Alchemy and the Key to Solving Harry Potter

In a recently archived interview from 1998, Jo said: "I've never wanted to be a witch, but an alchemist, now that's a different matter. To invent this wizard world, I've learned a ridiculous amount about alchemy. Perhaps much of it I'll never use in the books, but I have to know it detail what magic can and cannot do in order to set the parameters and establish the stories' internal logic."

My philosophy is that if Jo finds a subject very interesting, it's probably worth my while to learn a little bit about it. So I hurried off to the Wikipedia (my version of the Hogwarts library) to read up on alchemy. I already knew that the philosopher's stone was supposed to be able to transmute base metals into gold and prolong life indefinitely, but I learned also that, "The philosopher's stone was believed to mystically amplify the user's knowledge of alchemy so much that anything was attainable."

I really like this idea. Better yet:

"Both the transmutation of common metals into gold and the universal panacea [Elixir of Life] symbolized evolution from an imperfect, diseased, corruptible and ephemeral state towards a perfect, healthy, incorruptible and everlasting state; and the philosopher's stone then represented some mystic key that would make this evolution possible. Applied to the alchemist himself, the twin goal symbolized his evolution from ignorance to enlightenment, and the stone represented some hidden spiritual truth or power that would lead to that goal. In texts that are written according to this view, the cryptic alchemical symbols, diagrams, and textual imagery of late alchemical works typically contain multiple layers of meanings, allegories, and references to other equally cryptic works; and must be laboriously 'decoded' in order to discover their true meaning."

*evil cackle*

I love codes and puzzles and ciphers, and generally finding hidden meanings. And if you visit Jo's website and start hunting around for the hidden content that goes in the scrapbook, I think you'll see that she does too.

I also like playing pretend. So let's pretend that the Harry Potter series is a "late alchemical work" and contains multiple layers of meaning and allegory that must be laboriously decoded in order to discover their true meaning. Let's also say that enlightenment here is knowledge of what is in that final chapter of book 7 that has been sitting in Jo's vault since circa 1990.

What we need now is a magical key, something that represents a hidden truth which can lead us to this goal. And since we still don't know very much about alchemy, it would be nice to have something to magically amplify our knowledge of it so much that anything is attainable. The answer should be obvious by now: go get your copy of Philosopher's Stone. (If you have the American version, do note the random golden key on the back cover.)

The gauntlet Harry runs in chapters 16 and 17 — the seven chambers leading up to the stone and Harry's final encounter with Voldemort — are the most heavily laden with cryptic symbolism and imagery. This is where you really have to use your imagination to put yourself in those chambers and think about what you would do if you were really there, if you were Harry. Look for patterns in what the trio have to do, and when you've found a good one, try projecting it onto the remaining six books in the series.

It's not easy, but I think after you've really worked your way through those seven chambers a few times, the truth of Harry's ultimate destiny might just fall into your head/pocket the same way Harry himself fell into Jo's. Just make it your heart's desire and use your eyes. :D