Deathly Hallows, Chapter 17: Bathilda's Secret

[oneandthetruth]

Unfortunately for the Hs and us, things don’t stay so peaceful. As they leave the churchyard, Hermione is sure someone’s shadowing them. Harry tries to dismiss it as an animal, but he doesn’t really believe it; he’s just trying to reassure her. In fact, he’s right, but not in the way he means, as we find out later.

As they wander through the town,

Comments

[hwyla]

"...The Horcrux locket wakes up and responds to--something. Harry wonders whether Bathilda has the Sword, and that’s what has aroused the locket

[oneandthetruth]

WHY does the LocketHorcux 'respond' to SnakeHorcrux and yet hasn't already been responding similarly to HarryHorcrux? For that matter why doesn't the HarryHorcrux 'respond' to SnakeHorcrux? Why to one and not the other?

(1) Rowling is not logical or consistent, especially regarding this book--i.e., its internal consistency and its agreement with prior canon. (2) She only wants us to think about the Harrycrux when it suits her, like when he's being a jerk, or bravely going to his death.

As for Harry understanding Bathilda while she speaks 'snake' and not realizing he was - unfortunately it IS canon that Harry has no idea that he is speaking a different language - as in Harry must be told by Ron & Hermione that he did so in the dueling club scene.Really? That's dumb, since it's not consistent with the way people normally process a change in language. I'd forgotten that. It also makes Hermione look like a moron in this scene since she doesn't ask Harry why he's hissing with "Bathilda

[sunnyskywalker]

Maybe Voldemort made the inside of Bathilda's corpse like Hermione's beaded bag? He can fit as much snake in there as he wants! And snacks for the snake! And a space heater

[maidofkent]

To be fair to Lily, I think she's already upstairs with Harry when Voldemort comes through the door. In the last memory snippet we saw, she comes into a room and takes Harry from James, who's been sitting with him on the sofa, and the action then switches to Voldemort knocking on the door. So I think we are meant to assume that she's taken Harry up to put him in/back in his cot. Still daft not to have her wand with her, but James is even worse. He is actually holding his wand making smoke puffs to amuse Harry, so it is right by his side when Voldemort knocks

[oneandthetruth]

I like the re-write, which actually is more Lily as she otherwise appears, and does nothing to stop her death being a 'choice'.

Thank you. I was trying to make it more realistic re both Lily and Voldy. A real psychopath wouldn't talk so politely to somebody he was about to kill.

Harry's had a previous moment of love and empathy in the previous chapter, when Hermione is shaking with sobs after Ron leaves and is described as 'distraught'. 'He watched her,, supposing that he ought to go and comfort her but something kept him rooted to the spot'.Interesting. I'd forgotten that. That's the way he acts towards the flayed baby in chapter 35. I'd think it was foreshadowing if I believed Rowling was that subtle an author. Most likely, the reason Harry has such trouble responding to someone in need is because Petunia and Vernon never comforted him when he needed it, so he never learned to respond appropriately in that situation. In addition, when people have been emotionally starved like he was, when they see someone they care about in

[maidofkent]

..when people have been emotionally starved like he was, when they see someone they care about in distress, it reactivates their own neediness and pain. They then respond in one of two ways: (1) They shut down, like Harry does. This is a deeply instinctual and automatic response, like an opossum playing dead.

That's interesting, and makes me much more understanding of Harry's treatment of Cho.

They get angry and abuse the distressed person because (a) that's how they were treated, and/or (b) their own distress makes them fearful and needy, so they become angry because that's a stronger-feeling emotion.Ah, I wonder if that's an explanation for Snape's 'I see no difference' re Hermione's teeth, which stands out as the only time Snape insults someone over their appearance rather than over something they've done. He deals calmly and quickly with Goyle, who's just standing there, not reacting and sends him out of the way to the hospital wing, but Hermione is clearly distressed over what's happened to her, and by being forced by Ron to

[hwyla]

"...Most likely, the reason Harry has such trouble responding to someone in need is because Petunia and Vernon never comforted him when he needed it, so he never learned to respond appropriately in that situation. In addition, when people have been emotionally starved like he was, when they see someone they care about in distress, it reactivates their own neediness and pain. They then respond in one of two ways: (1) They shut down, like Harry does. This is a deeply instinctual and automatic response, like an opossum playing dead. (2) They get angry and abuse the distressed person because (a) that's how they were treated, and/or (b) their own distress makes them fearful and needy, so they become angry because that's a stronger-feeling emotion..."And thank you for reminding us of this. You are right. Unfortunately, since JKR usually has Harry act as if he hasn't been an abused kid, it is sometimes hard to see it when he does act like one. I'm not positive I believe she has him react this way because he 'should' with his upbringing, or

[danajsparks]

----It does not, however, explain how an animal with no limbs was able to control a human body’s arms and legs.

----In the Consistency? What Consistency? Department, Nagini was large enough in the first chapter to swallow an adult human being. A few minutes ago, she was so small she was dwarfed by Harry, who’s not very big. Now she’s huge again and attacking Harry.

Perhaps Nagini is an actual nāginī, a female nāga. In Hindu and Buddhist myths, nāgas are snakes who are able to take human form. So, while she was wearing Bathilda's skin, maybe Nagini was in the form of a human.

[attilathepbnun]

Hmn. An interesting theory!
This would likely make Nagini yet another victim of Tom Riddle: Since her kind are usually benevolent, I believe, he would have had to enslave her to get her co-operation

[oneandthetruth]

Oh, that would be a good story. You should write that.

[attilathepbnun]

But it would have to be a tragedy. And I try to avoid tragedies, because I get depressed enough without that kind of help

[nx74defiant]

But it can happy ending. Nagi helps Snape fake his death, and they go off together away from the wizarding world.