THE RESURRECTION STONE

Legend has it that the Resurrection Stone has the power to bring back the dead (DH, p407). When Harry obtains the Resurrection Stone (DH, p698), he turns it thrice and four figures appear to him: his parents, James and Lily, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. This begs the question, How come the supposedly dead Hedwig did not appear to Harry in his time of need. Might that be because Hedwig is NOT DEAD?

THE SPELL

Of primary importance to this argument is the fact that on the night of Hedwig’s death (DH, Ch. 4), it seems unlikely that the attacking Death Eaters would have been using the killing curse in such close proximity to Harry. Earlier in the book we witness Voldemort instructing his Death Eaters that he must be the one to kill Harry (DH, p.7). Later in the book, we are told that, in relation to Harry, the Death Eaters have all been given explicit instructions that Harry must be brought before Voldemort alive (DH, p. 630). Of course on this night in question, we witness many “burts of green light.” While green light is certainly an indicator of the Avada Kedavra curse, do we know conclusively that it is the only spell that produces green light. Isn’t it also just as likely that someone was potentially casting a photosynthesis spell or possibly a Green M&M transfigurations spell? Certainly Voldemort would prefer Harry brought before him as green M&M rather than as a corpse. You do the math.

HEDWIG’S HORCRUXES

And so what if it was an Avada Kedavra curse? Surely Hedwig’s horcruxes would have protected her. Don’t be so surprised.

Let’s take a moment and examine Hedwig’s past. What do we know of her character? She didn’t enjoy being caged up, she seemed to like nibbling on Harry’s fingers (more on that later), and she, without a doubt, LOVED KILLING MICE. She seemingly had no qualms with tearing her own soul when it came to killing these innocent creatures. Isn’t it likely that at some point during her 7 (seven!) years of life, that she may have use at least one or more of these murders as an opportunity to assure her continued existence? If someone, or something wanted to destroy Hedwig permanently, we anticipate that they would likely expend years of exhausting research attempting to discover the nature and possible hiding locations of her horcruxes. She is likely indestructable.

MOTHER’S BLOOD

As we continue to examine Hedwig’s character, one trait becomes glaringly obvious to even the most inept of biblio-sleuths: Hedwig was constantly nibbling at Harry’s fingers. Without a doubt, at some point she must have produced blood: the blood which courses through Harry’s veins, the same as the blood of his mother, the mother that died so that he could live. Yes, PROTECTION! And of course, it’s hard not to ingest blood and such when your mouth is a beak: everything just slides in. Our vampiric little owl has granted herself the immortality that flows directly from our hero’s heart! Does she ever cease to amaze?

Avada Kedavras cast from Voldemort have proven completely ineffectual against this protection. Similarly, when Harry turns his own wand on Hedwig in the Great Motorcycle Explosion of ‘97, he would be unable to kill Hedwig. Harry’s own wand would be unable to kill that which shares its owner’s blood. It is entirely possible that amidst that fiery wreck, Hedwig was mysteriously transported to some kind of purgatory-like Owl Emporium at which juncture she decided to return to our world: free and flying high! Hooray for Hedwig!

RISING FROM THE ASHES

And for the sake of argument, let’s just assume that Hedwig had zero horcruxes (unlikely), and for some reason she avoids the Emporium purgatory. This leaves us with an unconscious Hedwig in her cage when Mr. Overreaction, a.k.a. Harry Potter, aims an old Confringo spell at her and blows up the motorcycle sidecar she was hanging out in (DH, p59). Surely this spells the end for our wide-eyed friend? Not so! While getting blown up is a fatal problem for almost any life form (magical or otherwise), there is one creature that can withstand this; one creature that even relishes this. I speak, of course, of the noble phoenix.

At the end of the novel, we learn from Dumbledore that Harry is the “true master of death,” (DH, p720) - someone who accepts that he must die and does not run away from Death. A phoenix is also a master of death. They are immortal creatures who can suffer many deaths which are immediately followed by rebirth. Throughout the novels, we see Fawkes (the only other phoenix mentioned in the books) willing to sacrifice himself again and again, only to be reborn in a pile of ashes.

Harry seems to have a curiously close relationship with the phoenix. His wand contains phoenix tail feather. In the Chamber of Secrets, he was rescued from death by phoenix tears. The secret society that leads the resistance agains Voldemort is called the “Order of the Phoenix.” There is a tantalizing symbolism that links these two “masters of death,” and I think it is irresponsible to assume that Rowling could pass up the opportunity to extend one further bond between Harry and the phoenix. In all likelyhood, Hedwig is actually a phoenix who, for the past 7 years, has been living in her animagus form of a snow owl. The explosion of the motorcycle sidecar plays no role in her supposed death.

HEDWIG AS ANIMAGUS

While we here at hedwigisnotdead.com are all great fans of the symbolism inherent to the phoenix animagus theory, many readers have written in suggesting that maybe Hedwig was actually the animagus of a wizard or witch. Our staff is never one to will let any semi-plausible, totally uncorroborated theory go unpublished, so we’ll present you with a distillation of many of the emails we have received on the subject.

The central argument to this theory is that Hedwig is an unregistered human animagus who has been keeping an eye on Harry. The advantage of this is that a human, obviously, could have disapparated from the owl cage before the Great Motorcycle Explosion of ‘97. This animagus theory is often supported by Hedwig’s behaviors. At numerous times in the series, Hedwig is shown acting up at night. This is far outside what we would typically expect from snowy owls who are actually diurnal and very quiet. In another instance, Harry brings a sick Hedwig to Grubbly-Plank after she returned ill from a trip “delivering mail.” Could this have been an injury sustained on a secret mission - or possibly was she intercepted while reporting to her superiors?

Debate rages concerning the nature of her employer. Good or evil? Dark or white? One thing is certain though - she was planted at Eeylops Owl Emporium on or near that day that Hagrid purchased her for Harry. Since Hagrid was, in fact, the owl bearer, it’s most likely that she was positioned on Dumbledore’s orders, however we all know that Hagrid is not immune to the charms of sketchy wizards. Could this have been a trick initiated by Quirrell/back-of-head-Voldie? Anything is possible in this strange world where humans pose as owls!

The most comprehensive theory on this subject was submitted by our our reader Tom J. It focuses on Hedwig as the animagus of a disappeared member of the original Order of the Phoenix:

Hedwig is the animagus of Caradoc Dearborn. Dearborn was mentioned briefly in Order of the Phoenix and was in the photo of the original Order. Dearborn went missing and was supposedly killed by Death Eaters. However, since there isn’t much information on him, I believe that he went into hiding under Dumbledore’s orders. Later, Dumbledore decides to use him to watch over Harry and plants him, in owl form, when Harry goes shopping for his supplies. Dumbledore then told Hagrid the specific owl to get. Caradoc has been watching over Harry the entire time. Harry thinks that Hedwig is dead, but in reality Caradoc changed back into human form, then disapparated. Caradoc then gets in contact with Dumbledore’s portrait. What happens from there is up to your imagination, but I believe that Caradoc then goes back into hiding.

In the books Hedwig seems to understand Harry. The bird also displays anger towards Harry, like when Harry didn’t explain to Hedwig why he was unable to use her to communicate with Sirius. Now why would a bird care? I figure Dearborn was frustrated with Harry. I also think that Dearborn was very active at protecting Harry. Dearborn would tell Dumbledore everything that Harry had talked about. He would make trips to Grimmauld Place and provide updates to the Order. I also believe that Dearborn transfigured into human form to watch Harry from the sidelines. In POA, Madam Rosmerta complains about the Dementors. I figure Dumbledore sent Dearborn to Hogsmeade in case Harry needed protection. J.K. Rowling said that she used the name “Hedwig” from a medieval saint she found in a book. One of the definitions of a saint is: a founder, sponsor, or patron, as of a movement or organization. Dearborn certainly was a patron of the Order of the Phonenix. Rowling was giving us a clue right there.

FEDWIG

It’s hard for us to present this theory any more effectually than our reader Selina, so we’ll let her take it:

“I think it’s pretty obvious that Hedwig staged her own death, and that thing in the cage wasn’t Hedwig at all. Was anyone else mystified over her behaviour before she “dies”? She was quiet and had her beak tucked under her wing, because apparently she was angry at Harry?? That’s not what Hedwig does! Hedwigs bites his finger or rustles her feathers, she doesn’t sit stock still like someone - or something - PRETENDING to be Hedwig, and not wanting Harry to look into her eyes and see that this is not the bird he’s known and loved for the past 7 years. The eyes are the key! And Hedwig knows this, so she cleverly instructed her double - this could be a lookalike own, but also a magical imitation of a living creature, or even a Polyjuiced flobberworm - to hide away. Of course if it were a flobberworm or an equally unintelligent creature, they would be able to do little more than sit on the perch to begin with, not having enough brain power to move! That’s why the Fake Hedwig - Fedwig - was so out of character. As for when she made the switch, that would be whenever Hedwig was last out flying - she’d been odd ever since she wasn’t allowed out anymore… because she was no longer Hedwig! And right now Hedwig is flying around happily somewhere, maybe she found a boy owl and fell in love! Or she could have even gone back to Harry after the war was over, after working on the sidelines to bring down Voldemort! The possibilities are endless - but one thing is sure: Hedwig is NOT dead. There is simply too much evidence against it!”

Supporting evidence can also be gleaned from the plans for Harry’s escape from Privet Drive. On the night in question, there were seven Harrys and seven Hedwigs. Yes, seven! Six of these Hedwigs were stuffed and one of these is supposedly the “real” Hedwig. Isn’t it rather likely that the stuffed owls were magically animated using a locormotis charm so as to appear more real to the Death Eaters? Isn’t it just as likely that, in the hurried confusion of departing, the “real” Hedwig was switched with one of these stuffed owls? Since six of the seven owls survived the journey, we put Hedwig’s chance of survival at 85.7%. No wait, make that 100%. She’s ALIVE!

Another reader even suggests that maybe Hermione had the foresight to send the real Hedwig off to live with her relocated parents in Australia. Hermione knew how much Hedwig meant to Harry and she knew that the Voldemort could use that against both of them. Hedwig’s life was in danger! Upon arrival at Privet Drive, Hermione transfigured an inanimate object into a bird, which she then polyjuiced into Hedwig. This, again, can account for Hedwig’s mysterious behavior on the night in question. Our reader, Nimbus1944, then goes on to elaborate on Hedwig’s eventual fate:

“After the war, Hermione went to Australia, lifted the charm on her parents, and brought Hedwig home to Harry. Other than having developed a taste for Foster’s Ale, she was fine. Two of Hedwig’s grandchildren, Luna and Dobby, are the great snowy owls of James and Albus Severus Potter respectively. Another, Winky, waits in the wings (or wings in the waits) for Lily.”

THE GHOST OWL

Our dear reader Meredith writes in with a brilliant theory concerning our snowy friend:

“Excellent work on the Hedwig page. Of course, it’s pretty obvious Hedwig has been a ghost for at least a year, anyway, if not all along; Snowy owls are commonly referred to as ghost owls, as JKR has pointed out on her own website.  This also explains Hedwig’s dietary choices, since we know from CoS that ghosts prefer raw or spoiled food to enhance their flavors. Maybe every time Fawkes was reborn, a bit of him returned in ghost-form to the wizarding world at the behest of Dumbledore, the phoenix-turned-owl wearing its pure white feathers like his favor. As we know ‘Albus’ is the latin word for ‘white.’ In his life, Fawkes is coated with the fiery hues that resemble a young Albus’ auburn locks, and in death, Fawkes is reborn as the ghostly white snowy owl, to look over the orphaned boy who lived (then died then lived again).”

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We’re always looking for interesting new theories, so if you’ve got one, either post it in our forums or email us at hedwigisnotdead@gmail.com! Thanks to Tom J, Selina, Bobby Lang, Elias, Brandon and Meredith for their input into our theories.