Harry Potter's Invitation to the World
by Vickie Ewell
Chapter 86 – Harry Saves Hermione (HP Chapter 16)
After reading the verses through several times (several lifetimes) and walking up and down the table muttering to herself (most of us swing back and forth between the two extremes of Severity and Mercy), Hermione was confident that she had figured out which bottle would carry Harry through the Black Fire. It was the smallest bottle on the table – the Divine Essence.
Upon closer inspection, Harry realized there was only enough Elixir for one person, so he took it upon himself to come up with a solution. He didn’t turn to Hermione. That required him to use both his mind and heart. In the movie, this moment of unity between Harry and Hermione occurred after Hermione’s heart was completely broken, and her vanity and pride fell. Their conjunction was symbolized by Harry and Hermione dancing together in the tent. I don’t remember what Jo used in the book.
Harry did ask Hermione which Elixir would send someone backward, through the Violet Flames. It was the round bottle at the right end of the line. Since Hermione lived at the extreme left, where the poison was found, this was interesting. Undoubtedly, the idea was that the poison on the left was neutralized by drinking from the cup of love and compassion, but it also warned us that love taken to extremes wouldn’t move us forward. It would send us backward instead.
So, Harry told Hermione to drink it.
She attempted to protest, but Harry assured her that he needed her to go back. Harry had not yet drunk his own Elixir, so he still had needs and didn’t see things clearly. He didn’t understand that drinking the Elixir of Life allowed him to acquire and merge with the Ultimate Manifestation of the Power of the ONE.
He thought he needed Hermione to return to Ron, grab brooms from the Key room to get past Fluffy, so they could send a message to Dumbledore through Hedwig. Harry also believed that while he might be able to hold Snape off for a while, he was no match for him. Harry believed that Snape was his opponent, and therefore, his enemy.
Hermione reminded Harry that Voldemort might be with Snape. She was resurrecting and fanning any fear of death that Harry might still have. Harry submited to her suggestion by simply agreeing that it was a possibility, but he had no intention of backing out of his Plan. He pointed to his scar. He was lucky the first time, so maybe he’ll be lucky again.
Hermione dashed forward and hugged Harry tightly. “You’re a great wizard, you know.” Harry felt embarrassed. He was not as good as Hermione was. His comment showed us that Harry’s ego was no longer in control. He recognized and accepted his weaknesses and vulnerability. Hermione released him. “Me!” she said. “Books! And cleverness! There are more important things—“
Notice she didn’t say that books and cleverness were useless in achieving the Stone. She simply readjusted her priorities to fit her new vision of reality. We then learn what Hermione believed she had learned from her first year at Hogwarts: “friendship and bravery and—“
Hermione had achieved the level of logic and analytical ability that Professors Snape and McGonagall manifested, but friendship and bravery are not enough. She must go back through the Violet Flames and symbolically repeat her life again (in the coming years), so that she could learn about love, compassion, and sacrifice. She won’t be ready to make that loving sacrifice herself until Book 7.
Harry had Hermione drink first. He wanted to make sure she had safely gotten out of the room before he faced his destiny. She revealed that the Elixir felt like ice. Her vibration was slowing down. After wishing Harry luck, she turned and walked through the Purple Flames.
The first time the kids entered the room, the flames appeared after they were already in the room, so this was the first time the Violet Flame would begin working with Hermione. This was another indication that Harry didn’t need to walk through the Violet Flames. He had passed this way before.
Harry took a deep breath. He picked up the smallest bottle and turned toward the Indigo Flames. “Here I come,” he said, as he drained the bottle in one gulp. Hermione was right. It felt like ice was flooding his body. His vibration level was also slowing down. That signaled that what lay beyond the Black Fire was a lower state of reality than the room where he currently stood. Harry was moving to a lower state of being.
This mirrored his re-descent to earth after passing through the Veil of Saturn. He put the bottle down and walked forward.
As he walked through the fire, he could see the Indigo flames touching his body, but he couldn’t feel them. For a few moments, all Harry could see was dark fire. Then he was on the other side of the flames, inside another chamber. There was someone there, but his opponent wasn’t Snape. It wasn’t even Voldemort