Harry Potter Speculation

[chideltjen]

Originally posted by lauralaylin
I voted for the Dumbledore letter. The first one with Percy, I'm guessing that he's not involved in anything like that. I hope the answer to whatever wins is better than the Mark Evans answer. That was a total let down.

I did as well. It seems like the most logical question to ask after book 5. Perhaps she may give us some answers to Petunia. Or she may not give us anything because it would spoil book 6. I dunno. But that poll answer was in the lead.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally posted by lauralaylin
I voted for the Dumbledore letter. The first one with Percy, I'm guessing that he's not involved in anything like that. I hope the answer to whatever wins is better than the Mark Evans answer. That was a total let down.

I did as well. I'm hoping that the answer's a good one!

[Lady Pi Phi]

I also voted for the letter.

I don't think JKR would put a poll question on her site if she couldn't give us the answer.

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
I don't think JKR would put a poll question on her site if she couldn't give us the answer.

Or if the answer would give away too much.

[seraphimsprite]

The question on Dumbledore's howler to Petunia is in the lead now with about 58% of the votes.

[chideltjen]

Originally posted by seraphimsprite
The question on Dumbledore's howler to Petunia is in the lead now with about 58% of the votes.

That's what it was when I voted yesterday...

[lindsay_iu]

I think that Dumbledore's "Remember my last" is a reference to a previous letter he sent to the Dursleys explaining why they must keep Harry. Harry has to have a place to call home so Voldemort cannot harm him. But I do think that Petunia knows a lot more about the magical world that she cares to admit. She knew what dementors are, and she's always saying that her parents were so proud to have a witch in the family. There has to be more to her story than what we know.

[seraphimsprite]

Originally posted by chideltjen
That's what it was when I voted yesterday...

Whoops, sorry! I misread what you wrote.

[Lady Pi Phi]

I checked her website this morning and the total was still at 58%.

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by lindsay_iu
I think that Dumbledore's "Remember my last" is a reference to a previous letter he sent to the Dursleys explaining why they must keep Harry.

I thought so too until I re-read it (last night). What I noticed is this: Harry, who has seen Dumbledore constantly for 4 years, does not recognize his voice in the howler, but Petunia does (or at least she undertands who the howler is from). That would seem impossible, or at least unlikely, if the "last" was simply the written letter explaining why the Dursley's must keep Harry. (Just like it seems very unlikely that she knew what dementors were simply because she had heard James mention them to Lily at least 14 years earlier.)

I think Petunia has had more communication with Dumbledore than we realize.

[aopirose]

Originally posted by MysticCat81
I thought so too until I re-read it (last night). What I noticed is this: Harry, who has seen Dumbledore constantly for 4 years, does not recognize his voice in the howler, but Petunia does (or at least she undertands who the howler is from). That would seem impossible, or at least unlikely, if the "last" was simply the written letter explaining why the Dursley's must keep Harry. (Just like it seems very unlikely that she knew what dementors were simply because she had heard James mention them to Lily at least 14 years earlier.)

I think Petunia has had more communication with Dumbledore than we realize.

That's what I have been thinking as well. How could Harry not recognize Dumbledore's voice? I would also certainly like to know what was in the note left with Baby Harry.

[Lady Pi Phi]

So do think the voice from the howler is not Dumbledore's?

If it's not his, it has to be from someone Harry doesn't know (or know very well), but for the readers it will be someone in the book, but who hasn't had a major role.

[aopirose]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
So do think the voice from the howler is not Dumbledore's?

If it's not his, it has to be from someone Harry doesn't know (or know very well), but for the readers it will be someone in the book, but who hasn't had a major role.

I am almost finished reading OoP again and that's what I am going with right now. Unless, of course, Dumbledore altered his voice for the howler but why go through all that trouble. I really need the next book to come out.

[MysticCat]

Doesn't Dumbledore acknowledge, at the end of the book when he tells Harry everything, that he sent the howler? Or does Harry just say "so you sent the howler" and Dumbledore doesn't say anything?

I figure Harry doesn't recognize the voice because (1) he's still tired and stressed from fighting dementors, (2) he's tired and stressed because of being expelled from Hogwarts and then suspended with the possibility of expulsion, (3) he wasn't expecting to hear from Dumbledore and was distracted by surprise that the howler was addressed to Aunt Petunia, and (4) there is an anger/urgency in the voice that Harry isn't used to hearing.

As for altering his voice, I wondered if he used a charm so that his voice wouldn't sound the same to Harry, so as not to risk setting up the Dumbledore/Harry/Voldemort connection.

Interestingly, what Aunt Petunia tells Harry after the howler is exactly what Sirius and A. Weasley said -- don't leave the house. The way she says it sounds a little more punishing (like "you're grounded," and Harry interprets Sirius's and A. Weasley's letters as scolding), but reading it again I had to wonder if she was using that tone of voice to cover up the fact that she was looking out for Harry's safety. Remember that the other thing we are told is that she seems to understand the implications of Voldemort being "back."

[ms_gwyn]

After just recently rereading OoTP again....does anyone else get the feeling that there is a spy in the Voldie camp?....and not Snape?

It just came to me, I believe after reading the scene between Voldie and Rookwood that Harry dreamed about?