Editorials
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DO NOT EVEN THINK OF READING THIS PAGE IF YOU ARE NOT DONE WITH HBP YET!
The Secret Keeper
Written by Casey
Posted August 22, 2005
Dumbledore was the secret keeper for the Order of Phoenix. Now that he is dead, what is going to happen? I really have no idea but here are some possibilities I have come up with:
Nobody else will ever be able to get to 12 Grimmauld Place. With Dumbledore gone he can never tell anybody else about number 12 Grimauld Place so there could never be any new member orders at the meeting. That wouldn't be good because they might have trouble getting more people to join.
Anybody would be able to get to number 12 Grimauld Place. Now that Dumbledore had died the spell could be broken. When Dumbledore died, the spell he placed on Harry lifted. Maybe all magic that he had used would be lifted. That would be bad because Snape could then pass information on the Order of the Phoenix. If this is the case then the Order needs to act fast. They will need a new secret keeper before all information is passed to the other side. They should pick somebody that would seem unlikely because otherwise Voldemort could just kill the secret keeper again. This time it should be different from the leader.
Another possibility is that maybe (I find this the least likely) there was a back-up secret keeper person. Maybe if Dumbledore died there would be somebody else to replace him as secret keeper. If this is true we can only hope that it wasn't Severus Snape.
Snape is Guilty
Written by Casey
Posted August 16, 2005
After the release of HBP many people are trying to find good in Snape. Many people are trying to prove that Severus Snape was helping Dumbledore by killing him. In this editorial I am going to prove this and other theories wrong.
The Unbreakable Vow
This piece of evidence here is the biggest piece of evidence people are using to Snape's defense. It seems like an okay piece of evidence. If Snape did not help Draco by killing Dumbledore he would have died. There is no way around this fact. Many are trying to say that Dumbledore knew of the Unbreakable Vow and ordered Snape to kill him when the time came, rather than letting Snape die.
This is not evidence of Snape's good intentions. It is proof that he is on the other side. It is more the actual making of the vow, than the completion of it. Snape had the choice of whether or not to actually make the vow.
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -Dumbledore, CoS
Snape easily could have said no to the Unbreakable Vow. He could have just said that it was Draco's assignment to kill Dumbledore. Bellatrix was against seeing Snape in the first place and would have quickly agreed with him, disagreeing with Narcissa. Snape easily could have done this and not promise to help Draco. Instead he chose to commit himself to killing one of the most valuable members of the Order of the Phoenix. This does not seem like a loyal member.
And Snape could not have been under orders from Dumbledore to enter an Unbreakable Vow like this; one reason being that Snape had no idea that he would be asked to create this Vow. Therefore, Snape couldn't have talked it over with Dumbledore ahead of time. And that certainly would be an awkward conversation to have afterwards. This definitely seems crazy. Losing Dumbledore would be a great loss to the side fighting against Voldemort and he knew that.
Harry's Orders
Before retrieving the supposed Horcrux from the cave Dumbledore made Harry promise that he follow his every order, even if Dumbledore were to die. Many people say that this shadowing of what Dumbledore ordered Snape to do. I believe that foreshadowing. There is some earlier too when Dumbledore comments:
"Naturally I do, but as I have already proven to you, I make mistakes like the next man. In fact, being -forgive me - rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger." -HBP
This is foreshadowing that Dumbledore made a mistake and something bad is going to happen to him. I think that the promise Harry makes is also foreshadowing, saying that something bad will happen and that he will still have to follow his orders, no matter what.
The command that he made though was unique. He tells Harry to possibly kill him because he knows of the absolute importance of destroying the Horcrux and defeating Voldemort. It was after retrieving the supposed Horcrux, the Order of the Phoenix was protecting the castle, and when Dumbledore had an ally (or se he thought at the time) with Snape. At that moment was anything worth dying for? No. There was much more to be living for.
The Plea
But somebody else had spoken Snape's name, quite softly.
"Severus..."
The sound frightened Harry beyond anything he had experienced all evening. For the first time, Dumbledore was pleading. Snape said nothing, but walked forwards and pushed Malfoy roughly out of the way. Three Death Eaters fell back without a word. Even the werewolf seemed cowed. Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.
"Severus...please..."
Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore.
"Avada Kedavra!"
-HBP
Dumbledore was simply heartbroken at the site of Snape alongside the Death Eaters. All these years he had trusted Snape, and put all his confidence in him. He believed that he was truly reformed and Dumbledore learned that he was wrong.
Some people believe that Dumbledore was pleading for his death, not his life. They believed that at that point he that point that if Snape didn�t kill him, Snape would die and then Dumbledore because of the potion. They believe Dumbledore thought it made since if only one of them died. This is not true. For one thing if Snape died Slughorn and other Order members could have tried to save him. Also, as I stated earlier, there was a lot worth living for at that point in time.
"Revulsion" and "hatred" were words used to describe the look on Snape's face. Nobody except Dumbledore, and maybe Harry, could see his face. If he felt sorry about his actions he would not have looked like that because nobody else could see what as going on. Only pure hatred towards the man could make him look like that. Hatred towards oneself isn't the same. Even if Snape was loathing himself for what he was about to do, a word such as "tormented" might have been used to describe him.
Felix Felicis
There have been some editorials written about the use of Felix Felicis when the Death Eaters attack the school and how it points to Snape's innocence. I remain unbelieving.
Slughorn says that the effects of the potion as such:
"[The user] will find that all your endeavors tend to succeed."
Note that it says, "Tend to succeed." It does not say that your endeavors will always succeed. Ron says, "I messed up, Harry." He doesn't say I don't know how they got by, which would be unlucky. No, he says, "I messed up." Even if you are lucky doesn't mean you can't make mistakes.
Hermione was not killed by Snape. Lucky. Not noticing Flitwick being stupefied. Not unlucky. The potion helps "your endeavors" succeed. It doesn't make the whole entire world go your way. The D.A.'s endeavors never were to stop Snape, but to help protect Hogwarts students, which they accomplished. The potion did what it was supposed to do.
Snape's Departure
When Snape is fleeing from Hogwarts, Harry pursues him across the grounds. A "battle" begins between Harry and Snape. Mostly it is Snape toying with Harry, which he seems to enjoy greatly. Having beaten Harry, Snape begins to run, when we hear the following:
"Kill me like you killed him, you coward-"
"DON'T-" screamed Snape, and his face was suddenly demented, inhuman, as though he was in as much pain as the yelping, howling dog stuck in the burning house behind them, "-CALL ME COWARD!"
-HBP
Snape has pride and being tormented by Harry after being tormented by James throughout his childhood reopens a wound from his past. He lashed back in anger towards Harry both physically and verbally. Snape believed that what he accomplished took courage, so when Harry called him a coward he took great offense.
People say that if Snape really was on the other side then he could have killed Harry at that moment. But Snape has said it himself: Harry is Voldemorts to kill. That is also why he might have saved Harry in the first book, when Quirrel was trying to kill him. Snape would not betray Voldemort by killing Harry and going against his masters wishes.
Occam's Razor
Occam's Razor states that if you have a decision to make with two equally valid choices, you will pick the easier. Snape's choices are he is on Voldemort's side or Dumbledore's side. What is the simpler choice? Snape could have played a game of cat and mouse with the Death Eaters, successfully lied to Voldemort about his intentions, and had a secret plot with Dumbledore to kill him. Or Snape was never on the good side, surprised Dumbledore with his loyalty to the Dark Lord and killed him. It is perfectly clear that the latter is simpler and therefore the choice Snape made.
This is quite a bit of evidence proving Snape guilty of all his actions. Hopefully I have convinced some people to not trust Snape. We all just have to wait patiently until the release of the seventh book.
Inferi
Written By Casey
Posted July 16, 2005
As you know before I wrote an article called "Sirius Still Alive?" It stated that Sirius Black may come back as a dog. Today was the release of HBP and I have been reading it. I am not at chapter four and learning what "inferi" are. They are dead bodies that have been bewitched to do a dark wizard's bidding.
Maybe Sirius will not come back as a dog. What if they use his body as an inferi. J.K. Rowling said that he would come back different. It would be his body but it would not be Sirius himself. Right now I do not have much evidence to this but if there is more to come I will update.
Kilts and Ponchos
Written By Casey
Posted July 4, 2005
In book four, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire there is a man wearing a kilt and poncho. This was at the Quidditch World Cup, where witches and wizard were required to dress in muggle apparel. I do not think this is odd at all! This person's clothing makes perfect sense. In Scotland men wear Kilts, which are basically skirts. And what do people wear when it rains? They wear ponchos! In conclusion, this person is an overly prepared man from Scotland. He could know that muggle men in Scotland wear kilts and the weatherman (who is usually wrong) told him that it was going to rain. I don't think that Mr. Roberts had any reason to question the clothes he wore and is stereotypical thinking that he is odd.
Professor Binns a Squib?
Written By Casey
Posted on July 4, 2005
Professor Binns might be a squib. Have we ever seen him do magic? A lot of people think, well of course not, he's dead. I thought that for awhile too, but JK Rowling never said that once somebody dies they can't use magic. He never uses magic and he never mentions any spells or potions. Also, he was the only teacher, which we had heard of in the first book, who did not help protect the Sorcerer's stone. We know that squibs can be part of the staff, like Filch. His job doesn't require him to perform spells. I don't really know if squibs can come back as ghosts or if the dead can perform spells but if they can, then this is a great possibility.
Sirius Still Alive?
Written By Casey
Posted Jan 2, 2005
In PoA movie J.K. Rowling said that there was some unintentional foreshadowing about the 6th and 7th book. At the scene in the Shrieking Shack as Harry and Sirius help Ron back down the passageway, as Ron complains about his leg, Sirius says:
"Normally, I have a very sweet disposition as a dog. In fact, more than once, James suggested that I make the change permanent. The tail I could live with. But the fleas, they're murder."
When the published OotP there has been a great dispute to whether or not Sirius is dead. In the battle at the DoM, when Sirius falls through the veil Lupin says, "There's nothing you can do. He can not come back." J.K. Rowling is strongly implying that once somebody crosses over, they can't ever come back.
Unless there is a loophole! Sirius crossed the veil as himself so what if he came back as Snuffles- a dog. He wouldn't be crossing back over because he never crossed as a dog to begin with. If he came back like this though he would be stuck as a dog forever but as stated before he doesn't care.
J.K. Rowling also has said many times before that Sirius can't come back in the same form but he can come back. If he comes back as dog it's a different form because he left as a human.
Theories For Book Six: Deaths
Written By: Casey
Posted: November 12, 2004
Who will die?
Ronald Weasley
In the 3rd book at Christmas dinner there were 13 people dining and Professor Trewlany said, "When thirteen dine together, the first to rise is the first to die." Harry and Ron both rose together, so it could have been Harry, but JK Rowling said that Harry wouldn't die before the sixth book. In the fifth book, when Harry first arrives at Grimwald Place, there are thirteen at dinner too:
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Bill, Fred, George, Ginny, Arthur, Molly, Lupin, Mundungus, Tonks and Sirius. The first to rise is Sirius and he is also the first to die.
In an online chat Debbie asked JK Rowling herself what Ron's job would be when he left school. Her response was if he lives to leave school. This doesn't mean he will die- it could just mean he will live to be a teacher at Hogwarts, but knowing Ron's grades that is pretty hard to believe. More likely it could mean that he will die at school and he could return as a ghost to live there forever.
Cornelius Fudge
In book six there is going to be a new minister of magic so there is a good chance that Fudge will be the one to die.
Remus Lupin
JK Rowling may end up killing all of the mauraders. Two of them have already died. (James and Sirius) We know that he is in the Order of the Phoenix which is definately putting him in danger. So far the marauders have died in the inverse order they have been listed. So in the seventh book there is a good chance Peter Petigrew will die. There is also the theory that Wormtail will kill Lupin because he will recieve a SILVER hand from Voldie and the only way to kill a werewolf is with a SILVER bullet.
Molly or Arthur Weasley
So far JK Rowling has killed Harry's parents leaving him with the Dursleys. His closest thing to a parent was Sirius who was killed at the end of the fifth book. Now the closest thing Harry has for family is the Weasleys and Molly and Arthur are both in great danger now that they are part of the Order of the Phoenix.
UPDATE: Severus Snape
In the movie Snape places himself between Harry, Ron, and Hermione and Lupin as he changes into a werewolf. He was mad at the trio but his first instinct was to help them which was the first time he did something nice for Harry out in the open. This foreshadows some sacrifice that Snape makes for Harry in the future books and could die for Harry.
