Crossing the
Return Threshold
Framework of The
Return in Harry Potter
Analysis By Lynne Milum
Copyright © 2005-2007
by Lynne Milum. All rights reserved.
Refusal of Return for the Series
Harry loves the magical world. Is this the
world he will be challenged to leave? One can foresee heavy
reluctance to return to the Muggle world. In OOTP he wanted to
die and pass from the suffering imposed by the Dark Lord - but
his love of Sirius prevented total possession by Voldemort. This
demonstrates the source of his ongoing protection - similar to
the power of his Patronus incantation…love is the sword he
wields.
Ultimately, what will Harry do for love?
Magical Flight for the Series
When the hero obtains a powerful object
against the will of the father, a magical flight ensues - where
despite efforts of the father, various protectors aid that
return.
The best example for the series thus far is
in OOTP through the maze with the prize of the Dark Lord. Harry
obtains the globe containing the prophecy and refuses to
relinquish it to the Deatheaters (against the will of Voldemort,
the father). The D.A. members manage to create sufficient chaos
to deter Voldemort’s most dangerous followers. The Magical
Flight carries us along by means of quick use of hexes and
jinxes to unconventional use of wands; wit in surmising the
value of the globe to dark Lord; intervention by members of the
Order; and finally through protection of Dumbledore himself
using the figures of the magical fountain.
Another example of the magical flight is the
fashioned escape of Sirus and Buckbeak in the Prisoner of
Azkaban - through use of the time-turner. Harry realized the
boon of the truth that Sirius was family and that he had not
betrayed James Potter. Once the truth was discovered, the
opposition of Peter and Severus Snape necessitated escape with
the boon - the lives and freedom of Sirius and Buckbeak through
the manipulation of time.
Rescue from Without for the Series
Resurrection from the dead - aid from the shadow figures in
Goblet of Fire - Harry's father, James, tells him how to
use the Portkey to return to Hogwarts. Although James appears to
be in the graveyard, this is a shadow of another time and place.
In this sense, Harry is rescued through a force beyond
comprehension.
Return Threshold for the Series
Crossing the return threshold is the
culmination of the journey and as such will not be experienced
until the final episode - the seventh book. Readers can surmise
a reversal of the original separation (the discovery of the
magical world) which could be presented as either the
dissolution of the magical back into the ordinary universe, or
as some other reconciliation of the Magical and Muggle worlds.
Trial 1 – Return Threshold - Dust to Dust
(Harry and the Sorcerer’s Stone)
Dumbledore cast a spell on the Mirror of
Erised that passed the stone to Harry through his wish to obtain
but not use the stone. Having destroyed Voldemort's body in the
form of Professor Quirrell, Harry is pierced with Voldemort's
spirit and loses consciousness. Dumbledore rescues Harry from
the hidden depths and returns him for healing to the hospital
wing.
Trial 2 – Return by Ascension
(Harry and the Chamber of
Secrets)
Fawkes arrival with the Sorting Hat provides
the means for ‘rescue from without.’ The phoenix arrives from
outside the Chamber, but within the call of Harry's heart.
The culmination of this episode manifests as a failed
'atonement' with the Father. As witness to Ginny's suffering at
the hands of Tom Riddle – Harry becomes aware that this is the
man who killed his parents and threatens not only Ginny's life
for his own rebirth; but one who intends to rob Harry of life as
well.
The magical item is the diary - and flight is necessitated by
the serpent. Riddle achieves his goal - the serpent poisons
Harry even as Harry smites the creature. What Riddle, aka the
historical projection of Voldemort, does not foresee is his own
demise. As Harry "dies", he destroys the diary. Fawkes comes to
Harry and resurrects him from fatal wounds - then in true "magic
flight", the phoenix rises with Harry, Ginny, Ron and Lockhart
from the bowels of the beast.
Trial 3 – Hospital Wing Threshold - Return
Through Time
(Harry and the Prisoner of Azkaban)
As throughout the series, there are many
physical and metaphorical portals. The challenge is in
identifying the portal where Harry moves from closure of the
adventure to understanding the events. The complexity in this
adventure unfolds when the culmination of the adventure occurs
neither at the dramatic unveiling of Sirius’ innocence, nor at
the edge of life and soul-lessness for Harry. The return portal
is time itself.
Harry has gathered knowledge that Sirius is
no traitor to his parents. His sole purpose turns toward
prosecuting Wormtail with liberty for Sirius. Unfortunately,
Lupin didn’t take his potion and disrupts plans by reverting to
his animal nature. His transformation to werewolf results in
Wormtail getting away, and ultimately, the dementors trapping
Harry, Hermione and Sirius.
They avoid the dementors’ soul-draining kiss by an inexplicable
arrival of a powerful Patronus after Harry’s attempts at a
Patronus failed.
Harry wakes up in the hospital wing and
discovers Sirius' execution is impending. He is in the depths of
despair. The magical flight begins as Dumbledore instructs
Hermione to use the time-turner. Hermione and Harry dodge their
'earlier' selves and manage to save Buckbeak the hippogriff, and
hide in the forest to wait for the next opportunity. Harry
shares with Hermione that he saw his dad save them from
dementors and goes to see the replayed event up close – at the
last possible moment, Harry realizes he saw his future self and
casts his Patronus with authority.
Harry broke the constraints of time and self-limitation,
saving the earlier version of himself, Sirius and Hermione!
The future Harry and Hermione then wait until Sirius is held
prisoner in the tower. They fly Buckbeak to the tower and free
Sirius. Sirius thanks them,
affirms Harry and escapes with Buckbeak by air.
Harry's ‘object of value’ in this trial is his godfather
Sirius. After finding Sirius innocent, Harry’s raison d’etre is
to keep Sirius alive and is the 'return' of this adventure. One
could again identify this adventure with magical flight on the
wings of another beast - this time in the guise of a hippogriff
Harry flees the distant graveyard with Cedric
via the trophy portkey, marking the flight from a restored
Voldemore – a critical moment in the book series. However, Harry
does not know his life is still in imminent danger – the return
is not yet complete. In this episode, Harry is diverted by the
apparent Alastor Moody – in reality, Barty Crouch, Jr. who
intends to complete Voldemort’s task.
Harry sees approaching figures in the Foe
Glass behind Crouch. At the critical moment, Dumbledore, Snape
and McGonegal burst though the door disarming Crouch –
manifesting Harry’s "Rescue from Without". The return transition
occurs when Harry looks into the mirror and sees Dumbledore,
McGonagall and Snape looking back. Harry then witnesses the
transformation of the man and an explanation of the adventure
comes from Crouch under the influence of Veritaserum.