Speak not the number....
AbendrothBlutjager
isn't obvious about it, and she doesn't have to be....
But before I get to the examples, I want to state that 666 is a symbol
of the ultimate apostasy -- it's the point at which one abandons their
beliefs or their cause and takes up the opposing beliefs or cause.
Without getting too deep into discussions about Satan, let's just
think of 666 as the ultimate in human selfishness.
The first I found is in PS/SS, when Hermione reads about Nicholas
Flamel to find out he turned 665 years old... as of the previous year.
That means in 1991 Nicholas Flamel is to turn 666. Dumbledore says he
had a discussion with Flamel and that they decided it would be best to
destroy the stone. Perhaps Dumbledore pointed out to Nicholas just how
old he would be when his next birthday rolled around? I don't know how
long it took for the Flamels to get their affairs in order (how much
elixir they had remaining), but Flamel probably died at the age of
666....
The second time I noticed a 666 reference it was much more subtle, in
HBP. Harry is making Draught of Living Death in an attempt to win the
vial of Felix Felicis, and using the HBP's potion notes, he's adding a
clockwise stir after every 7th counterclockwise turn. He does this 7
back, 1 forward stirring technique three consecutive times before
Slughorn tells the class to stop working. 7-1 = 6, 7-1 = 6, 7-1 = 6.
That's a hidden 666.
In the first case, Flamel does the right thing and either destroys the
stone or allows Dumbledore to destroy it. This was a difficult
decision on the part of the Flamels, particularly Nicholas, since he
made the stone. Dumbledore talks about Flamel as a friend and alchemy
partner who might have made poor decisions in the past (choosing
things that he didn't need, like immortality and material wealth).
Here 666 seems to be symbolic of covetousness and greed. However,
Nicholas finally realized the truth of it and conceeded to Dumbledore.
I wish we could have heard Dumbledore's and Nicholas Flamel's
"discussion".
The same could be said of the second senario: Harry wants the Felix
Felicis (a dubious potion in itself) and will do whatever it takes to
get it. Hermione considers it cheating and is concerned about the
book, in general. Again we have to question whether the number is good
or bad. For one thing, counterclockwise is generally considered
"sinister" (both literally and figuratively), and clockwise is good,
even "lucky". So adding a "lucky" stir after 7 sinister ones...this is
good, right? And Harry uses the Felix Felicis as a means to a good
end, right?
It's odd that two instances of the number 666 should each lead to such
positive outcomes.
Of course, we're brought back to what Dumbledore says... that it's the
choices one makes, not their abilities. It also gives us insight into
why Dumbledore gives people second (or more) chances to choose the
"right" path.
Has anyone found other references to 666?