Maybe the brains ron made go flying will have a part to play in the next books? What do you guys think?

Well I don't know.

but I think that they might be to those who are behind the veil...What do you think?

I never thought about that! Maybe, that'd be sorta strange though? but then again, brains in a tank is sorta strange.

The brains didn't stand out to me that much. I just thought they were there for a bit of comic relief.

hehe, yeah, you're probably right

[size=9]Maybe they were there for comic releif, but why would a brain attack the way they did? It's kinda strange. Maybe since the Department of Mysteries needs to absorb alot of information, they probably use the brains as penseives (is that how you spell it?) to store loads of info. And the brains probably attack to protect the memories?

oooh!! i think you are right. i think the brains were there to store info or to preserve memories

good thinking
instead of heaving around a big pensieve they can just use another brain.

what kind of information would they need to store?!?! cant a pensive store A LOT of memories?

i just thought about this but what if the brains were of people who can predict the future and make prophecies??

[size=9]if the brains are those of people who can predict the future or make prophecies, then how can Trelawnay become a teacher if she doesn't have a brain? Maybe Jo might explain everything about the DoM in a seperate book? Just a thought.

[quote]The brains didn't stand out to me that much. I just thought they were there for a bit of comic relief.[/quote]

I felt the same way. I never really thought abt them when i read the book. but now i do kinda wonder if they have a purpose and who's brains were they. hmmm... :?: [/quote]

[size=18][/size]i think the brains hold memories that the MoM does not want the bad dudes to get.That is y they went afther ron to stop poeple from geting it out of the brains

maybe the brains belong to past unspeakables. because if they ever left the department of mysteries they would know way to much to be trusted in the outside world. maybe when an unspeakable retires, his or her brain goes in the vat and then they.... oh i dunno... get a new one. just a thought.

I never really thought they had any signifigance... but maybe they do. It's possible they are the unspeakable's, or an alternative to the pensieve.

I think the brains either belong to unspeakables or maybe to those behind the veil?? I'm getting confused here

That brain scene was stuck in my head after reading it... gebus that's creepy [getting squeezed to death by a brain is one way I wouldn't want die].
I always thought that the Ministry would probably be extracting memories from the brains and put the memories into orbs like they do with the prophecies.

Do you think Ron will have some lasting effect of being attacked by the brain? Maybe they will transfer memories to him and he will think he is going crazy or something

I never really thought about that before, but that could happen. I didn't really think they were anything that important and that JKR would explain about the DoM further in another book, but anything can happen right?

I like the idea Feerique (I'm sry if I spelt your name wrong) mentioned, maybe they are the brains of those that are behind the Veil.
I don't really think that the brains will have much to do with the upcoming books, but I guess we won't know until they come out

I don't know what the brains are, but i want to. Another thing that puzzles me is the egg that turns into a bird, then back into an egg. Any ideas what that is?

Didn't JKR write it was "time"?

I don't no. It would make sense though seeing as the bird goes through life and death, which happen over time. I think your right.

i brought this topic back to life becuase i was wondering what is the real significance of the brains. a lot of you havent noticed this thread and i thought it would be nice to hear all of your ideas. now why would there be brains in the department of mystery?? and whose brain is it?

What I think is that the brains are special creatures that the ministry uses to study the brain and memory. Experimentation may have been done on them and perhaps the memory charm was created. Magical experimentation is dangerous. If it could be done in a controled area, then it won't be nearly as dangerous. You can't experiment on a live human's mind so why not a brain that can function without a body? Yes, the mind is complex. It would be a no brainer (haha) to see that it is for mind experimentation.

so where do you think they got the brains? they made them? lol

I think we all want to know who they belong to. . .

I'll look up the description for the brains later.

But maybe they are the brain of the Death Eaters? Didn't they say that the Department of Mysteries would only open for those with something inside it (something along the lines of that). Or perhaps the brains of dead wizards/witches, especially smart ones. Maybe the Ministry is working on some top secret experiment that involves the switching of brains. Or perhaps it is Voldemort's idea. . .

why would the ministry be expierementing with the brains if it is voldemorts idea.

i dont really know what the whole brains thing was about but i think that it might have a big part in the new book.

madam pomfrey or someone said they were memories
i dont have a book for reference right now,
but she said something like 'memories leave a more lasting scar than...' thats not an exact quote,but...

The exact quote is "thoughts could leave deeper scarring than almost anything else." Now, this is very interesting. I think that there is the literal meaning, which is that the thought left deep physical scars on Ron, but there is also another meaning. Knowing what someone's thoughts are can have a great effect on you. When Harry learns what Snape's memory (which is a form of a thought) is, he feels sorry for Snape, and he resents his father. I would say that this has left a "scar" on him. So maybe these thoughts did have an effect on Ron's mental health...although I doubt it. However, I do think that Ron will have learned something from his experiences with the brains.

well, i think that was an important part and the brains could be from dead wizards (i'm just thinking). maybe the brains will be a very important thing or part on the 6th or 7th book. i think J. K. Rowilng will use those brains for another Voldemort's revenge (i don't know how to call Voldemort vs. Harry's thing)...

maybe the brains are from old seers that have passed away? the ministry could have kept their brains because they can still produce prophcies maybe? anyone care to contradict??

I don't know who the brains may have belonged to, if they ever belonged to anyone. It may be that the Unspeakables created them, as someone said. I agree with Bandoth's idea of what the brains are used for. To study human intelligence.

The question I have, is "what effect did the brain have on Ron?"

I wrote an editorial about it, but it will probably give you more questions than answers. lol. anyway, here it is:

The Most Mysterious Room

Please feel free to leave a comment. I likeses comments (Even negative ones)

I agree with the ones who say they´ve got the brains to study human intelligence, but I´d add also human feelings and emotions, and basically everything that rules a human´s mind and behaviour.

First of all, wonderful editorial (long, but wonderful!) I agree with what it said about dumbledore saying something about human intelligence lying in the room (wow,that is a fragment isnt it?) But who's brains would it be (i've asked this a lot) and why would they need so much intelligence? maybe the brains made the weapon, or helped develop it?


Any thoughts?

Actually, Hallia, emotions are the product of chemicals released into our bloodstream by glands in other parts of our bodies, so when those chemicals reach our brain, our brain triggers a response. A brain by itself would never have emotions, or "feelings" which is why "emotions" are kept behind the locked door at the DoM. The "Brain Room" was created to study human intelligence. Pure human intelligence, without the filter of human emotion.

As I said before, Dansgurl. I do not know who the brains belong too, if anyone. It may be that wizards donate their bodies to "magic" when they die, just as we Muggles can choose to donate our bodies to science. The brains could also be from criminals, preserved to help try to understand why they did the things they did. Most likely both, as both would encompass "human intelligence." Or the Unspeakables could have found a way to magically create brains to use them as storage devices for people's memories, and ask the greatest witches and wizards if they could preserve their memories for all of time, to further the Wizard Communities understanding of the science of magic, and how the human mind works.

The only thing I feel certain of, is that they don't go around harvesting people's brains unwillingly. How would that be to wake up with some pale, sepelchultural guy standing over you with a saw, getting ready to cut out your brain? lol. Pretty scary thought. Since they are part of the Wizard Government, I do not think they would be allowed to do those sorts of things.

I'm not sure what "weapon" you are talking about. The thing Voldemort wanted to get was not a "weapon" it was the Prophecy. Sirius and Lupin were only using "weapon" as an example. The other time a "weapon" was mentioned was when Hermione made up the story about Dumbledore creating a weapon to lure Umbridge into the forest, but that was all an unellaborate trick. Playing on Umbridge's fears and desires, so to speak.

Well, emotions have to be registered by certain areas of our brain to become emotions, really, and thanks to that something that happens around us can make us feel things. Nerves activate receptors and muscles to make us laugh or look scared or angry. So you could say that they do have a certain area in the brain dedicated to them.

It might be the unspeakables but, I am not sure.

Maybe,they are the brains of the people who have died by Lord Voldemort? I dont know just guessing.

There is an area of our brain which processes the chemicals which flow through our bloodstream, I agree. However, if those chemicals are not present in our blood, then they do not reach our brain.

The Brains in the DoM are pure brains. They have no bodies, no glands, no organs. Our brain sends signals to our glands in order for them to begin processisng the chemicals which cause us to "feel" emotions. Without the brain there are no emotions, but without those glands and organs there are no emotions either.

Which is why the "Brain Room" is the room where the Unspeakables study "Human Intelligence" and there is another room devoted to emotion. A room that is always locked. Emotion is more powerful than pure braininess. Emotion has the power to overcome our reasoning.

You know, Long Live The Weasel King, I'm kind of qustioning your theory about the powers behind the locked door are just human emotions. Because every human being can have emotions. Even Voldemort. And in the book it infers that only one person has those powers, and that is Harry himself. So it is probable that those powers are triggered by Harry's emotions but are not emotions themselves. However on the brain deal, I do agree that they are probably just using them to study pure human intelligence.

In the book it´s not stated that only Harry has that power, it´s stated simply that he has it, but not that he´s the only one.

Actually, I don't think the "Power the Dark Lord knows not" has anything to do with the locked door. I think that's a false assumption all of the characters are currently making.

The Prophecy says, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."

The one WITH the power will be BORN. This is a power Harry was born with. The protection his mother later gave him is something else alltogether. Dumbledore tells us what is behind the locked door. He says it is a power that Harry possesses in large quantity and Voldemort has not at all. He tells us that it was that power that forced Voldemort to let Harry go, he could not stand to reside in a body so full of the emotion he detests. In the end Harry's abysmal Occlumency abilities mattered not at all. It was his heart that saved him.

Generally, when someone speaks of "the heart" in that fashion, they are talking about love. There is no question in my mind that the power behind the locked door is love. Dumbledore says it is. However, I broadened this to encompass "positive emotion" because love can take many forms. Love does not always make us happy. Sometimes it can make us depressed, angry, sad, what have you.

Dumbledore also tells us that there is a room where they study "human intelligence." I think the room with a large aquarium full of aquavarius maggots (I mean floating brains) is a likely suspect. Emotions often over rule human intelligence. The most logical, calculating person in the world will react before thinking if they are made angry enough. They study human intelligence through the brain room. The "heart" through the room behind the locked door. By seperating thought from emotion, and emotion from thought, they can understand what makes them different, and how each one affects a being without the filter of the other componant.

well about the brains, you know jk she doesnt put anything in the books if they dont have a reason.

Well, I have to admit, you do prove a pretty good point, Long Live The Weazel King, about the love emotions. And I have to congratulate you on your excellent writing in explaining your reasons, but how could it be love behind the locked door? I'm pretty sure that Voldemort can love. Probably most definitely not like Harry or Dumbledore, but how can that be what would just forse him out of Harry's body? It could even possibly be all loving emotions at the same time. Because Voldemort wasn't forsed out until he thought of Sirius. And when he thought of Sirius, he was sad and he wanted to die himself so that he could be with Sirius, that was hurt emotions.

Hmmm.... they could be trying to figure out how Seers make prophecies, and the Hall of Prophecy is just a record of all known prophecies made.

But Dumbledore tells Harry that one of the things studied in the DoM is "human intelligence" so I still believe that is the purpose of the brains.

As for "Love" being the emotion behind the locked door, that is from what D says as well. "It did not matter that you could not do Occlumency. It was your heart that saved you, Harry."

As for Voldemort being capable of love, that is wrong as well. JK said, when asked that question, something to the effect "Voldemort has never felt love. Infact it is somewhat anethema to his character. He is sort of the 'opposite' of love." Which is a question in the Edinburgh Book Festival transcript on her Official Site. (sorry, you can't post links to her site for some reason )

OK OK, I guess you win on the love thing.

And on that Hall of Prophecy thing I'm very sure that it is just where they store all the prophecies that have been made.

And furthermore I totally agree with you on the "human intelligence" room being the brain room.

(And couldn't you just type in the website and not make a link, cuz I would really like to go to the site.)

Oh ya, and did you really write that I, Voldemort story, Long Live the Weasel King? (you should give yourself a nickname or something so it's not so long just kidding) I have only read a small portion of it, but so far I enjoy it and again think you are an excellent writer.

MOD EDIT : The use of netspeak in the forums is not allowed. Please have a read of our forums rules. It should be "just kidding" not "jk". Your post has been edited.

Ha! Finally I have found someone who shares my theory about the brains having bigger part it the story. When I tryed to discuss this on different Harry Potter web site, they laughed at me. And here you are discussing it since july 04.
I think that the brains are of more significance than it apears to. I mean, Luna was little bit too much excited about them, to be in the story just for bit of comic relief. And furthermore it is my belief that the attack on Ron will not stay without consequences. Maybe it will give him some (I don't know how else to say this) "special powers".Harry is in a way a wizard superhero and Hermione little genius. Ron apart from being cute and very funny doesn't have anything special about him. YET!