Leaky Caudron holds Writing Contest focusing on "That Fateful Night" - Here is my submission

Leaky Cauldron: Write an article about the (first) downfall of Lord Voldemort that fateful night in Godric's Hollow back when Harry was just a mere baby. The Rules: adhering to the settings found in canon, this article may be written in the style of an interview, or contain quotes from characters that were around at that time according to the books. So quills at the ready, all you Rita Skeeter wannabes, as you put your fan-fiction writing skills to work in our latest contest. For further rules, click here. Keeping within a strict 500-1000 word limit, all article submissions must be emailed to contests@the-leaky-cauldron.org by November 25 (midnight EST). Good Luck!

Transcript from the 6:00 p.m. Edition of Cable-TV CNN
October 31, 1980:

BILL BLANK, CNN ANCHOR: And this just in from Godric's Hollow. This is breaking news and so the details are still sketchy, but we do have a camera crew and reporter on the scene. Louisa, Louisa are you there? Louisa Philmont our London correspondent reporting from the scene in Godric's Hollow, England. Louisa -

LOUISA PHILMONT, TV CNN REPORTER: I'm here Bill, sorry, massive chaos here. You can't imagine! As you can see behind me we have about three fire engines, dozens of police and rescue officials and what local government officials are telling us is that a house exploded where no one knew a house was.

BILL: I'm sorry, you said - what?

LOUISA: That's right, Bill. Witnesses here at the scene describe hearing a massive explosion in what locals here call “Griffin's Meadow” and when the first responders arrived they found the smoking remains of a large cottage - hold on, Bill, here is one of the eye witnesses, I'm sorry, tell me your name?

MARSHAL MAXWELL THE THIRD: I'm Marshall Maxwell the Third, I live over behind the Dixon Hill Dam on the south side of Perkins Pond, out there beyond the Misty Grove in the …

LOUISA: Yes, thank you, Mr. Maxwell. Right. So can you tell us what you saw and heard?

MAXWELL: Please call me Max, all me friends do. Right. So I was standing in me kitchen making a pot of tea, Earl Grey hot by the way, when I suddenly heard an explosion that knocked me Great Aunt Bessie's antique tea kettle onto the floor where the snout - well that's what we call it around here, not spout, but snout - broke off and I started swearing up a blue streak.

LOUISA: Yes …

Max: Right. So when I'm done swearing I go running outside and I see this gigantic fireball over there beyond Perkins Pond and I'm thinking, what is it now? We had a gas works here for decades, but after Thatcher came in their moving it over to Surrey. We all lost our jobs then, it was terrible. Horrible. Think that Thatcher woman will be the end of us, what Brezhnev will do to her, I don't know, but then, what do I know? Miss Merpole, my housekeeper thinks that she's a fine Prime Minister but I ---

LOUISA: Thank you, Mr. Max - Max. So you saw the fireball and then what happened?

MAX: Right. Well, I go running over there thinking, well what the hell happened? Well, I had some other choice words but I probably shouldn't say them on international television news - bloody hell, this is CNN, I don't even have cable and I've heard of CNN. Right. So, where was I? Fireball. It took me a while to get over there, haven't been down there in years especially with some of them stories going around that the place being haunted, but you know what they say about stupid stories. Hold it, I was there last week. Though of course, tonight is Halloween. Of course, we don't make it into the big holiday it is in the States, now do we, I was there about ten years ago and you would have thought it was Christmas' evil twin they way they go on about it. Me? I prefer Bonfire night - that's what I think is …

LOUISA: And so you arrive in Godric's Hollow and what do you see?

MAX: Right. So I see the smoldering remains of a f***(bleaped) big house, the contents of the house are blown everywhere, in the trees, up the mountain, floating in Perkins Pond, I found a brown stick-thing that look like it had been widdled by some Boy Scout for a badge, felt kind of funny when I picked it up so I threw it into the ashes.

LOUISA: What happened to the occupants of the house?

MAX: Well, now that's the funny thing. I could have sworn I saw some people but now I can't quite remember. Me brain feels foggy. I was over there back at the grove walking by the pond and then I was here and I can't remember exactly how I got here. Maybe I got shocked or something.

LOUISA: Shocked?

MAX: Well, yeah. I mean, didn't anybody tell you? There ain't no house here, there ain't never been no house here. I was driving by here just yesterday on my way to visit Penelope Fisher, my fiancé who lives down in Gasset and I drove right by here and it was as it always is. Griffin's Meadow here in Godric's Hollow - me and Penelope, we were here just last week for a little stroll if you know what I mean, and there it was, not here. It as just me and Pen---

LOUISA: What wasn't?

MAX: This house - I mean look at how big it was. I think we'd all remember a house of this size and they say it was very old. I say, hell no, what you are you smoking?

LOUISA: Bill, I'm going to have the camera man turn the camera toward the explosion site and you can see the remains of what officials tell me was a medium sized three story 17th century cottage house- there is even signs of a thatch roof, which is extraordinary since by all account there has never been a house here.

MAX: It could be we are all bewitched.

LOUISA : Sorry?

MAX: Told you, stories, this place is haunted by all sorts of spirits, evil and otherwise. Can't figure out the house though. That's a stumper.

LOUISA: Right. Thank you, Mr. Maxwell. So, Bill------

MAX: And the thing is, I swore I saw some people - robed sort of like, and people flying around on broomsticks, yes. And there was this one guy in a long white robe with a long white beard and he had this bundle and he handed it to this gigantic man, sh**(bleep), he must have been eight or ten feet tall, huge - and this giant guy he gets on a motorcycle and flies off into space.

LOUISA: Right, thank you, Mr. Maxwell - Bill?

MAX: Then this other guy - he was the one who came on the motorcycle, just flew in, right there, he starts yelling at this big old rat right there by that tree and swearing and laughing and you know, I'm not one to speak ill of crazy people, I'm not sure I really know what crazy people are - but he sure looked crazy to me. Then he just vanished. And so did that rat. Shazam. Then this other guy, in a long black robe with a big long nose and long black hair - he starts walking toward me and well, I don't remember too much until about five minutes ago.

LOUISA: Right, thank you, Mr. Maxwell - Bill?

MAX: Then I heard someone behind me - couldn't see him, but I heard him say “He's dead. The baby killed him.”

LOUISA: Sorry?

MAX: Right. “Baby,” he said - thought at first the guy was talking to me and I was going to slug him into next week. Then I heard him say, that someone was dead, you know who or something, and the baby killed him.

LOUISA: Are you on medication, Mr. Maxwell?

MA: Sorry?

LOUISA : If not, I should be. Bill?

BILL: Louisa, I'm sorry, we didn't catch that last part.

LOUISA: Wrapping up, Bill. Massive explosion rocks Godric Hollow. There is no sign of any casualties, just a big old house left in ruins. Officials are investigating the cause of the explosion and we'll have an update on the 10:00 news wrap-up tonight. Back to you, Bill in Atlanta.

MAX: Harry Potter.

LOUISA : Back to you, Bill.

MAX: Harry Potter. They said his name was Harry Potter. Harry -

LOUISA: Back to you in the studio, Bill. This is Louisa Philmont reporting live from Godric's Hollow, England.

MAX: Harry ---

BILL: Uh, thanks, Louisa, for that report. Stay safe.

Excellent fan-made "Order of the Phoenix" film trailer

There are just no words - way too funny

Voldemort's Outside: The Story of Harry and Ginny

It had to be the British

A classic, now brought across the Big Pond for us to enjoy!

Dobby is freeeeeeeeee

"Free Harry!" Returns

Okay, I escaped. Death Eaters found out about the campaign and I have been locked in a dungeon for who knows how long. What year is it? Well, now I'm free and ready to campaign once again to Free Harry!

It is time for the New York Times to recognize that the JK Rowling's Harry Potter series is for children - and adults. As such, it belongs on the adult best seller list. With the writing of the seventh book underway, it is not too early to campaign earnestly and help the New York Times recognize the truth - Harry Potter does indeed to be on "the" Best Seller List.

Sign the Free Harry! petition today and join the campaign to Free Harry! Your voice makes a difference!

ZoeRose

"Order of the Phoenix" Countdown

The "Truth" About Snape

My responses (as ZoeRose) to questions regarding Snape.


s0nofdavid wrote at HogwartsProfessor.com:
1. Snape, despite his Dark Arts and Death Eater inclinations, does not seem terribly concerned with purity of blood. Indeed, he even advertises his status as a half-blood. So why call Lily a "mudblood" when she steps in on his behalf? No doubt he was humiliated, but I think this may indicate greater depth of feeling on his part where she is concerned than we may have previously believed (perhaps a soured relationship -- perhaps merely a friendship).


We learn in Book VI that Snape's remorse over his responsibility for the death of the Potters was so genuine and believable that Dumbeldore put his entire trust in Snape until the moment he died. He never wavered. The one time Dumbledore wavered was when he paused before telling Harry in his office, just before they go out to the cave for the horcrux locket, why Dumbledore believed Snape's repentance. Why would Dumbeldore pause - except that if he told Harry that the reason was the Snape loved Lily Potter Harry would never be able to handle it. He's all ready demonstrating to Dumbledore that he has no capacity to give Snape the benefit of the doubt (which really makes little sense when you think how many times it appears that Snape has "saved" him, it's just that he's so darn nasty to Harry). It would also explain why Snape loathes James, even after death. He blames James, it would seem, for Lily's death because of the very arrogance that he constantly berates Harry for having. Snape still appears griefstricken - and he has never ever, except in the Pensieve (which is called "Snape's Worst Memory" - wonder why?) ever said anything bad about Lily. It could very well be that Snape's Worst Memory is because he spoke so harshly to Lily and was humiliated in front of her, including her remark about his underwear.

We learn also through the course of the books that Lily befriended the friendless. Ginny seems to have the same type of qualities, sticking up for Luna when others make fun of her. That could mirror Lily as well, and so it is conceivable that there was some sort of connection between Lily and Snape.

Remember Petunia talking about "that awful boy" who was with Lily? We assume she's talking about James since he's the only guy we know was with Lily. But does that description really fit James? Again, since Petunia doesn't say "James" or "your father" to Harry when recalling this memory from her youth, the fact that Jo Rowling keeps the character in the dark makes me think that the "awful boy" is Severus Snape. This would mean, if true, that Lily brought him home. Since Snape is a Half Blood with a Muggle father, he would be comfortable in the Muggle world where Lily comes from, unlike James. The question then would be, why would Lily bring Snape around so that Petunia would see him?

s0nofdavid wrote:
2. James hates Snape. While Sirius seems malicious enough (based on his willingness to nearly send Snape to his death) to harass Snape for his status as a misfit, why should James care? He is better in every quantifiable way, except perhaps academically. I would not be surprised if this came from Snape beating him some other way. Losing out romantically to a rival who seems inferior is far more maddening than losing out to a worthy opponent. I can see where this would push an otherwise benignly mischievous James into becoming an outright bully.


I do agree that James' bully-behavior with Snape makes no sense since James is rich, popular, talented, smart, and athletic.

My guess also is that Snape is not sitting in the bushes spying on James and his gang, but is actually watching the girls down by the lake - he gets up and starts heading in that direction when James attacks him. I think he was watching Lily and James caught him. James' behavior reminds me so much of the behavior of the Socs in the novel "The Outsiders" and Snape is very much like one of the poor Greasers, a sort of "West Side Story" scenario. Lily then becomes like Cherry Valance (a redhead as well) and Snape is like Dallas Winston or Ponyboy Curtis.

s0nofdavid wrote:
3. J. K. Rowling has said that Snape’s apparent betrayal is all the worse because, unlike Voldemort, he has been loved. The only possibilities would seem to be Lily or his mother. However, Voldemort and Snape seem to have had very similar mothers – weak witches overpowered by the men in their lives (a bit more on this below). Lily would seem to be a better choice.


Who do we know for sure loved people who others saw unlovable? In the film (more than the book) of Book III, Lupin says that Lily was able to see the best in people when others or the person himself could not see it. This would certainly be true for Snape.

The other question is why would Snape switch sides in the first place? Does Lily have something to do with that as well? Remember, we know that Lily and James have foiled Voldemort three times - was Snape involved in any of those efforts?

The other interesting connection is to look at Snape as a Heathcliff character (see the quotes on the Jo Rowling's best books thread). Heathcliff was also poor and rather scary, but he loved Catherine (Cathy) even though he couldn't have her. Cathy was a wild child too and Lily shows some signs of being the same sort of wild child (why James finds her so challenging). She seems to be an independent spirit, just as Cathy was. When Cathy died Heathcliff became a character very much like Snape is. He is a tortured soul.

Heathcliff and Snape both are Byronic characters, brooding, dark, foreboding, tortured, and romantic (in a scary sort of way). Now that Jo Rowling has put Wuthering Heights on her list of great books, I think she's giving us a huge hint that she's created a Bryronic character in Snape and the way that Snape is that kind of character is that he is a tortured soul over the death of Lily Evans Potter. Since he may have loved her (remember, Jo Rowling's rather humorous comment, who would want to be loved by Snape?) he will also be placed in an impossible situation of training Lily's son. I do maintain that Snape is still loyal - to Dumbeldore and to Lily (my signature below includes Snape's admonition to Harry on how to defeat Voldemort, even as Snape is running away from the murder scene!). This makes Snape a fascinating character because in the end - if he does truly love Lily - then Voldemort better watch out because if you think Harry wants revenge, one can only imagine the sort of revenge Snape wants for the death of Lily Evans Potter at the hands of Lord Voldemort.

s0nofdavid wrote:
4. Lily could have been spared. Why? Well, Voldemort may have sensed that Snape was wavering in his loyalty while on staff at Hogwarts (perhaps thinking it was a crack in the foundation rather than the total betrayal it actually was). I doubt he cared for Snape personally (though if Voldemort cared for anyone personally, Snape would seem the best bet), but having a trusted spy on staff at Hogwarts might seem to be a worthy investment to Voldemort. He may have thought sparing Lily Potter would solidify Snape’s loyalty to him and enable him to keep an eye on Dumbledore’s doings.


This is one of the big mysteries. Why would Voldemort order a "mudblood" to stand aside and not just kill her as he's just killed her husband? What's up with that? The best guess is that Voldemort does know of the relationship between Snape and Lily and if he kills Lily he'll loose Snape to the other side out of revenge. It is not in Voldemort's interest to kill Lily (maybe later it will be, maybe later it will good to kill them both), but not at this moment. I can't think of any other reason except for some connection to Snape. Voldemort has no mercy, it would be a calculated reason that he would order Lily to stand aside and only kills her when she does not.

s0nofdavid wrote:
5. Lily was a “dab hand” at Potions in the same year as Snape. If Gryffindor and Slytherin always have Potions together (never mind the symbolism there) as they seem to during Harry’s time at Hogwarts, Snape and Lily would have had class together. Perhaps an academic rivalry blossomed into something more. Lily almost certainly would have pitied Snape, but his tactless honesty to her – especially contrasted to her undoubtedly prevalent other suitors – might have been an attractive characteristic to her (a la Emma and George Knightley). Assuming Cuaron is on target with the Lupin-Harry talk about Lily, it would be entirely possible that Lily saw the beauty within Snape.


Hermione, who rarely gets things wrong (except when she's really emotional) keeps telling Harry that some of the handwriting in the Half Blood Prince Potion Book is a girl's handwriting. Was it Eileen Prince's handwriting - or could the potions recipes be both Snape and Lily's handwriting?

One can imagine what Potions class might have been like at Hogwarts in the late 1970s. The two starts - the two "brilliant" Potions students were Severus Snape and Lily Potter. Snape has all ready shown us that he has no time for all that "foolish wandwaving," and would probably admire Lily's talent in potions. We hear it over and over and over again from Slughorn how brilliant Lily was at potions. Why would we be told that so often unless to get it through our heads later that this is significant.

Now that Harry is out to kill Snape as much as he is out to kill Voldemort, one can imagine what will happen if/when Harry finds out the truth about Snape's relationship with Lily? Will it be through a diary at Godrick Hollow, which he intends to visit? Will he meet someone else who will tell him the truth? Will it be another visit into the Pensieve? Will Voldemort tell Harry the truth about Snape?

Harry is so filled with hatred right now it makes him so vulnerable to becoming a Dark Wizard. He's got to get rid of that hatred. He can't fight Voldemort when his greatest weapon - he heart and his capacity to love - is compromised by his hatred of Snape. That's going to have to be dealt with and my guess it will have a lot to do with Lily.

Remember, Harry has learned that his revered father, the one he looks like and the one for years he wanted to grow up to be like, was actually a jerk for quite a long time. One can imagine that the one that Harry loathes turns out to be the bravest soul - and I fear, the Sydney Carton of the series.

I am convinced that Snape was following orders when he "killed" Dumbledore (Dumbledore's flight off the roof was not what happens when someone is hit by the Killing Curse - they don't go flying into the air, they just fall over forward, like the Riddles did at the dinner table when Tom Riddle Jr. killed them). If this is true, then Harry is madly mistaken about Snape and he can't see what his mother saw - a true hero. This revelation will be a turning point in Harry's life - when he learns humility and power of redemption and love. I think Lily is the key to Harry's forgiveness and repentance regarding Severus Snape.

I could very wrong - but that's what I'm thinking right now. What do you think?

ZR

What we do know about Book Seven

According to the fantastic Harry Potter Lexicon, these are the hints we have of what Jo Rowling will cover in Book Seven.

What we do know about the seventh book:

The last word of the seventh book, according to Rowling, is "scar." She says that she has written the very last chapter already (BN) and that the last chapter contains details of what happens to each surviving character. (HPM).

This is the thing that I was very dubious about showing you... (T)his is the final chapter of book seven. This is really where I wrap everything up, it's the epilogue. And I basically say what happens to everyone after they leave school - those who survive - because there are deaths - more deaths coming. It was a way of saying to myself, "Well you will get it, you will get to book seven one day. And then you'll need this!" So I'd just like to remind all the children I know who come around my house and start sneaking into cupboards that it's not there anymore - I don't keep it at home anymore for very, very, very obvious reasons. So there it is. (HPM)

Harry will be in his seventh and final year in book seven. The events of book seven will take place between July 31, 1997 and the end of the school year, which presumably will be June, 1998.

Harry will go back to the Dursleys one last time before his 17th birthday. He plans to visit Godric's Hollow and also to attend Bill and Fleur's wedding in July.

Harry will turn seventeen on 31 July 1997, and therefore will be of age in the wizarding world and old enough to obtain a license to Apparate. Neville Longbottom will likewise be of age at the end of July 1997. Ron and Hermione are already 17.

We will learn why some people become ghosts and some don't (Sch1).

Q: What makes some witches/wizards become ghosts after they die and some not?
A: You don't really find that out until Book VII, but I can say that the happiest people do not become ghosts. As you might guess, Moaning Myrtle!

NOTE: This information may have already been included in the conversation which Harry has with Nick in book five. The interview in which JKR gave this response was years before book five was written and she may have changed her plans somewhat.

We will learn something very important about Lily in book seven:

Now, the - the important thing about Harry's mother - the really, really significant thing - you're going to find out in two - in two parts. You'll find out a lot more about her in book five, or you'll find out something very significant about her in book five, and you'll find out something incredibly important about her in book seven. (Con)

Interesting things to watch out for, if the usual progression of school life continues:

It is not clear whether Harry will even return to Hogwarts for his seventh year. He plans to spend that year finding and destroying Voldemort's Horcruxes.

It is also unclear whether Hogwarts will even be open for the 1997-1998 [Y17-Y18] school year. If it is, however, certain things will likely happen:

Two students in Harry's year will be made Head Boy and Head Girl. They will not necessarily be Gryffindors.

Harry and his classmates will be taking their most difficult set of tests, the NEWTs, and making preparations for their careers in the wizarding world.

The last chapter is written. It tells what happens to everyone after the tale is finished (those who survive) (HPM)

There is no university after Hogwarts and no further Harry Potter books.

Q: Do you think that you will write about Harry after he graduates from Hogwarts? Isn't there a University of Wizardry?
A: (T)here's no University for Wizards. At the moment I'm only planning to write seven Harry Potter books. I won't say "never," but I have no plans to write an eighth book (Sch1).

The Leaky Cauldron asks "What's Left?"

The Leaky Cauldron is compiling the questions facing the last book in the Harry Potter series. Here are the questions they have so far - a very comprehensive list of what we may find answers to in Book Seven.

What's Left?

Will Hogwarts open in the fall?

What/where are the remaining Horcruxes?

Why did Voldemort give Lily the chance to live?

Who is the person who will do magic at a later-than-normal age?

Is Snape loyal to Voldemort, or to the Order of the Phoenix?

Why did Dumbledore trust Snape?

What is behind the veil?

What will happen to Draco Malfoy?

Is Harry's eye color significant?

What will be the final revelation about Lily Potter?

Is Harry a descendant of Godric Gryffindor?

What careers will the survivors of the war pursue?

Who is R.A.B.?

How does one destroy a Horcrux, anyway?

How did Harry's family come into so much gold?

How will Percy / will Percy redeem himself?

To whom has Percy been loyal since he split with the family?

Will Ron's scars from the brains in the Department of Mysteries have any further significance?

Will we see Viktor Krum in Bulgaria, or will he come to Western Europe?

Is Nympahdora's Muggle father Ted the newscaster from the first book?

Will Dumbledore's portrait play a role? - Marty Forsythe

What happened to Ollivander and Florean Fortescue? - LiaMaria

Where's Fawkes? Who owns him now? - Marty Forsythe

What did James and Lily do for a living?

What is / what's in in the "love" room in the Department of Mysteries?

What happened to Sirius' two-way mirror? How will it play a role?

Will we / how will we see Sirius again?

What else does Petunia know about the magic world?

Who is the series's last Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?

Where is the Death Eater headquarters?

How does Dumbledore's family play into the last book?

What is Aberforth Dumbledore's role in the Order of the Phoenix, and what will it be in the final resolution?

Does anyone else know about the Horcruxes besides Harry and his gang?

Why hasn't Voldemort just made more Horcruxes since returning to life? Has he?

What was Snape and Lily's relationship like?

Which Hogwarts teachers are married, and what significance does that have to the overall plot? Why haven't we heard about their marriages before?

Which character will display magic "late in life"?

What story did Snape tell Dumbledore to gain his trust?

Jo has said that Ravenclaw will "have its day" - how?

What did the potion in the cave to do Dumbledore?

Was Dumbledore going to die anyway, because of the potion?

What was Dumbledore seeing when he drank that potion? - Sara Hughes

Why did students give Harry all the notes from Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ?

What is the story behind Dumbledore's hand injury from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?

Why did the Horcrux ring have the Perenelle crest on it?

Are there any other Unbreakable Vows currently in place?

How will Wormtail's life-debt be repaid, if it is? - Karl

Who retreived Voldemort's wand from Godric's Hollow? - Karl

What was contained in the other letters Dumbledore and Petunia wrote to each other?

Who is the person who loved Snape? His mother? - Karl

Where was Neville when his parents were tortured?

Is Neville Longbottom under a memory charm that's wearing off?

Who is "that awful boy" that Petunia overheard Lily talking to?

Why did Dumbledore have James's invisibility cloak? - Karl

Was Dumbledore an animagus? - Karl

Will we discover the identities of the other registered animagi?

Will the time turner make a reappearance? - Karl

Who else was at Godric's Hollow the night of Harry's parents's deaths?

Dumbledore says that one person alone could not have retrieved the locket. Who was R.A.B.'s accomplice in doing so? - Lori Schmidt

What did Dudley see when the dementors approached?

How/why will we see the Ford Anglia again?

What will become of Rita Skeeter?

Do the kids become members of the Order of the Phoenix as soon as they are of age, or is there an initiation process that we have yet to see?

Will the house-elves ever stand up for themselves / will Hermione's efforts on their welfare be wasted?

Are there other Hogwarts heirs besides Voldemort?

What will become of Dumbledore's Army? - Marty Forsythe

Will Norbert return?

Who leads the Order of the Phoenix without Dumbledore?

Why was there a gleam in Dumbledore's eye when he learned that Voldemort now has Harry's blood running through his veins?

Ginny, Neville, Harry and Luna could hear the whispers at the veil at the Department of Mysteries; of them, we know three of them (Harry, Neville and Luna) could see the Thestrals, and therefore have witnessed death. Are these things related? Why could they hear the whispers and others apparently could not?