passwords

[Jotomicron]

Athena...

AND you are surprised to hear everyone saying you are JKR!!! I wonder why!!!
How on earth do you come up with those ideas??? caput = kaput...
I wonder if you would have written a better Harry Potter series... Or better, I know for sure you would!

Anyways: this password thing is pretty clever. However, I don't know if they have that specific meaning, or are just related to the Houses and Professors.
Anyway, remeber that password in DD's office Harry guessed up? What was it?[/i]

[imc130d]

I'd originally figured Caput to be a pun on kaput as well, indicating that a dragon had been slain. But after reading this thread, I Googled the phrase "caput draconis". What I found (aside from Harry Potter references, naturally) was that it apparently doesn't mean "head dragon", but "dragon's head". So I would assume that the reference to a slain dragon still sort of applies, with the implication that the head in question is not still attached to the rest of the dragon.

(By the way, it's also apparently an astrological term referring to "the Moon's north node". Having no experience with astrology whatsoever, I don't know whether that would be significant in any way or not.)

[Athena Appleton]

Athena...

AND you are surprised to hear everyone saying you are JKR!!! I wonder why!!!
How on earth do you come up with those ideas??? caput = kaput...
I wonder if you would have written a better Harry Potter series... Or better, I know for sure you would!

wow... I'm flattered!

Anyways: this password thing is pretty clever. However, I don't know if they have that specific meaning, or are just related to the Houses and Professors.

Well, I really don't think they all have specific meaning... like, I don't think the "pine fresh" password relates any more than the fact that it's a bathroom.

But the passwords clearly have some importance in the books. I mean, if Rowling hadn't had the passwords in there at all, it wouldn't have seemed odd to me that there were no passwords, so she didn't have to put them in there.

Anyway, remeber that password in DD's office Harry guessed up? What was it?[/i]

Cockroach Cluster. I don't think this particular one has meaning, but I do think the first one did. Dumbledore had "sherbet lemon" (or "lemon drop" in the US version) because he was able to appreciate anything good, even Muggle things, which most of wizardkind find inferior. The deal with the "cockroach cluster" was mostly that Harry had to try to guess what the password would be, and since the first one was candy, he went through all the candy names he could think of.

Just for kicks, though... and this is stretching it. There was a cluster of unwanted people in that office at the time Harry went up to Dumbledore's office. Not that I think that means anything, just a funny thought.

Actually, I really do think the whole thing with the Cockroach Cluster was a referral back to the sherbet lemon and Dumbledore's fondness for all things good, regardless of where they come from.

[Gower]

The end of the snake... hopefully telling us that good will triumpth over evil, in the end

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

Just for kicks, though... and this is stretching it. There was a cluster of unwanted people in that office at the time Harry went up to Dumbledore's office. Not that I think that means anything, just a funny thought.

LoL not to mention that those people had about the intelligence of roaches!!!

[Herminny]

"capus Draconis"( however it is spelt) could alsl reffer to McGonnagall. Don't get me wrong, McGonagall is cool but she does have a fiery temper and i'm sure in the books somewhere there is something about how her nostralls flaired. And she is the head of the house, maybe McGonagall had been annoying the fat lady.

[Athena Appleton]

ahhh... I guess...

I'm more inclined to believe the "end of the snake" or "head of the snake" thing, though...

I think the deal with McGonagall's nostrils flaring (and, yes, you're right, it's mentioned often) has a little more to do with her name and her personality. Minerva is the Roman counterpart to the Greek goddess Athena, who was the goddess of wisdom, learning, crafts, and war. Now, just about anyone who embodies those four traits are likely to be very McGonagall (and Hermione) -ish.... bossy, precise, and annoyed when others are not up to speed with them.

[tiggirl]

i thought just about everyone is at least aware (even if they never use) the slang version of kaput... and we do know that rowling has used all kinds of hints, from several different countries, so I think it means something like "the end of the snake"

so there.

With posts like that, how's anyone supposed to believe you're not JK?

[Dumbledores Master]

The head of the snake could refer to snape couldn`t it? Maybe he is killed on order buisness when he is about to come back with news about the impending war?

[choki]

Head of Snake could very well means Head of Slytherin House, Severus Snape! Hey, nice one DM!

Everyone thought Snape was the villian in PS/SS.