What made the Potters fit in to this elite class of witches and wizards?
"You and your parents aren't mentioned," Hermione said, closing the book, "because Professor Bagshot doesn't cover anything later than the end of the nineteenth century. But you see? Godric's Hollow, Godric Gryffindor, Gryffindor's sword; don't' you think Dumbledore would have expected you to make the connection?"
"Oh yeah..."
Harry did not want to admit that he had not been thinking about the sword at all when he suggested they go to Godric's Hollow. For him, the lure of the village lay in his parents' graves, the house where house where he had narrowly escaped death, and in the person of Bathilda Bagshot. (319)
It always bothered me that Harry never questioned why his parents lived there, especially after finding out about all of the prominent wizarding families who resided in Godric's Hollow.
It isn't until the middle of The Deathly Hallows that Harry guesses he is a descendant of the Peverell brothers:
"Ignotus Peverell is buried in Godric's Hollow..." Harry was walking blindly around the tent, feeling as though great new vistas of truth were opening all around him. "He's my ancestor! I'm descended from the third brother!" (430)His theory is later confirmed by Dumbledore, former Godric's Hollow resident:
"The Cloak, as you know now, traveled down through the ages, father to son, mother to daughter, right down to Ignotus's last living descendant, who was born, as Ignotus was, in the village of Godric's Hollow."
Dumbledore smiled at Harry.
"Me?" (741)I know if I found out my family lived among the rich and famous, I would've been a little more eager to find out how they eared their keep among the others.
Regardless, my infatuation with the wizarding world makes me want to live in Godric's Hollow, among all of its past residents. I'd also love to live in about a dozen other fictional locations though, too.
What fictional home town would you choose?
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Next up, H is for Hufflepuff!
Yeah, I agree. Harry is weirdly un-curious about his family history. You'd think he'd be dogging people like Lupin every waking moment to get information, but he's pretty passive, letting revelations come to him. Of course, he's not like Hermione in temperament, doggedly going after information, but is a jump to conclusions guy. Maybe we're supposed to believe that he thinks the Dursley's suppression of information is what he expects of all adults.
ReplyDeleteGreat point on the how Harry was raised...I'd never really considered how that affected him and his personality. Makes sense.
DeleteI also agree--I'd want to learn as much about my parents as possible, but then again I guess there's only so much room in a series. Still, JK could have elaborated on it a bit more. As for a dream book location? Gosh--I'd have to think about that one! I know it's mainstream right now, but I've always loved the shire. So laid back and relaxed!
ReplyDeleteI'd like the Shire as well, or Rivendell!
DeleteRivendell for me. Or maybe Deep Space Nine.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen much Star Trek, but I'm with you on Rivendell! :)
DeleteI fell in love with Godric's Hollow when I first saw it in the film... it was just so quaint and English and I love that!
ReplyDeleteYes! Quaint is the perfect way to describe it. It looked so much more homey than, say, the Dursley's house on Privet Drive.
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