Everything and Anything Harry Potter...
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Thursday, June 28, 2007
Hermione's Boggart
Yet another theory...
I know Hermione cares about her school work, but in every book, she's been willing to not only face expulsion, but to also face death to help her friends Harry and Ron. Why, then, would her greatest fear be failing everything when she believed that a crazy mass murderer was no the loose trying to kill one of her best friends? Keep in mind that earlier that year, Ron had woken up with Sirius Black standing over him with a knife and Harry had been risking his neak by sneeking out to Hogsmead. It's much more likely that she say one, or both, of them dead and lied about it later.
" This excellent result proves you to be a witch or wizard of considerable learning. You have proven yourself to be part of the academic elite, and the Wizarding Examinations Authority was most impressed by your paper. The Ministry of Magic is always on the lookout for accomplished recruits such as yourself and would welcome your application owl. Very well done indeed!"
My Results: (I took it twice.) One Exceeds Expectations and one Acceptable which reads:
"You have passed the final and most difficult W.O.M.B.A.T. and are to be highly commended. Many of your fellow candidates were less fortunate. Your new qualification will stand you in good stead should you wish to join any of our more prestigious wizarding firms. Flourish & Blotts, the Nimbus Broom Company and Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes are all currently recruiting, and would be delighted to receive an application owl."
'From the Arabic words ghul (meaning 'male') and ghula (meaning 'female'). In Islamic legend, a ghoul is a demon who feeds on the flesh of humans, in particular corpses stolen from graves, travellers, and children.
'Ghouls are thought to travel at night around graveyards, deserts, and lonely, deserted spots. Sometimes they are said to be dead humans who rest in secret graves and then awake to feast on human flech, living and dead. In Islamic tradition, there are many kinds of ghouls, both male and female, but perhaps the most terrible is the female variety who has the power to transform into a real woman that can entrap and feast on an unsuspecting admirer.'
'The ancient and greatly feared belief that certain people can inflict bad luck, misfortune, or death simply with a glance or intence stare. Negative energy is transmitted to another person with a glance or lingering look from a malevolent person.
'The superstition was known as far back as 3000 BC, appearing in the cuneiform texts of the Sumerians and Assyrians. There is also evidence that the Babylonians and ancient Greeks believed in it. Women in ancient Egypt would paint their eyes and lips with makeup to keep the evil eye out. Most tribal cultures are aware of it and it is mentioned in both the Bible and the Koran. Even today in Mexico and Central America, superstitions about the evil eye still exist.
'The evil eye is said to most likely strike when an individual is at the height of his or her happiness and success and for some unknown reason children and cows seem to be special targets of the evil eye. Witches, sorcerers, magicians, medicine men, and witch doctors are said to cast the evil eye. Native America shamans often combine the menacing look with pointing a stick, finger, or wand. A person may also be cursed with the evil eye at birth and not know it. Pope Leo XIII was said to possess the evil eye. Because of this, those who believe in the evil eye must constantly be on their guard as a malevolent stare could come from anyone, even a stranger in the street.
'If a person is hit by the evil eye various superstitions offer protection against disister striking. If a witch or sorcerer is not available to offer a counter-spell, the fig hand -- a clenched fist with the thumb stuck through the middle and fourth fingers -- and a curved horn are said to offer protection. Other protective amulets include bells, brass, red ribbons, blue beads, garlic, horseshoes, or hanging charms in windows to confuse a witch's gaze. Denying success and good fortune could also deflect it, and admired infants would be smeared with dirt before being taken out. Touching wood was also thought to offer protection against the curse of the evil eye.'
'A name given by demonologists and medieval witch-hunters to a scar, blemish, or mark on the skin said to be imprinted by the devil as a seal of his possession of the person.
'The finding of such marks became an important buisness of the expert pricking that took place at many witch persecutions. Devil's marks were said to be insensitive to pain and pricking pins into such areas was supposed to draw no blood.'
'The name given to a spirit companion, usually in animal form, who aids ar attends the need of witches. Familiars are also said to be given to witches by the Devil as their companions and helpers. The word is derived from the Latin familiaris, meaning 'belonging to a household.'
'A familiar is often thought to have magical power and to offer protection from danger to their master or mistress. The most common familiars are cats, followed by dogs, birds, hares, smakes, and frogs or toads. At the hieght of the seventeenth-century witch paranoia, a lone woman owning a black cat was enough ground to convict her of witchcraft.'
There WILL be a Harry Potter theme park within the Universal Orlando park opening about 2009 or 2010. It is a dream come true. Trip to Florida, anyone?
