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Poll : The Locked Room, What is in there? |
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  Mar 30 2008, 05:20 PM
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Leaky's Official Donut Maker and Mosquito Man
Posts: 9,889
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Location: Playing kal-toh with Professor Snape
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QUOTE \"You know what could be in there?\" said Luna eagerly.
One of the great unsolved mysteries is the aptly named Department of Mysteries. The room revolves to reveal different doors, or to disorient the unprepared visitor.
There are the Brain Room, the Death Chamber with The Veil, the Hall of Prophecy, the Planet Room, the Time Room, and the Locked Room.
We get to see what are in the other rooms because Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and Ginny open the door to each room and go in. But we never get to see the Locked Room.
QUOTE Harry approached a door at random and pushed. It did not move.
\"What\'s wrong?\" said Hermione.
\"It\'s ... locked ...\" said Harry, throwing his weight at the door, but it did not budge.
{snip}
\"Sirius\'s knife!\" said Harry, and he pulled it out from inside his robes and slid it into the crack between the door and the wall. The others all watched eagerly as he ran it from top to bottom, withdrew it, and then flung his shoulder again at the door. It remained as firmly shut as ever. What was more, when Harry looked down at the knife, he saw that the blade had melted. OoTP p. 775.
Why is that door locked when all the others contain things that are very clearly powerfully magical or just plain powerful. The Time Room contains ... time itself? Perpetual time? A time loop? The Hall of Prophecy is obviously a very important yet vulnerable place, with all the Prophecies stored there but it is able to be accessed by the students. The Death Chamber is hugely important and in a sense dangerous and of course later will prove to be a tragic place. However, all these rooms can be opened. Why is the Locked Room locked? What is in it that is more powerful and important than in the other rooms of the DoM?
Dumbledore says that the room contains love, which we know is very powerful and is ancient magic, and is what caused Harry to be the boy who lived, the only person ever known to have survived the AK. Was DD right, does the room contain pure love that is so powerful, and more powerful than anything in any of the other rooms, that it must be contained above all?
Lily\'s sacrifice was an act of love. How does this compare to whatever is in the Locked Room? And how can it melt a knife blade?
So what did you guys think when Harry pulled out Sirius\'s melted knife? 
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  I'm 1 of the 99.99% W.L.Y.J.  When I sleep I dream, and when I dream I can rise above the walls Remember Cameron Duncan |
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Apr 2 2008, 09:33 AM
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Dumbledore's Personal Secretary
Posts: 3,191
Joined: 10:28am December 31, 2006
Location: In a bowling alley with my boss.
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Great poll Moose ! 
This may seem strange, but I'd rather stay with Dumbledore's simple Love, rather than go to Jo's well of Amortentia. (I've read somewhere that it is the ultimate sign of an author's success when readers believe the characters they created rather than the authors themselves, and this seems to be one of those instances.) It's just that somehow, the latter takes away the mystery out of the whole question, whereas Dumbledore's answer sort of answers it without amswering it, if you know what I mean. Typical Dumbledore ! 
I suppose the reason it is locked away is that it is a very powerful and mysterious thing which should not be left lying around loose somewhere. It wouldn't do to have the likes of Voldemort chancing upon it and utilising it to make some horrible weapon out if it, assuming that he wants anything to do with it at all.
As to why Sirius' knife melted, my practical reasoning is that the Ministry would have put strong enchantments on the door to keep whatever is inside safe and obviously, not everyone at the Ministry would be as inept as Umbridge. Someone was bound to think of such a knife and put in a charm or jinx to counter it on the door.
The fanciful reasoning is that Love being the most powerful thing the world has ever seen, a mere knife, even though it is magical, wouldn't have a chance of destroying it or even hurting it in anyway. It seems symbolical of Voldemort's shot at possessing Harry to me. Harry is the room which is filled with that strange force, Voldemort is the crude knife, and of course, Love is Love. Voldemort tries to take over the room/Harry by force with the use of his magical power/knife, but the power of Love inside the room/Harry proves too strong for him and he is forced to abandon his plan and run away. 
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Apr 2 2008, 10:14 AM
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Neville is Simply Purrrfect
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Location: Treating Patients at St. Mungo's Who Have Been Zapped With The Wrath Of Litene
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QUOTE(rowena r @ Apr 2 2008, 10:33 AM)  The fanciful reasoning is that Love being the most powerful thing the world has ever seen, a mere knife, even though it is magical, wouldn't have a chance of destroying it or even hurting it in anyway. It seems symbolical of Voldemort's shot at possessing Harry to me. Harry is the room which is filled with that strange force, Voldemort is the crude knife, and of course, Love is Love. Voldemort tries to take over the room/Harry by force with the use of his magical power/knife, but the power of Love inside the room/Harry proves too strong for him and he is forced to abandon his plan and run away.
That's an excellent observation rowena! I've never thought of it that way before. The room, used to study one of the most mysterious of emotions; being so powerful that a knife couldn't open it's door and melting the knife. This scene demonstrates the power of love; the door almost seems to laugh at the possibility that a mere knife can open it, or touch it. Just like Harry: the love in Harry's heart was too powerful for Voldemort; the pain he felt was like being scorched and he would melt from the sheer force and power of love; those are the consequences of possessing Harry. Dumbledore was right, as usual ; Voldemort wouldn't try it again!
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Apr 2 2008, 06:02 PM
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Getting Fitted for New Dress Robes
Posts: 49
Joined: 5:56pm July 22, 2007
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[font="Tahoma"]Funny,rowena r, you're "fanciful reasoning" was exactly how i thought of it. As if the room of love couldn't be reached for a reason that wasn't completley pure. I like to think it has no enchantments on it, but no one can open it because no one has tried for the right reasons. That said, i dont think anyone would ever be able to open it. The love in you're heart is plenty enough if you're true to yourself!
This post has been edited by Danielle.H: Apr 2 2008, 06:02 PM
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'I know, mate,' said Ron... 'so it's now or never, isn't it?'
"Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak"
"It is our choices Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
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Apr 2 2008, 09:17 PM
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Harry's Best Friend
Posts: 1,420
Joined: 1:22pm December 28, 2007
Location: WB studios, lecturing Kloves on Ron's character
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rowena I love your fanciful reasoning.
My answer to why the knife blade melted was, "to protect the mystery." Would any of us really want love explained in some cold, clinical terms? Not me. Part of the uniqueness of love is it's mystery. There is a passage in the Bible that describes love. (I Corinthians 13:4-8) It says that love is patient and kind. Love is not boastful. Love always protects, trusts, endures. It's a beautiful passage and so true in it's description of love. But it doesn't explain love. (nor would I want it to...regardless of what my adolescent love-sick self might have wished for many years ago. )
Love inspires people to the heights of heroism and nobility. It drives people to despair. It saves lives. But it is always, always, complicated and mysterious.
I, too, voted that Love is what is in the room. (DD's word, vague though it often is, is good enough for me. Sorry JKR!)
As for why the room is locked? I voted other, because if indeed, love is what is contained in that room, then all of the options except for one apply to it:
Love IS an unspeakable mystery.
Love IS powerful.
Love IS dangerous.
Love IS awesome.
And, love DOES respond to the right person. (the person capable of loving.)
So, there's my 2 knuts! (Really great topic Moose!)
This post has been edited by MistyH: Apr 2 2008, 09:19 PM
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