I am your father, look into your heart, you know it to be true

[sab]

It's not like I don't think it's cheap. But it could be done elegantly, and I'm just -- I got suspicious. Anyway. What if Voldemort were James Potter? I can't be the only person to have thought of this -- anyone?



I heard OotP on tape, right, so I got a special kind of suspense, especially since the bloke who read the thing really did a marvelous job performing every one of the dozens of characters. Anyway, it left lots of pregnant pauses and room for speculation.

And, we don't have any character evidence to disabuse us, right? What do we know about James? Cocky, seductive, one of the most skilled wizards Hogwarts has seen. Essentially what we know about Voldemort, who "went bad" at around the time of Harry's birth, then disappeared. Even assuming the two of them were contemporaries, isn't it interesting we never heard of them attending Hogwarts at the same time? In fact, we rarely hear of Voldemort attending Hogwarts at all...could be because, at the time, he was James Potter.

And, as prillalar pointed out, of course Dumbledore knows. I'd wager Snape knows too, which would explain both his hatred for James (and by extension, Harry), and his willingness to help protect Harry from Voldemort. He hid that flashback in the pensieve not because it was embarrassing, but because it might tip Harry off to the dark side of his father, which Snape and Dumbledore couldn't afford.

I don't think any of the boys know -- possibly Sirius knew, but I think Moony and Padfoot held their memories of James in too high regard; I don't think they'd've suspected this kind of ill of him, and I don't think Dumbledore would have told them.

It also clears up some of the ambiguity around Dumbledore's Infodumpy "bonds of love" speech at the end of OotP -- Voldemort/James killed Lily, but was unable to kill Harry because of the bonds of love -- because of the love Lily protected him with, and because of the fact that Harry shared Voldemort's own blood. It explains why they're bound, through scar and wand, and -- if nothing else -- certainly gives good reason to why Trelawney always predicted a special kind of heartbreak for Harry.

The question is - what was it that made James turn? Anyone who can point me to fic or LJ-ness where folks have entertained this before, I want in. Otherwise, y'know, discuss.

Comments

Re: dude.

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was having the same problem, what with Cho Chang CRYING all the time, but then, we can co-opt that into your strong woman thesis (so much more enjoyable) and say that in this universe, BOYS are the whiny ones, and that's why no one could understand Cho's emotional fits. And even Hermione, who did a champ's job explaining Cho's situation to Harry, did so in a straightforward and intellectual manner. And it's true, Dumbledore and Snape ALWAYS let their emotions interfere with giving Harry the best advice, while McGonagall can be counted on to trust Harry and lead him properly and well.