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Alsadius comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 11 - Less Wrong Discussion

6 Post author: Oscar_Cunningham 17 March 2012 09:41AM

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Comment author: Alsadius 23 March 2012 03:26:40AM 5 points [-]

The problem is, that plan relies on Harry realizing that Malfoy thinks he's Voldemort. I don't think he has the evidence to reach that conclusion.

Comment author: Logos01 23 March 2012 03:40:04AM 3 points [-]

that plan relies on Harry realizing that Malfoy thinks he's Voldemort.

... I genuinely didn't think of the Voldemort angle. That only sweetens the pot. I think that ArisKatsaris's solution is far more effective/elegant than my own. (Especially since it's foreshadowed by the part about how Harry thought of the Wizengamot as 'wallpaper' and that 'this would change'. -- that could be viewed as a dropped-hint that the solution lies in manipulating the votes. I can't think of another way Harry could achieve that than through the former Death Eaters.)

Comment author: pedanterrific 23 March 2012 03:32:12AM *  3 points [-]

You don't? I think he's already got it subconsciously:

And in the Most Ancient Hall of the Wizengamot an icy voice rang out, speech the color of liquid nitrogen, pitched too high for that it came from too young a throat, and that voice said, "Lucius Malfoy."

seemed a pretty clear reference to

Then the other voice spoke, high-pitched like the hiss of a teakettle, and it was like dry ice laid on Harry's every nerve, like a brand of metal cooled to liquid helium temperatures and laid on every part of him.

Comment author: Alsadius 23 March 2012 05:14:00AM 7 points [-]

We're talking about a kid who literally spoke a language designed for a different species without noticing.

Comment author: JoshuaZ 23 March 2012 05:18:31AM 0 points [-]

True, but that's in canon also. It may just be that instinctive.

Comment author: Alsadius 23 March 2012 05:39:53AM 2 points [-]

Sure, but coming out with a scary voice when he's trying to sound intimidating is a lot less odd than coming out sounding like a snake. If he didn't notice the latter, he's not likely to notice the former, in canon or in MoR.

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 23 March 2012 05:26:35AM 0 points [-]

He has the conversation to interpret. (Also, Dumbledore probably figured that out.)

Comment author: pedanterrific 23 March 2012 05:33:46AM *  3 points [-]

In addition, he was just recently told

"It is clear, from the stories, that the Dark Lords who return by possessing another's form, wield lesser magics than they once knew. I do not think Voldemort would be satisfied with that. He would take some other avenue to life. But Voldemort was more Slytherin than Salazar, grasping at every opportunity. He would use his pitiful state, use his power of possession, if he had reason. If he could benefit by another's... inexplicable fury." Albus's voice had fallen to almost a whisper. "That is what I suspect happened to Miss Granger."

So now that he knows it's theoretically possible...

Edit: I'm an idiot. He's known it was possible since Quirrell told him to pretend he was possessed by Voldemort in TSPE.