Whee Speculation
I think I have just developed a very interesting theory.
I was reading OotP this morning, gleaning for clues, when I got to page 336 American version:
"The barman sidled toward them out of a back room. He was a grumpy-looking old man with a great deal of long gray hair and beard. He was tall and thin and looked vaguely familiar to Harry. [Italics added]."
How would he be familiar to Harry? It's possible they could have met in passing, but I've kept a fairly close watch on briefly-mentioned characters and none seem to fit his description. Except -- don't we know someone else who is an old man with long hair and beard, who is tall and thin?
Isn't it possible that Harry saw the barman in a photograph from years ago (pg. 174) and recognized him because of a resemblance to his brother?
Combining this with the fact that the Hog's Head is a "very dirty room that smelled strongly of something that might have been goats," (pg 335) it seems possible, even likely, that the barman of the Hog's Head is none other than Aberforth Dumbledore.
If this is the case, I think it's a very good chance that we'll be meeting Aberforth properly sometime in the next Potter book.
Defense rests.
Edit: Okay, apparently everybody and their mother already came up with it. *lol* Oh well. At least I worked it out for myself.
Smoo, I am making you an avatar that is cooler than you could ever dream. I'll mail it when it's done.
I was reading OotP this morning, gleaning for clues, when I got to page 336 American version:
"The barman sidled toward them out of a back room. He was a grumpy-looking old man with a great deal of long gray hair and beard. He was tall and thin and looked vaguely familiar to Harry. [Italics added]."
How would he be familiar to Harry? It's possible they could have met in passing, but I've kept a fairly close watch on briefly-mentioned characters and none seem to fit his description. Except -- don't we know someone else who is an old man with long hair and beard, who is tall and thin?
Isn't it possible that Harry saw the barman in a photograph from years ago (pg. 174) and recognized him because of a resemblance to his brother?
Combining this with the fact that the Hog's Head is a "very dirty room that smelled strongly of something that might have been goats," (pg 335) it seems possible, even likely, that the barman of the Hog's Head is none other than Aberforth Dumbledore.
If this is the case, I think it's a very good chance that we'll be meeting Aberforth properly sometime in the next Potter book.
Defense rests.
Edit: Okay, apparently everybody and their mother already came up with it. *lol* Oh well. At least I worked it out for myself.
Smoo, I am making you an avatar that is cooler than you could ever dream. I'll mail it when it's done.