reason to trust Snape.
-Snape and Fawkes have never shared "screen time" in any of the six books.
-Fawkes, who in Chamber of Secrets embodies both of healing and of the utmost devotion to Albus Dumbledore, does not come to his rescue when Snape performs the killing curse on him, nor does he help in the battle with the Death Eaters at Hogwarts.
-An Animagus becomes an animal that expresses something about that person's personality. Snape, who has gone back and forth to the dark side several times, may be seen to have been continually reborn from his own moral ashes and redeemed.
-As potions master, Snape is the one trusted to heal. As a phoenix, Fawkes heals Harry with his tears.
-'Harry, you were never a good Occlumens -'
The word was the spark that ignited Harry's fury.
'Snape!' he said, very loudly, and Fawkes gave a soft squawk behind them."
(547-8, HBP)
-"Pushing Harry roughly aside, he knelt over Malfoy, drew his wand, and traced it over the deep wounds Harry's curse has made, muttering an incantation that sounded almost like a song." - Page 523, Chapter 24 HBP
See? Seeeeee?
And this quote from an interview with JKR really seals the deal on this for me:
"During the writing of Chamber of Secrets, the story line of the Half-Blood Prince in this book was initially incorporated into the second book and I obviously do not want an elaborate on that in case people haven't finished the book and that is why the working title of Chamber of Secrets was the Half-Blood Prince, it became clear to me during the writing of that book that I had two major plots here that really did not work too well together side by side, so one had to be pulled out, it became clear immediately that.
I could have soldiered on, included that information there and that would have been messed up the later plot, as you know if you have. I will be very careful, the revelations about the half-blood, for instance, would have blown a lot of things open..."
The only reason those two story lines would tie together is the redemption of Snape being the Half-Blood Prince, writing spells like Sectumsempra and his becoming Fawkes. This would certainly have blown a lot of things open in the second book.
Andy came up with two arguments against me.
1)Fawkes can apparate inside the castle; Hogwarts has enchantments to prevent any wizard apparating within the grounds.
Easy! When an Animagus transforms, he or she takes on all the qualities of that animal, besides keeping their own mind. When Sirius transformed into a dog in Prisoner of Azkaban, for example, the Dementors gaurding Hogwarts failed to detect him. Why not, then, would Severus gain the magical properties of a Phoenix when he transforms into Fawkes? We already know House Elves can apparate within Hogwarts, it's logical that other powerful creatures aligned with good would be able to do the same.
2) Fawkes gave the feather that makes up the core of Voldemort's wand
Not as easy. In book one, Ollivander the wand-maker tells Harry that the feather in his wand is one of only two feathers from a Phoenix we later find out is Fawkes. Harry's wand's brother, Ollivander says "gave you that scar". In book two, Dumbledore specifically states that "very few" people know that young Tom Riddle became Voldemort. I see know reason to believe that one of those few is Ollivander. The wand he told Harry about, the wand Voldemort was using at the time of his attack on the Potters, was therefore sold to him well after his school days, when everyone knew the man he had become as Voldemort, and certainly within time for Fawkes to be Snape.
So there you have it. Your mind is blown.
Yes, I do care this much about Harry Potter. Yes, I am a nerd. Helllo? Former comic book store manager, speaking.