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Emmeline Vance: The Future Rosetta Stone

by Louis CasaBianca

Emmeline Vance appears in Order of the Phoenix for exactly 42 words, and yet she may very well be the key to understanding Snape, and therefore the key to understanding all seven books. First she's part of Harry Potter's guard on the way to 12 Grimauld Place. Next, in Half-Blood Prince, she's dead, killed around the corner from the Muggle Prime Minister's office.

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Reader Comments: (Page 3)

Linda - Sure, nice theory and all but to me, it's a bit far fetched. But seeing as the book haven't been released yet, no theory is actually wrong.

Something just popped into my head as we speak. I'd need to do some research into this but...

Have you noticed that many of the things, theories, people that turn out to be accurate seems to appear really early in each book. That sentence didn't make much sense, but let me explain:

Book 1. The first teacher Harry himself meets is Quirrel. He turns out to have Riddle sticking out the back of his head.

Book 4. Alastor Moody is again one of the first teachers to be mentioned (I believe). In neither of these two cases does Harry suspect the person, but another one who turns out to be innocent (Severus and Igor Karkaroff respectively)

Book 6. Severus Snape is in the 2nd chapter obviously on the "bad" side. At this point, we're more inclined to believe that he is indeed a fellow playing for Dumbledores team. It turns out that he is the bad guy after all.

Harry also suspects Draco of being a Eater, something that no one follows him on. It turns out Draco infact is a Eater.

Yeah, I can admit that this is a bit blurry but if this is something that Joanne does on purpose, then I suspect that we'll encounter the person, object, theory very early on in the 7th book.

Posted by Rane on December 31, 2006 10:25 AM

Linda,
Your theory is wild...and yet i just can't get it out of my head now. I almost want to take it a step further. let's suppose Emmeline Vance was Snape's mother--what if she switched places with Dumbledore? Let's also suppose that she was just about to herself, or perhaps she was very sick.

I know this is way out there, but in one of the earlier books (i'll have to go back and check which one--i think 3), we heard an awful lot about switching spells, but we never saw anybody really switch.

What if she and Dumbledore switched places. it would be better than polyjuice--you need to keep drinking it. so Dumbledore and emmeline switch sometime during book 7. Emmeline is supposed to be (but now it's Dumbledore as Emmeline--still alive and well hopefully). Remember, they can't you if you are already . so know it's the final hour on the astronomy tower, and snape has to Dumbledore (but it's really his MOTHER and he knows it! yikes) that would certainly be cause for a look of revulsion.

One reason that i think it's possible that Dumbledore was not really himself at the end of 6, is because when Harry was ranting and raving about "Snape" to Dumbledore before they left for the cave, he did not immediately correct harry with "professor Snape" as he had done in the past.

So now i'm thinking that maybe a switch took place. Yes, it's way out there, but just a thought.

Happy New Year...looking forward to 7/07/07.

Posted by Heather from NJ on December 31, 2006 8:24 PM

The more I think about it, the more crazier it becomes. One of the main problems with my theory is why the name change (It occurred to me after I clicked the Submit button). I'm withdrawing my Snape's mom theory since I can't come up with a reason why Eileen would go under the name Emmeline. Sorry for this crazier-than-usual theories.

However, what is Eileen Prince Snape had a sister named Emmeline...;)

Posted by Linda from Fort Wayne, IN on January 1, 2007 10:37 AM

yes, it too think the theory is a bit crazy. but i don't put it past JKR too have mislead us into believing that one or more of the characters is really . I am not conviced that Emmeline Vance is (or Dumbledore for that matter). In fact, there may be a few people "undercover" and working for Dumbledore under the guise of being . Those few words from Dumbledore about how they can't you if you are already keep coming to mind. And why mention Emmiline Vance in the first place--there is no such thing as a coincidence with JKR.

Posted by Heather from NJ on January 1, 2007 2:03 PM

just to be clear, i really do not think snape's mom was emmeline vance.

Posted by Heather from NJ on January 1, 2007 3:42 PM

i was wondering if someone else thought of this... during his dicussion with narcissa and bella (well i think its in this conversation...) Snape says something like Dumbledore has sustained injuries because of weaker reflexes during his last battle with Voldy. He must've known the injury wasnt at all due to the battle (the one in MoM) because he was the one to treat Dumbledore. Doesnt this also points to snape being a good guy?

Posted by neve on January 2, 2007 10:59 AM

This is really interesting actually! I can't beleive I didn't notice this before! There are so many mysteries behond Harry Potter which is why I love them. I guess we have to wait and find out. JKR is such a great author! I never even gave a thought that a character like Emmeline Vance may have been that important. This might mean that other characters are important. CAN'T WAIT TILL JULY!

Posted by Tasmeeah from London, England on January 2, 2007 1:03 PM

"In the real world, when undercover agents infiltrate a criminal or terrorist organization, such a situation is the worst scenario they might have to face: the possibility that they might have to or fail to save an innocent in order to keep their cover or save their own lives"

Well I am sorry to say this but if that above statement is true and your hypotheis is correct about emmeline Vance, taking into account that Dumbledore is definately as to what JKR has said, Snape has done BOTH those things. So yes, it would appear in a Harry Potter book.

Also JKR has told us that Snape really is not a nice man and there is a lot more to him than meets the eye. So anything is possible for him and for that matter, for JKR to write in Harry Potter.

Posted by Sonya from Australia on January 7, 2007 02:35 AM

in the article it talks about the draught of the living . maybe that is what is in the bowl in the cave because dumbledore kept saying things about how he wanted to after he drank it. you would also think voldemort would want that so the person would be like "asleep" so voldy could see who it was and THEN him while he was 'asleep' or maybe still begging for . too much talking about '' in the cave then that article... too suspicious...

Posted by Anonymous on January 7, 2007 11:53 AM

It's been suggested in postings within quite a few topics that Dumbledore may not have in fact been Dumbledore during that fatefull night on the astronomy tower.

Here's some evidence to support that it is indeed the same Dumbledore all along, and also a piece of prose that endears Dumbledore to me.

When Dumbledore first set out with Harry to meet up with Slughorn he says that he doesn't believe Harry be in any danger. Why? Dumbledore replies simply "You are with me"

Later when Harry gets Dumbledore out of the cave and is about to apparate both of them back to Hogsmead Harry pleads with Dumbledore not to worry. Dumbledore responds "I am not worried, I am with you."

To me this is quintessential Dumbledore through and through. [bless his wizarding soul].

Posted by Mikey from New Jersey on January 7, 2007 9:47 PM

Also, while Emmeline is the subject of this article, is there any doubt that Romilda is the daughter. Romilda is the one who tried to "acquire" Harry with a love potion and is mentioned quite often in HBP.

Does it seem strange that Harry was to be the victim of a love potion while it appears that Voldemort was born from the method?

Posted by Michael from Philadelphia on January 8, 2007 07:08 AM

I'm not sure what you mean there, Michael. Romilda's last name is "Vane", not "Vance". You can't infer from their names that Romilda is the daughter of Emmeline Vance.

Posted by Dave Haber from Los Angeles, CA on January 8, 2007 07:19 AM

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