Clues from the Edinburgh book festival interview.

[Eol]

Well yesterday (15th August) was the Edinburgh book festival and in her interview (now posted on her website) JKR has given us a lot to speculate about.

1. On Aunt Petunia, she says

You might have got the impression that there is more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye, and you will find out what it is. She is not a squib, although that is a very good guess. Oh I am giving a lot away here. I am being shockingly indescreet.

I thought this could mean that Petunia was magical but didn't want that life, but JK said in the interview that Petunia was a muggle, which means she's thoroughly unmagical.

2. Aberforth is the barman in the Hogshead. Most of us thought that was the case but its good to have it confirmed. Aberforth doesn't seem to be quite as talented as Dumbledore, although to be fair to him we haven't seen him do anything.

3. JK also mentions two questions that should be asked but haven't been so far. One is:

Why didn't Voldemort die when the curse rebounded?

I thought the answer was in GoF when he mentions he had taken measures against death, but there seems to be more to it than that. What were these measures?
The other question is:

Why didn't Dumbledore kill or try to kill Voldemort when he was inside Harry?

I thought this was because it wasn't possible for Dumbledore to kill Voldy, and he knew this because of the words in the prophesy: "Either must die at the hand of the other blah blah blah"
JK says that Dumbledore's explanation to Voldy "merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit" was not entirely truthful and DD knows something more profound than that as his reason.

4. When talking about Hagrid and Grawp:

In [Hagrid's] long line of bringing stupid things home..... Grawp is the one that should have finished him off, but ironically it might be the one time that a monstrous something that came good.

Now she could be talking about Grawp saving Harry and Hermy but she could also mean that Grawp comes good in the future. Given his lack of intelligence, and the inability to be controlled, what part can he play in the future? True, he does become a bit more controllable in the future, but how much will that help?

5. Blaise Zabini is in fact a male character and we'll see more of him in future books. Will Blaise be another stereotypical Slytherin or will we see some good come from that house at last? My hope is for the latter, Go Blaise

6. Is Snape a pure blooded wizard? I would have thought so but the interview casts doubt on the matter.

Clearly he's not muggle born, because Muggle borns are not allowed to be Death Eaters, except in rare circumstances

Rare circumstances... Who, when and why spring to mind from that!!!

7.

Q:Has voldemort/Tom Riddle ever cared for or loved anyone?

A:No, never. Its a good question because it leads us rather neatly to the half blood prince, although i repeat for the millionth time that the HBP is not Voldemort. He is definitely definitely not.

In OotP Dumbledore says that Voldy never understood love and now we have these lingering remarks from JK to ponder. Voldy's emotions seem to be his weakness.

[pallas artemis]

I think the most interesting bit was that about Aunt Petunia being a squib. The only theory about her really left to hold on to is that she's half blood and half blood muggles aren't squibs they're muggles *does that make sense*

[Eol]

I think I understand what you are saying. Dean Thomas seems to be the only wizard from his brothers and sisters but I guess that doesn't make his siblings squibs.

[Meg Boyd]

Does Voldemort count as a Death Eater, because then wouldn't he be the DE that is not pure blood? I mean since his father was a muggle, he is not a pure blood and therefore he is breaking his own rule, which is a secret to everyone else so there would be the rare circumstance??? eh???

[Eol]

I think the death eaters were classified as the followers of Voldy, so I don't think that applies to him.