Episode #38: Unanswered Questions
We’re getting pretty close the end game. Zero hour. The End of Potter. And we’ve got plenty of unanswered questions. Earlier, we solicited your thoughts on what questions still need to be answered in Book 7. We had a great response, and, in this podcast, we go through some of the questions and give our best guesses as to how they’ll be resolved. So tune in, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
The questions we covered are:
- Who will end up a teacher at Hogwarts? (from Greg in Toronto)
- Why did Bellatrix Lestrange go after the Longbottoms? (Nancy)
- What does the symbol mean? (Aaron from HPPC)
- How did the Wizarding World find out the Potters were killed? (from Mrs. Lovegood)
- What connection does Dumbledore vs. Grindelwald have to Harry vs. Voldemort? (Greg in Toronto)
- Why did Snape turn against Voldemort? (Ajit)
Keep sending in your questions, we’ll cover more next week.
In the news:
- HBO’s First Look at OotP movie looks pretty cool.
- Amazon books 1 million preorders for Deathly Hallows in US. July 17th is deadline for first-day delivery.
- Harry Potter virus infecting computers.
- Wizard Rock in the Garden. Hear great music and meet HPProgs!
You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download an mp3 directly.
July 4th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
I have a couple irrelevant questions that Id love to know the answer too but probably wont be answered. I chose to tell you guys these because I assume all the big question will be asked by others and will get repetitive.
1) What was Tonk’s Potronus before it changed in her heart ache over Lupin?
2) Which side does Md. Maxime get her half-Giant from?
3) What did Aberforth Dumbledore do to the goat, and why is something with that kind of innuendo and connotation in a children’s book?
4) Why can Moaning Myrtle affect her surrounding? None of the other ghost can.
5) If medi-magic can re-grow bones and stuff, why did Krum never get his nose fixed after it was broken?
If I think of any more I’ll send them to you. Have a great day!
July 5th, 2007 at 7:22 am
Oh man what a tease an unanswered question episode and its all silent. What a clever sense of humor.
July 5th, 2007 at 7:40 am
Maybe I am just having technical difficulty. Wouldn’t be the first time. Wonder if my speakers are turned on?
July 5th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Cara -
1) Er … maybe it was a flamingo or a monkey … dunno
2) She wasn’t very forthcoming with Hagrid about this - I think it’s better left private
3) I rather liked the fact that JK was clued in enough to include the reference to “goatse.cx”. It is little bits like these that make HP enjoyable for us adults too. Besides, assuming that the child is raised properly and hasn’t seen “goatse.cx” then I reckon the worst s/he will infer is that Aberforth was mean to it or probably transifigured it into something unpleasant.
4) Moaning Myrtle is a poltergeist like Peeves who can also affect his surroundings.
5) Krum is a “lad” (albeit in an eastern european sense) which means that it’s rather cool to have a broken nose and would probably be looked upon rather badly if he had it fixed - he’s more of a “Vinnie Jones” type vs a “David Beckham” if you know what I mean.
Hey guys - whose this Grindewald character?! I don’t remember him mentioned at all (or not in a major way) in the books?!?
Snape is a dick. Whether he rescues him or not. I think he’s the equivalent of Sauruman in LOR . . .
July 5th, 2007 at 9:30 am
vince,
Moaning Myrtle is not a poltergeist. Poltergeist are spirits that were never living human beings. Moaning Myrtle was once living and was murdered by Tom Riddle, and is therefore not a poltergeist.
Ghosts can effect things around them if 1. they can gather enough energy from around them (electronics heat and such, or as in this case magic), AND if they have high enough emotions. In myrtles case she’s nothing but emotions so she can affect alot.
July 5th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Not an earth-shattering question, but I would like to know if Percy becomes a “good guy” again.
July 5th, 2007 at 10:40 am
I don’t think Perrcy was ever a “bad guy”, misguided yes. Bad Guy, no.
July 5th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Man am I glad you guys are smart enough to come up with some good thoughts and questions. I can’t even figure out how to press play without help. ;0
July 5th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
I just saw the question about Grindlewald. Here’s a link to the HP Lexicon entry on him. http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/a-z/g.html
You have to scroll down a little to see it.
July 5th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
That was a good episode. Greg, the symbol was a triangle with a circle inside it, and a line going down the miggle. There is no square involved. I have a throry/question thing.
Before Voldy killed James and Lily, he had 5 horcruxes and 6 pieces of soul. When he tried to kill Harry, the curse destroyed the piece of his soul that was in his body. Then, he would only have 5 pieces of soul left. He used one to inhabit his new body. Then he would only have 4 horcruxes. Presumably, he then made Nagini a horcrux. Now he has 5 horcruxes, 6 pieces of soul. The diary was destroyed. The ring was destroyed. The locket, if we take that note as true, is destroyed. Unless Voldy only has made another horcrux, he only has 2 undestroyed horcruxes, 3 pieces of soul…Is this an author’s mistake, or is it significant?
Wait…that wasn’t really a question. That was a theory. It was supposed to be a question. But…oh well. Maybe it is, in desguise.
That’s all for now. Been thinking about that theory for a while, but never really sat down and wrote it. Bye!
~Frances
July 5th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Angie, I put “good guy” in quotes because I understand he is not truly evil, like a death eater.
July 5th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
I would like to think that the goat reference is not as inappropriate for children as some seem to think it is. I remember when Katie Couric interviewed Rowling and made a joke that Americans might think is cute and Brits who are parents wouldn’t have wanted their kids to listen to, about the difference between snogging and shagging. Rowling interrupted Couric before she could make a second reference to shagging by saying that it would be “totally inappropriate” which it was. Someone who would do that probably didn’t mean anything inappropriate about the goat reference, either. Someone on PotterCast said that Andipodean Opaleye dragons eat goats and not people and maybe it’s a clue that Aberforth is an Animagus who turns into that kind of dragon.
As for Myrtle, here’s my science lesson attempt at an explanation. Three forms of matter: solid, liquid, gas. They couldn’t move Nearly Headless Nick when he was petrified so they used a big fan to waft his body toward the hospital wing. We have evidence that Myrtle can affect liquid in her environment only. My theory is that ghosts can affect the movement of liquids and gases, at least in some cases, but not solids. I think this applies to all of them, I don’t think she means anything unique about Myrtle. Angie, your idea is interesting, but is there support for this in the Harry Potter canon?
I think Percy has been under the imperious curse and will return to the good side if he isn’t forced to put himself in harm’s way and get killed first.
Bellatrix and her group went after the Longbottoms because they thought the Longbottoms (or, more specifically, Frank, as per Dumbledore in GOF) had some knowledge of where Voldie had disappeared to. What I wonder is, were they both Aurors, because what Dumbledore says in GOF makes it seem like only Frank was, and they tortured Alice when Frank wouldn’t talk. And I further wonder why the Lestranges thought the Longbottoms knew anything about where Voldie was — this is the significant question.
July 5th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
The inappropriatness of the goat is only in one’s imagination. Bewitching a goat to dance or talk would violate the secrecy statutes and would be called inappropriate enchantments on a goat. but there is nothing dirty about that.
I assumed the Lestranges were privy to what Snape had told of the prophecy, a child born as July dies. They might have known that Dumbledore took precuations with both the Potters and the Longbottoms. We know Bellatrix thinks Voldemort trusting Snape was mistaken and thought maybe this is the case here too. I, for one, think Snape found ways to encourage V to target the Potters becasue of his rivalry with James. Something so simple as, “my lord, the Potter boy was born on the 31st surely he is your enemy, not the Longbottom born the day before,” would have a lasting impression. I think Bellatrix went after the Longbottoms, which the HP-lexicon timelines around December, because she thought Neville was boy of prophecy and as V’s nemesis might know something about his current whereabouts.
July 5th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Ah - so it’s me with my head in the gutter . . . you guys are probably right about the goat being an innocent thing and the “Aberforth-is-dragon-animagus” totally makes sense. Still it’s a nice double entendre . . .
About Myrtle - maybe because she died in the bathroom, her ability is water-centric in terms of affecting her environment . . just a thought. I’m thinking that Peeves was also a real person - Poltergeists are just terminology for particularly destructive/mischievous ghosts/real people that died angry. If you’re thinking of the ghostbuster’s poltergeist, that was hardly accurate although Peeves does share an affinity with him.
I also think V sussed it out for himself who was his enemy based on all of Dumblydore’s explanations . . .
Angie - thanks for the link.
Percy is a git. He should have been in Slytherin because he’s acting the model profile of a slytherin - granted an expected reaction to his growing up poor but nonetheless, self-preserving, self-interested, all about the fame and glory and clearly a suck-up with no class . . .
I’m most interested in finding out about Dumblydore’s hand, whether Percy will have the class to admit what a git he was, see how Neville turns out and hopefully be vindicated with Snape being a bad guy (not hopeful).
I think you guys are right about Petunia being the latent-magic person. I’m not sure how this helps the story though except maybe as a way to defend Harry one last time and thus heal all/most of the wrongs for his childhood - forgiveness usually being part of the tie-up of an epic like this.
Just some thoughts here . . . I’ll try and get me head out of the gutter.
July 6th, 2007 at 7:09 am
I have a question or somethign that no one else has talked about (at least not that ive seen)
With all this talk about Kreacher and what importance he has…
Well remember that in book 6 Harry sends Dobbie and Kreacher to trail Draco right? Well at the end Draco and Snape run off somewhere…
But Harry never told Dobbie and Kreacher to STOP trailing him… Do you think this has some significance?
July 6th, 2007 at 7:36 am
Here is another one i havent heard talked about… I read or heard somewhere that JK said that some professors’ spouses would come into play in the last book…i can’t imagine any of the professors having spouses or what in world type of part they could play so late in the book. What do you think of this? Its not very important but i thought id throw it out there…
July 6th, 2007 at 7:38 am
Amanda - oooo! Wouldn’t that be a nice trick . . . but seems a bit too easy. Maybe it will be like the mirror Sirius gave Harry and he’ll forget until it’s too late . . . but would be a nice way to let harry know where they’ve run off to wouldn’t it . . .
July 6th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Sorry to disappoint you Vince, Peeves was never a real person.
This is waht JKR said about peeves on her website: “Peeves isn’t a ghost; he was never a living person. He is an indestructible spirit of chaos, and solid enough to unscrew chandeliers, throw walking sticks and, yes, chew gum.”
July 6th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Just a thought on the triangle/cirlce symbol. The triangle can symbolize the Trinity — religious or not. Harry, Hermione, Ron or Durmstrang, Beaubatons, Hogwarts, or Giants, elves, wizards, or muggles(due to the visit to the muggle PM), elves (Dobby on Harry’s back), wizards, whatever. The circle can symbolize unity. Three forces come together to defeat LV.
Just a thought, no one seemed to mention it.
July 6th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Is everyone going to ignore my theory/question thingy? If so, please alert me if you have seen it. If it gets no response, I’m not going to coment on anything unless I know mine’s been seen. Sorry.
July 6th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
I don’t think it’s Aberforth. To become an animagus, you must know how to read to know how to become one. In book one, unless I am mistaken, Dumbledore said ‘I don’t know if he can read’ or something, after he talked about the goat thing, which I thought was quite funny.
July 6th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
I think the professors who were at the Christmas Dinner in Harry’s third year are the ones without spouses, while the others were not there for a reason (i.e. - they have families)
July 6th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Ah ha Meg! I’ll go check that out soon!
July 6th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
I was looking again at the uk childrens cover of DH after my friend told me the starship enterprise is on the backcover in the sky
lol
when i was looking again at the inside flap i noticed that the Prongs Patronus is not completly silvery/misty/semi-transparent as described in the books and it doesnt look like the patronuses in OotP movie.
I looked closer and noticed that ,what looks to be, a fox contained inside/reflected (in the main body) by the Patronus and something pink/red (inside the neck and head) and what i think looks like a phoenix.
It seems as if the Patronus can be used in different as well as its normally used to repel evil and Dumbledore inevented the way of passing on
messages, could there be any other uses that we dont know about?
I know this might sound completly ridiculous but it looks more like the a ghost like the one on childern’s uk GoF back cover
meh, so wot u think?
July 6th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
I can’t see the phoenix, but I think I can see the fow…I think that looks like it’s made of ice, and solid, as apossed to a spell…but whatever
July 6th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
I have a question.
What kind of charcater do you think the sorting hat will become in the 7th book?
Do you think that it could become a teacher somehow? like teaching unity or something. That sounds kind of lame. but thats what i thought of.
July 6th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
i just watched the interview jo has just done with jonathan ross on bbc1 and jo only said 2 things about the book
1)more then 2 ppl die and i quote from what jk said “its not exactly a bloodbath”, so its fair to say more then afew ppl die.
2) the last word of the book is not infact scar as previously supposed
although she didnt say if it was the last word of the last chapter or the last word of the epilogue.
other stuff not to do with the book plot
-she has only aloud 1 person but herself and the editors to read the book
July 6th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
oh i just thought when joe replied to the question
“is the last word scar?”
she said
“no…its ‘not’”
i know its sounds kind of stupid but could the last word actually be ‘not’.
July 6th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
I have a question:
What did Dumbledore see that caused him so much terror in the cave?
Momantai:
I laughed. It was funny. That’s what I thought when I saw that. I doubt it, but she said it’s ‘not.’ Haha!
July 7th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Guys - here’s a good unanswered question! Re-reading HBP and just noticed Harry has only downed a small bit of his felix felicitis potion . . . that must surely come into play in the last book.
Oh to set the record straight on the horcruxes and what’s left over:
“‘So,’ said Harry, ‘the diary’s gone, the ring’s gone. The cup, the locket and the snake are still intact, and you think there might be a Horcrux that was once Ravenclaw’s or Gryffindor’s?’”
Prior to this Dumbledore expresses confidence that Nagini is a horcrux and that the only known relic of Gryffindor’s is the sword. So that’s basically one Horcrux to figure out (and with Momentai’s research it points to the Ravenclaw’s wand), finding the Hufflepuff Cup and verifying that the locket is destroyed. Kill big V and it’s mischief managed . . .
I’m thinking more and more that Harry dies a glorious and valiant death akin to Frodo departing for the grey havens, and saves wizardkind while being reunited with all those that he longs to be with - Mom and Pops, Sirius, Dumblydore, et al. Would explain why Harry has had all his love interests written out of the plotline and sets up the other characters to carry on in the wake of his sacrifice AND most importantly gets Jo off the hook (in terms of temptation) for ever writing another HP book . . . probably wrong in points but I’m leaning this way at the moment.
July 7th, 2007 at 10:13 am
wait no, I’m dumb. He gave the rest of the potion to the crew at the end of the book. Duh.
July 7th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
Watching Sorceror’s Stone (Desparate here) and i Just figured something out. Wouldn’t Voldemort need to use a horcrux in order to recreate his body like he did in book four? SO … doesn’t that mean taht possibly one of the horcruxes had been added to the potion already brewing before Harry saw the incantation and provided the other ingredients? OR (and I totally hate this theory), if Harry was a horcrux, wouldn’t that part of soul have been leached out with the use of his blood? That owuld leave three, only, horcruxes left to find.
Desn’t htat make so much sense?? If not, I’m a tad loopy … my back’s acting up again!
July 8th, 2007 at 5:05 am
Frances - I think Dumblydore was just reacting to the potion - don’t really think it matters what he saw there but may possibly be a valid point in there.
Elisabeth - The potion didn’t require a horcrux, just “the blood of the enemy unwilling taken” (by the movie script). One thing about this is that Voldy is now immune to Harry’s touch, but that said, he cannot inhabit Harry’s soul or possess him since his own soul is so cut to pieces. My feeling is still that there’s one more horcrux to figure out. Harry could possibly be a “gryffindor” horcrux but I don’t really think this is plausible because Voldy would then not have a problem possessing him. Just thoughts . . . take care of your back! You should try acupuncture - it works really well. There’s one treatment where they burn special incense/medicine at the end of the needles. Fixes ya right up.
July 8th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
vince -
Thnx for the back tips … blasted herniated disc! Ah well … at least it only acts up rarely.
I thought of that, but the truth is that we only knew the last four ingredients of hte potion. it was already bubbling and icky when “we” arrived on the scene with Harry. Could, also — sorry — still in pain, Voldy’s dad’s body be a horcrux … sort of a testament that only the weak will suffer death?
July 8th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Elizabeth- we HATE Herniated Disks!!!!!! Feel better!
July 8th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
I can’t listen to the cast yet because I’m on holiday and the internet cafe has no headphone portals. Anyway, reading through the comments was really interesting, my friend thinks Aberforth made a drink out of a goat because he works in a bar. Anyway, I think Aberforth is a really interesting character, after all, he is the one that stopped professor snape from listening to the whole prophecy…Snape was probably listening at the door when Aberforth came up and told him to get out. I really like the theory on Dobby and Kreacher chasing after Draco and the end of HBP, especially as they are forbidden to contact Draco in any way, so they won’t be court.
I’m not sure that the horcruxes will really be revealed to be anything but what Dumbledore already said…although I thought the Nagini one was random. I’m going to ootp on Wednesday morning, so excited.
July 11th, 2007 at 3:05 am
I just re read the books, I have no idea how it is going to end, but did you notice in that wand reversal in the goblet of fire-James comes out of the wand before Lily? I always assumed he died before them?
July 16th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
You said in the podcast that you think Neville is gonna be the teacher in the seventh book. I don’t think so, b/c JRK said that it would be someone that you woulnd’t expect. This is really weird, but if she said that, wouldn’t you automaticly think.”Oh, it’s Neville,” I think it might be someone like Luna or someone else who we met recently. I think it makes sence.
July 16th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
I’m sorry that last comment was typed so badly. Let’s just say I was slightly disabled.