Discussion of the Week - Fawkes

So, what is it about this phoenix? He is so important, but what do we REALLY know about him? Hmmm?

Here is what The HP Lexicon has to say about Fawkes and Phoenixes in general:

"About time, too. He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."
-- Albus Dumbledore about his phoenix Fawkes, after Fawkes burst into flames (CS12)

The phoenix is a magical bird about the size of a swan. The phoenix has crimson feathers on its body and a golden tail as long as a peacock's. Its claws and beak are gleaming gold and its eyes are black. (These colors happen to be the colors of Gryffindor House, interestingly enough.) The scarlet body feathers glow faintly in darkness, while the golden tail feathers are hot to the touch (FB, CS17). Phoenix tail-feathers are a powerful magical substance according to Mr. Ollivander, and are suitable for use as wand cores (PS5).

Found in Egypt, India, and China, phoenixes nest on mountain peaks (FB).

Fawkes [1] is the pet phoenix of Albus Dumbledore, who uses what appears to be one of Fawkes' scarlet body-feathers as a quill (OP38). The wands of both Harry and Voldemort contain feathers from Fawkes' tail (GF36). When Fawkes is asked to keep watch and give warning, or deliver messages, he leaves a single golden tail feather, which Dumbledore, for one, is careful not to leave lying around (OP22).

A phoenix can lift a great weight with its tail in flight; when Harry grasped Fawkes' tail in the Chamber of Secrets, he felt as if he were becoming weightless - which is saying something, as Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart were in turn hanging on to him (CS12, CS17).

Like the diricawl, the phoenix is herbivorous, and it also shares with the diricawl the ability to disappear and reappear at will, although the phoenix does so in a burst of flames (FB, CS17). Fawkes has been known to deliver messages in this manner so quickly that only a flash of fire in the air has been seen (OP22).

Phoenix tears have healing properties (FB, CS12). Harry has experienced this on at least two occasions, both times when he had suffered a poisoned wound from a powerful magical creature. Only Fawkes' tears saved Harry from dying together with the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, as he and the giant serpent had mortally wounded one another almost simultaneously (CS17). In the third task of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry was bitten by the acromantula at the center of the maze; during his report to Dumbledore later that evening, Harry was once again healed by Fawkes' tears (GF36).

The song of the phoenix gives strength and hope to those it sings for, 'increasing the courage of the pure of heart and striking fear into the hearts of the impure' according to Scamander (FB). When wands sharing a phoenix-feather cores from the same bird are forced to do battle, the rare Priori Incantatem effect that results will be accompanied by the sound of phoenix song (GF34).

The phoenix's most unusual characteristic is that after its body begins to fail, it dies in a burst of flame, to be reborn from the ashes. This occurs not only on a phoenix's natural Burning Day, but if the phoenix receives a fatal injury, such as being hit with a Killing Curse (see below).

As a phoenix approaches its Burning Day, it resembles a half-plucked turkey and makes gagging noises. Its eyes become very dull and its feathers fall out. Then suddenly it will burst into flames and turn to a pile of ashes on the floor. From this pile of ashes rises a newborn phoenix, small and ugly. In a matter of days it becomes a fully grown, beautiful phoenix. However, Fawkes has also been through this regeneration as the result of being hit with a Killing Curse intended for Dumbledore (OP37), so the effect is not limited to his normal Burning Days. Curiously enough, Fawkes was not so affected by the gaze of the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets; given the rarity of both species, it is possible that no such confrontation had ever before occurred, so it isn't surprising that Scamander does not record the phoenix's immunity. In fact, given that the gentle nature of phoenixes is well known (FB), it's noteworthy that Fawkes entered into direct combat with the basilisk at all, as phoenixes are not predators and have little need for fighting skills even in their own defense.

*

So, again, what IS it about Fawkes? What's all the mystery surrounding him?

While we will be speaking about Fawkes in general, our MAIN discussion will be on Fawkes' disappearance after Dumbledore's death, and that whole Phoenix lament.

The topic for this week's discussion is courtesy albusdumbledore. Thank you, Tejas. To help with topics for discussion, visit this link: http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=177911. Merci beaucoup!

So, let's get discussing.

You there, with your hand waving in the air! What do you have to say?

who me? well i think that fawkes has a significant role in the books because of course as we find out in Book Six, harry and voldemort share a feather from one bird and that bird is none other than fawkes.also fawkes came to harry's rescue in the second book. we may even see him n book seven, but for now we just have to gather the clues and figure out where he went after dumbledores death( or maybe his fake death as some of us believe).i think it is reasonable to assume dumbledore is not dead because then fawkes would most likely be wherever dumbledore would go.however it could be possible that fawkes went else where.it is possible that fawkes holds a great role in the story, or so i believe. wat do u guys think?

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Fawkes will have imp role to play 😛

well i m just curios.... where was fawkes when dumbledore was being killed by snape as it happens where dumbledore goes fawkes goes with him.... so wht happened tht day?

ahem.
I havent given a LOT thought to Fawkes.. Here are some crazy things that I thought might relate to him.

For that lets look at actual facts.

1. He is Dumbledore's pet and bound to be extroordinary.

2. He saves dumbldore once in OOTP (during the duel with voldemort) so we know he can do that and born again.

3. Voldermort's and Harry's wands are made of his feathers. and they obviously are important.

4. He knows A LOT. (I mean if crookshanks can understand everything in so much deatail (book3) Fawkes is bound to )

Now the time for my crazy theory -
well..
He will nearly definitely help Harry to uncover some things.

as Oliveder-the-wand maker has been kidnapped by Voldie, Vol might wanna destroy harry's wand. and then phoenix can come and help him get another feather. 😊
... or something like that. 😕

seee... this is why I am not JKR. 😛

well even i think tht fawkes is imp in the 7 th book coz i dunno i read it sumwhere tht dumbledore's animagus is a pheonix so it can be a possiblity tht he could be born again and tht fawkes knows sumthing bout it... now tht's wat i think

ya i think fawks will have a more important role to, hes prolly gonna help harry sumhow.

Originally posted by: j y o t i

ya i think fawks will have a more important role to, hes prolly gonna help harry sumhow.

ya tht to hai... he will help.. as he helped him in the chambers...sumhow to he will.. agree with u j y o t i

hi ppl,

I'm back. sorry couldn't post earlier as I'm a bit pre-engaged with a few things (like my sister's marriage for one). so now lets get back to business. Firstly thanks to *Rashmi* for the credits.... I love you (as a dumby fan ofcourse so don't get any wrong thoughts in your mind you'all)

NOW TO THE DOTW.



I was going through the posts by our forum members, and I'm sorry to say I was a bit dissapointed in them. Don't get me wrong I'm not pointing fingers or sumthing but sumthing substantial added to the story would've been better than.... say just repeating the topic that he'll have an imp role to play.... in the seventh book.

What I would have personally liked would be atleast your thoughts on the topic.

Now as, [quote=lovelyprincesst]well i m just curious.... where was fawkes when dumbledore was being killed by snape as it happens where dumbledore goes fawkes goes with him.... so wht happened tht day?[/quote]


I must say that I did agree with you lovely coz that question came to my mind too. but then after going through the going ons @ the department of mysteries that night in OotP one thing that came to my mind was Fawkes came to Dumby's help specifically because Dumbledore called him.

What I mean to say is that Dumbledore might have been expecting trouble at Dept. of Mysteries that night hence he must as have asked Fawkes to keep a watch. Hence when Fawkes saw that Dumby was in danger he appeared and saved his life from the AK curse.

Now go back to the night on the Lightening Struck Tower. Dumby didn't have any such warning that night. He was not expexting any trouble. He had not percieved Draco getting in DE's. what he was expecting was that Draco trying to kill him. He may have thought that he could handle Draco. Also he had members of the Order on the guard, at Hogwarts. So maybe thatz why he didn't keep Fawkes on alert.

Maybe thatz why Fawkes didn't turn up at the tower. Maybe thatz why it was singing that night being dissapointed that he could not help his master in his hour of need.

I know this sounds a bit outrageous in thinking. But thatz what I could come up with.....

ok so now you guys buckle up and rattle your brains a bit..... give sum good suggestions.........

luv u all.... (luv this place actually).....,


regards,

tejas