pedanterrific comments on HPMoR: What do you think you know? - Less Wrong

12 Post author: malthrin 23 October 2011 04:17AM

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Comment author: pedanterrific 24 October 2011 04:04:58PM *  3 points [-]

a) We're told that Harry should have noticed something off about the story, but he didn't (simplest thing he should have noticed is: how the hell do people know what Voldemort tried to do, if there were no living witnesses)

b) Avada Kedavra normally leaves no mark on the victim. Whatever was done on Harry left a lightning-shaped scar.

c) Avada Kedavra kills anything with a brain and never rebounds. This time it's supposed to have failed to kill Harry and to have rebounded onto Voldemort.

Were you aware, at the time you made the prediction, that

  1. all of these things were true in canon, and
  2. Voldemort intended to kill Harry in canon?
Comment author: ArisKatsaris 24 October 2011 04:52:34PM *  5 points [-]

I most definitely knew them. I've read the whole series, and even written HP (meta-)fanfic and ficlets in the past.

However in the canon it is NOT implied that the story doesn't make sense. In HPMoR it is strongly implied that it not only doesn't make sense, but also that Harry should have noticed that it doesn't make sense -- therefore the elements that don't make sense are elements Harry had been told of.

In brief:
In canon the story of Voldemort's attack doesn't make sense, but it was meant to make sense.
In HPMoR the story of Voldemort's attack doesn't make sense, and it is not meant to make sense.

Comment author: pedanterrific 24 October 2011 05:23:05PM 4 points [-]

I guess I'm too used to fanfics that pick holes in the story in what I perceive as an uncharitable manner (my thoughts usually go something like "in the LCPW, black-box wards that detect and record all magic performed in a house are common knowledge"). But upon reflection, you're right - if there were a reasonable explanation, Harry's failing to be confused wouldn't have been treated as such a big deal in the narration.

Comment author: JoshuaZ 24 October 2011 04:18:54PM *  0 points [-]

Minor nitpick, although Avada Kedavra is used in canon to kill non-humans I don' think t "anything with a brain" is ever specified in canon.

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