Nicolas Flamel

[Radagast The Brown]

Nicholas, or Nicolas, Flamel was a French alchemist who lived in the fifteenth century. His life is no myth: his house in Paris, built in 1407, still stands, at 51 rue de Montmorency, where it has been made into a restaurant. His deeds, though, are the stuff of legend.

Flamel is supposed to have been the most accomplished of the European alchemists. It is claimed that he succeeded at the two magical goals of alchemy supposed to have been the chief aims of that pseudoscience: he made the Philosopher's Stone that turns lead into gold, and he and his wife Perenelle achieved immortality. I don't suppose it's a coincidence? :p See, I just looked in a history book and was amazed to find that in 1383 Nicolas Flamel published a book about how to make other metals to gold.

Just thought it was interesting. :)

[inked]

No, and it is not coincidental that Nicolas and his wife are genuine alchemists who partnered with Dumbledore and especially NOT a coincidence that they voluntarily lay down their lives by ending the Philosopher's Stone - a true mark of the meaning beyond merely transmutation of matter!

[Nurvingiel]

I agree with you Inked, few things turn out to be coincidences in Harry Potter. That was a very meaningful action on their part too.

When did the Statute of Secrecy come in to effect? Did Flamel break the statute by publishing his book? Or did he do it as a Muggle?

[Minielin]

...they voluntarily lay down their lives by ending the Philosopher's Stone - a true mark of the meaning beyond merely transmutation of matter! Excellent point, one that bears mention on other threads as well, perhaps? :)

[Radagast The Brown]

No, and it is not coincidental that Nicolas and his wife are genuine alchemists who partnered with Dumbledore and especially NOT a coincidence that they voluntarily lay down their lives by ending the Philosopher's Stone - a true mark of the meaning beyond merely transmutation of matter!I don't think I understand... Nicolas Flamel was an alchemist, not only in the books of Harry Potter, but in the 14th century. I don't think there was really a person named Dumbeldore then who was his friend, or that they actually made the Philosopher's stone.... so I don't think I understand how does what you said have connects to the topic.. ?

I don't think you understood (after rereading Nurvingiels' post) - It's not from a site of Harry Potter, or one of the books - it's the reality. :D He really was an alchemist. He was French, so his name should be said as 'Nicola' if you said 'Nicolas' till now. :)

[Pytt]

I had heard about him before the HP books, belive it or not.
I can't remeber where though. just remember the name from somewhere.

[Wayfarer]

Nicholas Flamel is one of those famous 'freaky stuff' cases that just won't go away, even though there's never qute enough evidence to prove it.

In the 14th century he published a book claiming that he had created the philosophers stone. He and his wife later dissapeared, but have supposedly reappeared under several other names.

[inked]

Radagast, my answer was within the corpus of the HP series. No confusion, just referencing the use to which I allege JKR put these characters in her book. It is interesting of course that there is a historical antecedent by the same name and with some of the same characteristics. But recognizing the usage is fun, and not coincidental. Also, if alchemy is a Christian variant under symbolic terms, then the true achievement of the book characters is their perfection of character, not their transmutation of metals!

[ItalianLegolas]

there was this discovery channel special on once when the movies came out, it was something like 'The Real Story Behind harry Potter' or something like that...

[barrelrider110]

I had heard about him before the HP books, belive it or not.
I can't remeber where though. just remember the name from somewhere.
There's no doubt that JK Rowling did her homework. Successful fantasy has an element of credability to it. Tolkien achieved the same in a different way- his fantasy world was complete to the most minute detail. Rowling is particularly adept at drawing us in that get the feeling as Pytt does that you've been here before.

[ItalianLegolas]

Tolkien had unbelievable credability in his works, if we didn't know the almost complete history of the earth, it could be real *sigh* wish it was

[Radagast The Brown]

Tolkien had unbelievable credability in his works, if we didn't know the almost complete history of the earth, it could be real *sigh* wish it wasNo it can't. :) Can you believe there was magic in the past? And elves? And dwarves? And that the sun in a flower of a tree, carried by a maia?
There are differences between that and the Bible too, if you're religious... It's more imaginative... there aren't that many miracles in the Bible... miracles or 'magic' of some kind. (the magic is always by God, too.)

[barrelrider110]

unbelievable credability

Now there's an oxymoron for you!

[inked]

How about the verisimilitude was achieved in nearly unbelievable detail lending enormous credibility to the "secondary creation" of Tolkien. :)

[ItalianLegolas]

:confused: I meant it as in, awesome credability. my grammar isn't that good, leave me alone *sniff* :( :D

[Rían]

Now there's an oxymoron for you!*hee hee!* That's right!

[Pytt]

hey, you! Don't use so difficult words. I don't understand a bit. Oxymoron? versimilsked..verislemleid.. yeah, that Inked said. I have a dictonary, yes, but is there need to scorn us who don't have english as a mother language? ;)

[inked]

Ja, Pytt. Das es gut! Veri- de Latin veres (E. truth) + simil - de Latin similus (E. like or as) + -tude de Latin ? (E. state or being) = state or being of like or as the truth: verisimilitude. Comprehende, senor? :p

[Pytt]

Sehr gut :)