Harry's Dreams in PS/SS

[catchthesnitch]

I'm so fascinated! I'm reading ps/ss again, and coming across so much cool stuff!

One thing that really got me thinking tonight was this passage, and this may be more appropriate for septology speculation, but since the dream appeared in PS/SS I thought I'd put it here.

Harry's first dream at Hogwarts, after his first foray into the magical world is a nightmare. JKR references one dream prior, the motorcycle dream.

Here's the one that gets me right now:

Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrel's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully -- and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it -- and Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold -- there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking. PS/SS "The Sorting Hat"

Some thoughts that came up with this passage:

Quirrel's turban hid Voldemort, bound him. The contents of the turban, Voldemort, eventually did talk to Harry, asking Harry to join him, saying that they could do great things together. Even though this event already arguably happened, could it be foreshadowing of more? Could there be some future weight ("got heavier and heavier")? or something to force Harry into Slytherin/the dark side what have you (I don't want to believe it, but, literary tools are literary tools) It never says that Harry gave in, only that he "struggled with it."

Next is the juxtaposition of Snape and the green light. One of the theories going around here was that Snape was present when James and Lily were killed. Could this be an indication supporting that theory? Snape's laugh became high and cold a the same time Harry saw the green light? Maybe this was a memory coming out? And what about Malfoy, laughing?

Again I know this is so much speculation, but since some of the dream came true at the end of the story (the turban, talking to him, and the temptation of Harry) that I thought the thread could start here.

[Tonks]

It's fine in here. ;) And go you. :D

Ok, I definitely agree with your interpretation up through 'Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin'. I'm sort of seeing the rest of the dream as forshadowing everything that will follow. Umm...

After that, when it gets 'heavier and heavier', I think it shows Voldemort's increasing control (or attempted control) over Harry (perhaps forshadowing his dreams and Occlumency in OotP?).

'He tries to pull it off but it tightened painfully'; Harry tries to stop Voldemort's increasing power over him, but is unsuccessful (forshadowing the MoM trip trying to save Sirius in OotP?).

Malfoy laughing at him I see as Malfoy's (and the other Death Eater's) ignorance and belief that no matter what, Voldemort will pull through and Harry will die in the end.

'and Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold' - interesting. Could this forshadow Snape truely not being loyal to Dumbledore, and instead returning to his old ways of loyalty to Voldemort and the Death Eaters?

'there was a burst of green light' - Could the Final Battle between Harry and Voldemort end in death via the Avada Kedavra Curse?

[Tinkerbell]

This is really spooky CTS - I am currently listening to the CD book of PS/SS and only today heard this part and thought about whether Harry was showing signs of predictions even before Voldemort was aware in GoF/OotP that he was able to break into Harry's thoughts!!

I like your, and also Tonks', analyses of what the dream meant, and in particular the link between Malfoy and Snape - perhaps this was Harry's sub conscious becoming aware of the similarity of James/Snape and Harry/Draco??

[Alz]

Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrel's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully -- and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it -- and Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold -- there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking. PS/SS "The Sorting Hat"

OK - I might take the time to be boring here ... sorry!

First part - well seems Harry is reflecting on the 'Hat' Meeting and his wanting to be in Gryffindor but the Hat seeing he would have made a good Sly ...
Only part I am a little at a loss is the weight - but I think this might symbolise the struggle he will have with regards to the Sly tendencies - the Voldemort feelings in his head that makes him want to lean towards Sly ...

He saw Malfoy as someone he didnt like - this because Snape who he already got the feeling from didnt like him ...

Finishing off with Harry's first re-collection of the moment his Parents were killed - we have heard previosly of a laugh that is high and cold - and then the flash of green light ... that will be Voldemort ...
Harry was still very niave about Voldmeort at this time ...

Like the other stuff you are all saying -but first impressions for me as above :)

[Ploki]

I have to agree with Blaise, I don't think there's that much of a deeper meaning of this dream, this dream occurs the night after the Sorting Hat Ceremony, so I think the turban getting heavier just symbolises the struggle Harry had to not end up in Slytherin. Although, I think it could also mean that he will have to struggle with Voldemort, which he does on several occasions.

As for the laugh and green light - I'd say that would be a memory from when Harrys parents died, as it has occured in Harrys dreams before.

That leaves us with the Snape and Malfoy part. Malfoy is obviously evil and Harry has been taunted by him since he first met him. Malfoy laughing is just a sign of Harry being intimidated by Malfoy, and Malfoy getting pleasure out of Harrys misery.

Snape isn't evil, I'm sure. Snape is definitely up to some fishy stuff now and again, however he's not evil. He's just been treated badly as a child/teenager and now abuses his power as a professor to get back at Harry and weak (non-Slytherin) students (like Neville)

It's not impossible that Snape was present the night the Potters were killed, question is if he was there with Voldemort or arrived to help out afterwards. He used to be a follower of Voldemort didn't he?

[Alz]

-- and Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold -- there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking. PS/SS "The Sorting Hat"
You know what - I am gonna come back in here and contradict myself just because I really like the last part :D
You know - many of us have speculated to if Snape was indeed there the night the Potters were attacked - and well - think about that for a second now and read that ...
Is it possible that JKR tried to sneak this in there and we all just chalked it down to symbolism?
I like to think for a second - and perhaps that was Snape doing the Death Eather thing and really enjoying someone casts AK at someone - maybe James?

[Boing]

I'm not sure if Snape actually cast a spell/curse that night, but I am a fan of the idea that he was there. We always hear of Voldemort's laugh as sounding high and cold and we know that Harry heard that same laugh when the Dementors were around and he was reliving his parents' last moments.

I think it quite possible that JKR was trying to give us some information here about just who was there that night - Harry may not have realized that he was remembering an actual thing that happened and just chalked it up to symbolism as we did . . .

[Alz]

No see I dont think he killed James - i just wonder if he was there and was laughing as James died?
It would be consistant that Harry see's Snape in that way and also hears the laugh etc ...
I know it seems more and more improbable that we was there - but I just seem to like the thought of him being there ....

[kashlie]

Firstly, did Voldemort have any children? HHHH I am thinking Snape may be a HBP and Voldemort is his father...no? okay...but it could explain the feeling that Snape knew more about the CoS...



Was Snape there? Quite possibly...Was he ordered to kill James Potter? I think it is only said that Voldemort killed Lily (oh, except that wand-spell reversal thingy).


Snape won't get the DADA job. Maybe Dumbledore does not trust him enough? Or he may be too busy to teach at all during the next book?

[Sirius Potter Fan]

One thing that keeps being overlooked, is that Harry was seeing himself in Quirrel's turban, not the sorting hat... pointing to the fact that he is seeing things to come, not things already happened. So I doubt that the high voice and flash of green light are him remembering the initial event, but a future one. Snape...well, could still go either way. he could have been laughing at Voldemort, not with him...like "ha-ha! you thought I was on your side," then Harry gets Voldemort!? possible

[Alz]

Firstly, did Voldemort have any children? HHHH I am thinking Snape may be a HBP and Voldemort is his father...no? okay...but it could explain the feeling that Snape knew more about the CoS...



Was Snape there? Quite possibly...Was he ordered to kill James Potter? I think it is only said that Voldemort killed Lily (oh, except that wand-spell reversal thingy).


Snape won't get the DADA job. Maybe Dumbledore does not trust him enough? Or he may be too busy to teach at all during the next book?
OK - JKR pointed out (and much to my disgust!) in World Book day Chat that Voldemort doesnt have any offspring - It was the day so many of my theories died :(

Snape being present night of attack is a question that cannot be easily answered - suggest you scan for Snape thread again and you will see the too and fro on this very subject - I will not say if he was or not - because both ways work for me on many theories :D