Muggle blog

In prepartion of the release of the final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (and also the Order of the Phoenix movie), I started re-reading the series again. This time I charged myself with paying extra close attention to anything that might be a clue as to the ultimate direction of the story and the characters' fates. Of course, thus far my efforts in Sorcerer's Stone have seemed quite fruitless.

We all know that Harry and Voldemort share a wand source. And that Sirius lent Hagrid the motorcycle he used to transport infant Harry to Dumbledore/Dursleys on Privet Drive. And that the Malfoys claimed to be under Voldemort's spell when they went bad back in the day. blahblahblah. Re-reading the book has been very enjoyable, because I love the book, but new insights seemed to be as elusive as a Snitch. But ...

... then I came to pages 258-260, when Harry had his encounter with the centaur Firenze in the Forbidden Forest. Firenze reveals to Harry that Voldemort (or what's left of him) has been drinking unicorn's blood to hang onto the last bits of existence, biding his time to get his hands on the Sorcerer's Stone (and ergo eternal life). By doing this he'll be cursed forever, as well.

At the bottom of page 259 Firenze says: "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times." On page 260 Ron, Harry and Hermione discuss this in the context of the resurrection plot in Sorcerer's Stone—that Voldemort will return and kill Harry and that if they can prevent that in the here and now (Sorcerer's Stone) things should be good to go in the future. But what if this is about the larger Voldemort rising and taking over again plot that is the thread of the series?

And one more thing: what curse could afflict Voldemort that would matter?

OK, this isn't much of an insight/new question ... but I need to feel like my extra-careful reading is bearing fruit.