The Gryffindor Gazette

Hedwig in Deathly Hallows

by Wendy on August 8th, 2007

Warning: Please don’t read this if you haven’t finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I found an interesting article about how Hedwig might still be alive:

Now that we have witnessed the publication of the seventh and final book of the Harry Potter series, we find ourselves with many questions answered, but with nearly as many mysteries as we had before.

Chief amongst these is the case of Hedwig.

Unlike Harry, we are not as eager to give up on the old bird. Sure, it appeared that she was hit with an Avada Kedavra curse and yes, it does seem unlikely that she would have escaped a fiery motorcycle wreck. However, if reading Rowling’s work for the past 10 years has taught us anything, it is that things are not always as they seem.

On this website, we will present you with all sorts of conjecture and hearsay that should prove conclusively that HEDWIG LIVES!

THE RESURRECTION STONE

Legend has it that the Resurrection Stone has the power to bring back the dead (DH, p407). When Harry obtains the Resurrection Stone (DH, p698), he turns it thrice and four figures appear to him: his parents, James and Lily; Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. This begs the question, why didn’t the supposedly dead Hedwig appear to Harry in his time of need? Surely his faithful bird would have appeared by his side. Might that be because Hedwig is NOT DEAD?

THE SPELL

Of primary importance to this argument is the fact that on the night of Hedwig’s death (DH, Ch. 4), it seems unlikely that the attacking Death Eaters would have been using the killing curse in such close proximity to Harry. Earlier in the book we witness Voldemort instructing his Death Eaters that he must be the one to kill Harry (DH, p.7). Later in the book, we are told that, in relation to Harry, the Death Eaters have all been given explicit instructions that Harry must be brought before Voldemort alive (DH, p. 630). Of course on this night in questions, we witness many “bursts of green light.” While green light is certainly an indicator of the Avada Kedavra curse, do we know conclusively that it is the only spell that produces green light. Isn’t it also just as likely that someone was potentially casting a photosynthesis spell or possibly a Green M&M transfiguration spell?

HEDWIG’S HORCRUXES

And so what if it was an Avada Kedavra curse? Surely Hedwig’s horcruxes would have protected her. Don’t be so surprised.

Let’s take a moment and examine Hedwig’s past. What do we know of her character? She didn’t enjoy being caged up, she seemed to like nibbling on Harry’s fingers (more on that later), and she, without a doubt, LOVED KILLING MICE. She seemingly had no qualms with tearing her own soul when it came to killing these innocent creatures. Isn’t it likely that at some point during her seven (seven!) years of life with Harry, that she may have use at least one or more of these murders as an opportunity to assure her continued existence? If someone, or something, wanted to destroy Hedwig permanently, we anticipate that they would likely expend years of exhausting research attempting to discover the nature and possible hiding locations of her horcruxes. She is likely indestructable.

RISING FROM THE ASHES

And for the sake of argument, let’s just assume that Hedwig had zero horcruxes (unlikely). This leaves her unconscious in her cage when Mr. Overreaction, a.k.a. Harry Potter, aims an old Confringo spell at her and blows up the motorcycle sidecar she was hanging out in (DH, p59). Surely this spells the end for our wide-eyed friend? Not so! While getting blown up is a fatal problem for almost any life form (magical or otherwise), there is one creature that can withstand this; one creature that even relishes this. I speak, of course, of the noble phoenix.

At the end of the novel, we learn from Dumbledore that Harry is the “true master of death,” (DH, p720) - someone who accepts that he must die and does not run away from Death. A phoenix is also a master of death. They are immortal creatures who can suffer many deaths which are immediately followed by rebirth. Throughout the novels, we see Fawkes (the only other phoenix mentioned in the books) willing to sacrifice himself again and again, only to be reborn in a pile of ashes.

Harry seems to have a curiously close relationship with the phoenix. His wand contains phoenix tail feather. In the Chamber of Secrets, he was rescued from death by phoenix tears. The secret society that leads the resistance agains Voldemort is called the “Order of the Phoenix.” There is a tantalizing symbolism that links these two “masters of death,” and it may be irresponsible to assume that Rowling could pass up the opportunity to extend one further bond between Harry and the phoenix. In all likelihood, Hedwig is actually a phoenix who, for the past 7 years, has been living in her animagus form of a snow owl. The explosion of the motorcycle sidecar plays no role in her supposed death.

Got a theory we haven’t mentioned yet? Email us at hedwigisnotdead@gmail.com!

Sincerely,

The Believers

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POSTED IN: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hedwig