You're looking at Less Wrong's discussion board. This includes all posts, including those that haven't been promoted to the front page yet. For more information, see About Less Wrong.

Velorien comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, July 2014, chapter 102 - Less Wrong Discussion

7 Post author: David_Gerard 26 July 2014 11:26AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (370)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: Velorien 28 July 2014 05:51:36PM 0 points [-]

Do we know this, or is it speculation based on our knowledge of potions in general?

Also, is it safe to assume that potions work on trolls, given that trolls are constantly transfiguring into themselves (and thus automatically flushing out changes to their physical state)?

Comment author: mare-of-night 29 July 2014 05:03:50AM 1 point [-]

Hmm... Trolls are rocks (sort-of), the Philosopher's Stone is a rock, can the Philosopher's Stone turn you into a troll?

(This is probably a stupid theory, but maybe it's related to something more workable.)

Comment author: Velorien 29 July 2014 09:45:28AM *  4 points [-]

I don't think that Eliezer's trolls are rocks.

  • Quirrell states that sunlight freezes them in place, rather than that it petrifies them.

  • Quirrell states that a troll is constantly transfiguring itself into its own body, which means that the (apparently organic) form it's normally in is its true form.

  • The troll Harry kills doesn't turn to stone.

Comment author: mare-of-night 29 July 2014 04:43:50PM 1 point [-]

Thanks. I was getting them confused with Middle Earth trolls.