Halloween and Harry Potter

Mona Mikaël has undertaken extensive research into the symbolism of witchcraft, sorcery, and other occult movements, as well as the problem of manipulation of human consciousness in the modern era. In her voluminous study of the use of symbols in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter et L’Ordre des Ténèbres (Harry Potter and the Order of Darkness), she states that the underlying narrative, which is nearly invisible to most readers, is a largely subliminal indoctrination in diabolic consciousness. She is not so much referring to the obvious level, the witches and wizards and flying broomsticks, but focusing on the deeper levels of narrative, the unveiling of symbols, and the spiritual meanings behind the symbols, which she believes conveys a parallel and highly esoteric message that “gravely disfigures eternal values.” This disfigurement is not only the distortion of “values” in young minds, she emphasizes, but a more profound disfigurement in the subconscious, and the soul. ^[1] It is impossible for me to recite her copious research into this subject, but a sample may suffice. Regarding just one out of a plethora of examples, Mikaël writes:

 

“The Deathday Party”

On a Halloween night, Harry and his friends are invited to the Deathday party of Nearly-Headless Nick, the nearly decapitated ghost. At one end of the room, ghostly guests play ball with their own skulls. At the other end is laid a table covered in black velvet.

 

[from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:]

Large rotten fish were laid on handsome silver platters, cakes burned charcoal black, were heaped on salvers; there was a green maggoty haggis, a slab of cheese covered in furry green mould and, in pride of place, an enormous grey cake in the shape of a tombstone, with the tar-like icing forming the words, Sir Nicholas de Minsey-Porpington died 31st October, 1492.

Harry watched, amazed, as a portly ghost approached the table, crouched low and walked through it, his mouth held wide so that it passed through one of the stinking salmons.

‘Can you taste it if you walk through it?’ Harry asked him.

‘Almost,’ said the ghost sadly, and he drifted away.

‘I expect they’ve let it rot to give it a stronger flavour,’ said Hermione knowledgably, pinching her nose and leaning closer to look at the putrid haggis.

 

Knowing that ghosts do not eat, one may ask, what is the purpose of this disgusting table? And why is the table covered in velvet when a worn-out rag would be more consistent with such a meal? The logic of symbols answers these questions by shedding light (partially at least) on the veiled meaning of this “feast.” In the context of the spirit of Halloween, which is the pagan Celtic solemnity of Samhain and the “Devil’s New Year’s Day” as some call it, this table is an altar, offering a sacrifice to the Prince of the day (Satan), and the sacrifice is the decomposing flesh of fish, symbol of Christ in the early Church
 

 

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^[1]  Mikaël, Mona, Harry Potter et L’Ordre des Ténèbres, Editions Saint-Remi, France, 2007; abridged edition 2008; Editio Sanctus Martinus, Combermere, Canada, 2009. The abridged edition republished 2009, and original unabridged republished by Editio Sanctus Martinus, autumn 2009. These editions are currently available in French language only, with translation into English in progress.