Ignotus and the Mirror: a Response to Terri_Testing and Jodel

[sweettalkeress]

So I have a theory about Ignotus’s connection to the Mirror of Erised, inspired by the recent essay by Terri_Testing, and particularly one of Jodel’s comments. This theory assumes that at least some of the information in the legend of the three brothers is true, but doesn’t require that it be completely true (though it can be). Essentially, Ignotus

Comments

[jodel_from_aol]

Actually, in a long correspondence with Swythyv back around the time that canon closed we made a fairly good argument between ourselves that the sigel of the hallows really ought to have been engraved in the archway over the Veil in the DoM. Which would have been an even closer association to the Hallows than the Mirror. I suspect that if Rowling had even considered the concept of the Deathly Hallows back in 2002 when she was actually writing OotP, it would have been

[seductivedark]

On family relationships, I'd suggest that, with the WW being such a small population, there is probably less than that fabled 6th degree of separation between families. If the Peverells lived in the 13th century (or thereabouts,) then by now, everyone in the WW, certainly all of the pureblood lines, would be related to them in one way or another, possibly in two or more ways. If the WW encouraged marriage between magicals rather than either ignoring pairings between Wizards and Muggles or having an open policy, then that separationist policy would almost guarantee that everyone, beyond the influx of Muggleborns, is related

[jodel_from_aol]

Well, I'd be inclined to suppose the effect would only affect the gazer, not alter his/her DNA. Of course if the mirror were actually in the possession of the creator's family that would mean that family members would be all the more likely to end up gazing into it. Particularly given that Iggy had quite a reputation, even if he never did anything else of note to the end of his life

[seductivedark]

Yes, having a family means a lot in the WW, and not just to leave possessions. It all seems very family-oriented, with the parents' enemies becoming the children's, though that may just be my own impression. One reason I wasn't totally convinced that Ignotus made the mirror (at least on his own) was because Cadmus really, really wanted to see his late fiancee. He couldn't recall her from death the way he wanted, so maybe he made the mirror in his despair just to see them standing together. If not, I'll bet he spent a lot of time at brother Iggy's house looking into the mirror

[nx74defiant]

unless wizards really are dieing out

I've been thinking for a while that they are. They haven't noticed because their population is stable. It hasn't decreased, yet. But they haven't compared the number of wizard to the number of muggles. They don't realize that the ratio of wizards to muggles is going down.

It appears that with the exception of the Weasly's small families or only children are the norm. And if the percentage of Muggles who have magical children keep going down eventuly the wizarding world will start to lose population.

Which got me thinking about the Baby Boomers Born in 1960 I could be considered at the tail end of the baby boom. I am the oldest of 6 children. My mother said when I was born the Hospital Nursery was full. With each child - at the same Hospital she could see the Nursery getting emptier and emptier

[jodel_from_aol]

One of the essays on my site covers a hypothetical tracing of how long it must have taken for the number of so-called Muggle-born wizards and witches to reach the 25% of the population that Rowling claims it is

[nx74defiant]

claims that wizards are longer-lived than muggles

We do see some wizards who live very long life, but is that the norm? HP is lacking in showing extended families. Where are the Grandparents, Great-grandparents or even Great-great grandparents? The only student we know of with a living Grandparent seems to be Neville.

[jodel_from_aol]

Yes. Rowling's inability to see things in proportion is a continuing stumbling block for any kind of plausible hypothesis. There ought to be at least 4-5 recognizable generations engaged in wizarding society, but we seem to see only kids, a few people people roughly the age of the kids' parents, and old people who are all a vague blur -- even though their ages ought to range over at least some 60-80 years. Maybe more.

And the lack of grandparents is just plain lame.

[seductivedark]

Agree on the ages thing. We've been able to have 4 generation pictures at least twice in fifteen years, and no one cracked the century mark. Where are the elder Weasleys and Prewitts? If they were activists like their children, at least a mention that they'd died in VWI would have been nice. That old aunt (name escapes me) who showed up to Bill and Fleur's wedding shouldn't have been the only old Weasley relation extant

[jodel_from_aol]

Yup. The Orphan's Dating Club. That's what it is all right.

Admittedly, Rowling already had a Cast of Dozens just by making it a school story, but given the size of the WW (i.e., puny), pretty much everyone he met outside school ought to have had the same last name as one of his schoolmates.

It's not like she needed to specify if they were parents, uncles, cousins, older siblings, or whatever.

Of course it would have largely reduced the whole wizarding war to a family spat, but that's what it bloody *was* after all...