Vampires in Harry Potter

Discussion for Vampires in Harry Potter (http://www.mugglenet.com/editorials/editorials/kmessier02.shtml) by Katherine Messier.

It's interesting, I like it. Very nicely written, and very well organized and researched. Good job.

I certainly hope you're right, I would love for vampires to play a prominent role in the next two books. I would definitely imagine them to have stong connection with werewolves [both are created somehow from the bite of someone who is already of that 'condition']. I think it's very interesting that the only two times we're about to recieve actual information about vampire's there's an interruption.

I think the "Voldemort as a vampire" theory is starting to make more sense to me. For one, we never see him in the light. And Quirrel had an encounter with a vampire when he was in Europe, perhaps it was Voldemort, after all. I don't believe we ever see Quirrell in the light, either. And since we're unaware of how garlic actually works in warding of vampires, the fact that Quirrell used it to ward of vampires might not actually mean anything. Then there is the drinking of the Unicorn blood....

I don't know if I'm even giving any credibility to what I'm saying myself - but there you half it.

Again, nice job on the editorial.

it would be nice just to read it, the page keeps coming up with a page not found note...

I've fixed the link now, and you should be able to read the editorial with no trouble. Oops!

Nicole

Nice work Katherine!! I'll second an earlier post congratulating you on a nicely researched article *claps and waves*

There has to be a vampire come into view at some point don't you think? If for no other reason than to round out Harry's acquaintance with each of the major classifications of beings ...

I think the "Voldemort as a vampire" theory is starting to make more sense to me. For one, we never see him in the light. And Quirrel had an encounter with a vampire when he was in Europe, perhaps it was Voldemort, after all.

It's funny you said that because I was thinking that exact thing as I was reading that editorial. We are bound to have some Voyages With Vampires at some point during the series, and as interesting as it would be for Snape to be one, I just imagine some other main character - *cough* Voldemort *cough* - being revealed as a vampire.

- K8

It's funny you said that because I was thinking that exact thing as I was reading that editorial. We are bound to have some Voyages With Vampires at some point during the series, and as interesting as it would be for Snape to be one, I just imagine some other main character - *cough* Voldemort *cough* - being revealed as a vampire.

- K8

In terms of guessing who or when we might see a vampire; I have a theory that Professor Sinistra might be a candidate. There's nothing to say that an Astronomy Professor need be a witch or wizard after all.

Sinistra's name derivation has her holding a serpent 'by the tail', so I'm thinking that we'll be seeing a little more of her in books 6/7.

I like the idea that we might have had a vampire under our noses all along, and that she may be a key (voluntarily or not) in helping the good guys achieve a tactical victory on the rocky road to vanquishing Lord Voldemort, perhaps late in book 6.

If interested, the link below has the relevant predictions and theory:
http://p196.ezboard.com/facmcfrm22.showMessage?topicID=1.topic

Lady Alchymia---what a great idea! Prof. Sinistra is an almost perfect candidate! We rarely see her (she's been kept in the background of the story very much, and some epople don't even know who she is--- yet we hear quite a bit about the subject she teaches.) She's only seen at night (being Astronomy Professor and all) and as you said, you don't need to necessarily be magical in order to teach astronomy...

And just think of the other kinds of teachers Dumbledore has been known to hire...

Anyway, great observation and idea!

I don't doubt that this omission is an accident, and I think that Snape being a vampire is unlikely (all those students, and no deaths unaccounted for!), but I find this interesting all the same.
If there is a potion to help Werewolves, why couldn't there be one for Vampires?
Anyway, good editorial! I sure hope one of the characters turn out to be a vampire coughsnapecough, but i never thought of prof Sinistra, good theory.

If there is a potion to help Werewolves, why couldn't there be one for Vampires?
Anyway, good editorial! I sure hope one of the characters turn out to be a vampire coughsnapecough, but i never thought of prof Sinistra, good theory.

After the third movie, I am positive snape is a vampire. Remember, how he shuts all the windows and turns off the lights when he substitute teaches for everyone. That scene was cool..how he automatically turned the pages to 394 for all :). He is seen in the day, but is very greasy. He never sleeps. Whenever harry is prowling in the nighttime, he runs into snape. There must be a reason for it. I think that perhaps vampires are not all bad, they too, like werewolves were bitten and can't control themselves. But perhaps thats why snape is so good in potions. He can brew his potions to help him.

My money's on Pomfrey for the Vamp. In PoA Lupin makes an off comment about how she'll "have my blood" if he doesn't do something for her and she's never pictured outside except in GoF 1st task when she's under a tent.

Jo has said repeatedly that Snape does not have a connection to vampires, so any vampires we see will NOT be Snape. I have no doubt we will see them though, as they have been mentioned so many times. Remember how we heard about werewolves long before we met Lupin? It's like Jo is getting us ready, getting us aware that there are vampires in her world, so we don't all roll our eyes when she pops one out at us. She can bring in stuff like Thestrals no problem in just one book, but vampires are so popular that it makes sense she'd want to introduce the idea ahead of time. And I figure her vampires will be fairly traditional, since her werewolves are.

Traditional werewolves are: perfectly ordinary people bitten by werewolves, they transform into rampaging beasts on the full moon. That's Lupin to a 'T' except he also will self-mutilate if denied Wolfsbane, animagus companions, or human prey.

Traditional vampires are reanimated corpses (or, possibly in Jo's world, people who have gone into comas and come back as vampires). Vampires seem to be accepted more by wizard society, being protected by the law, offered special lollipops, etc. But centaurs and merpeople don't want to be classified with them and Rita Skeeter thinks they should be stamped out. So they may also be victims of prejudice. Dumbledore definitely will want them on his side, and I like the idea of Sinistra being one. Unlike Snape, we've never seen her in the sun, and we don't know much about her. I wonder if Harry will get into the NEWT class she teaches. I doubt he will, but the test was rudely interrupted, after all. Hmm.

It was a very well written article. You did a lot of work referencing all the instances of vampires in the books. Your conclusion does fit with JK's style. She mentions vampires enough to suggest that we are going to see one or more than one. I doubt if any of the main characters are vampires with the possible exception of Voldemort.
Evidence to support Voldemort as vampire: Allowing himself to be bitten by a vampire in order to achieve immortality would fit with the story. He drinks unicorn blood.
Evidence to support the theory that he is not a vampire: if he had become a vampire to achieve immortality, than why would he have to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. He doesn't drink human blood.

JK hasn't really left too many clues as to what character may actually be a vampire. She is just going to surprise us again.

I was going to give in favor of Snape being a vampire this quote from Katherine:

7: Hermione shuts Voyages with Vampires "with a snap." (76) because Snape closes doors with a "snap" and "snaps" at people, and snap sounds like Snape...

BUT, helas, Snape is magical, and vampires are non-magical, apparently. That would have been a nice little revenge thing between him and Lupin: Lupin teaches students about vampires, Snape teaches students about werewolves... Oh, well...

The article is well-written, and well-researched. Good job. Can't wait to see a vampire, and see how Rowling will portray such a being. The presence of blood lollypops would seem to indicate there is something endearing, childish, about vampires? They like candy...

BUT, helas, Snape is magical, and vampires are non-magical, apparently.
If it is true that vampires are non-magical, than that lets out Voldemort, Sinistra, and a whole lot of known characters.

My money's on Pomfrey for the Vamp. In PoA Lupin makes an off comment about how she'll "have my blood" if he doesn't do something for her and she's never pictured outside except in GoF 1st task when she's under a tent.

Ooh, what an interesting reference! 'have my blood'...

The only thing with Pomfrey is that doesn't she accompany child Lupin for seven years to the Shrieking Shack before each full moon, then goes and collects him the next morning? Mind you, she could certainly take him after dusk and pick him up before dawn - but some full moons occur during the day ... so, not sure on this one. Could be ...

If it is true that vampires are non-magical, than that lets out Voldemort, Sinistra, and a whole lot of known characters.

I imagine there could be cases of witches and wizards being turned into vampires (just as a wizard - Lupin - was turned into a werewolf - and just as a Muggle might be turned into a werewolf).

I think it's more that a vampire need not be magical rather than they cannot be ... but then again, who knows what exact rules Rowling has for her vampire mythology.

And Sinistra may very well just be a normal witch (my theory is fairly speculative lol), but I still think that Astronomy probably doesn't require magic. We certainly have a non-wizard Professor at the moment in Firenze the Centaur.

A question I have is what kind of powers will Vampires have in HP? If the only thing they do would be to drink blood and 'turn' people then I don't see why they couldn't have magical powers, but if they have other powers like Dracula (turning into a bat) or 'Buffy-esque' (second face, fighting ability, generally being really fast and powerful) then wouldn't being immortal, plus any of these other powers, PLUS magical ability make Vampires the most powerful creatures, even more powerful than wizards? Unless every wizard and his dog carried around a stake, garlic and a cross then running into a Vampire in the middle of the night would be almost definate death or becoming one of them. So if they have powers other than immortality I don't think they would have magical ability, which rules out Snape, Sinistra and definately Voldemort. But you never know.

where does JKR say that Snape isnt a vampire. I would like know i havent seen it. curious. All i saw was someone asked a question, but wasnt a well thought out one, and gave her wiggle room. She answered Er, I dont think so. and depending on how she answered that is important. Was she smiling mening she was lying, but anyways if i can remember she didnt really answer it definitively.
If Snape isnt a vampire, then he a BAT animagus or something.
the 3rd movie did it.
when Snape caught Harry at night in the hallway, after Lupin left with Harry, the ghost in the painting said "What are you DEAF? Turn off that light." Hint Hint
Then when Hermione and Harry were sitting and waiting for the others to come out of the WHomping willow, they never saw Snape go into it, and a bunch of BATS went by towards the willow. HINT HINT
the way he dresses, shutting the windows , classroom in the dungeon.

Then all the references in the book, A TON.
Quirrell said he swoops around like an overgrown BAT
RON mentioned it jokingly, when he jokes he is right.
etc .....
ALL these clues arent there for nothing. We ll find out in 6th Book, it will be about Snape quite a bit.

Snape appears in too many outdoor events to be a vampire. The two tasks in Goblet of Fire, the dragon thing and the underwater thing were both outdoors in the day. The Quidditch matches are in daylight. Don't vampires hide in their coffin during the day and only come out at night? Let's not miss the obvious here. Besides, JK said that Snape wasn't a vampire. Sure, it was one of her trademark sarcastic answers that people love to interpret in different ways, but bottom line, there is no reason to have a story line that includes Snape as a vampire.

I'm exploring this in my work-in-progress fanfic "Bat in my Belfry". Here are some rules I came up with, based on a mishmash of folklores, which I will address at one point or another.

1. Vampires can move about in the daytime as long as they avoid direct sunlight, thought they are weaker.

2. When vampires do sleep, it needs to be in a coffin with at least a pinch of soil from where they turned (not all vamps are buried first).

3. Vampires do drink blood as their primary nourishment. Preferably mamalian blood, though avian blood will do in a pinch.

4. All vampires gain a hypnotism ability, which is a sort of a cross between the Imperius curse and Leglimency. This works best against whatever gender the vampire in question is normally attracted to. A vampire has to have been a wizard first in order to use any other type of magic, though they'll no longer need a wand (i.e. turning into a bat = animagus).

5. Vampires also have great relative striength and can move almost impossibly fast. They also have hightened senses and can stick to most surfaces.

6. Vampires are immortal if left alone, and they will never age past the age they turned. Only their eyes tell their true age.

7. A stake made from wood native to the vampire's birthplace driven through the heart will kill a vampire.

8. They are extremely allergic to garlic not unlike an allergy many people have to penuts. If garlic is ingested, they will die if they do not feed immedeately after. Most vampires stay away from garlic altogether to avoid the risk, which is why it's effective as a warding cham.

9. As not all vampires are christian, crosses have absolutely no effect, though they will respect holy ground of any faith.

10. The only thing silver does is make vampires laugh and remind the person that it only works on werewolves.

11. A vampire can heal from any wound unless it deals with the brain. If the head is separated from the body or the brain rendered useless in any other way, the vampire dies.

12. Though vampires rarely forget people who crossed them, in all but the most dire cases they prefer to not do anything and let the offender live out his/her days in fear.

13. In order to turn, one needs to die from being drained by a vampire. If the victim's brain is in any way disconencted from the rest of the body, the victim will just die outright and not turn (i.e. if the neck is broken, the victim is decapitated, or the head blown off with a shotgun).

14. Vampires are very resistant to potions (i.e. Veritaserum) and curses. Being already dead, they can shrug off Avada Kadavra like an amusement park ride.

That's what I came up with and I think it works. Read the fic if you like. I only have the first four chapters up right now, though there will be more to come.

Yours is a very well written editorial, it's evident you've done a lot of research looking for every little piece on vampires in the books. I think it's very possible that we'll see vampires in the next books, after all the hints Jo has given us. She rarely gives pieces of information without reason and I don't think this will be the exception.
I don't think that any of Hogwarts' teachers is a vampire (least of all Snape, after all Jo has said). If Jo's vampires are the traditional ones, as I think, then it's not the same than werevolves. Werevolves are only dangerous to people once in a month, whereas vampires feed on people daily. They seem much more dangerous to me, and even though Dumbledore has proved he doesn't mind hiring dangerous teachers, I really don't believe he'd take that risk. Unless there's a potion for vampires like the one Lupin drinks, but I doubt it. Anyway, it's an interesting subject to debate.
Bye!

Nice editorial.

I agree with my other posters in saying that Snape is not a vampire. I think if the world has progressed enough to make a Wolfsbane potion, then it could make a Vampire potion thing. Also, if any of you have seen Blade, you know that he is half-human and half-vampire. He takes a potion/blood thingy that keeps him from turning into a full-fledged vampire.

In Van Helsing, it said that werewolves can kill vampires.

It would be interesting if Sinistra or someone else was a vampire :) Doesn't the bloody baron live near the Astronomy Tower? The Astronomy Tower is off-limits except for classes. I wonder why?

Meghana

That was a good editorial.

Something I have been thinking for awhile, how vampires have just been forever lurking in the background...they have to come into play somehow. I like the idea of Sinistra being a vamp...but I don't see how it would be good for the story-telling and Harry will probably not be taking Astronomy NEWT classes, after his messed-up OWL.

I think vampires might be in that army of fearsome creatures Voldy is building up, and it'd be interesting to come face-to-face with them in battle. See what they're really like, in Jo's world.

I think vampires might be in that army of fearsome creatures Voldy is building up, and it'd be interesting to come face-to-face with them in battle. See what they're really like, in Jo's world.
Good thinking! I had been wondering about the army of fearsome creatures - this is a possibilty!

I think this was a very interesting editorial. I agree with Lady Alchymia that Professor Sinistra could be a vampire. It is interesting because the class that she teached is in the middle of the NIGHT and the Astronomy Tower is closed during the day. Interesting... :huh:

Sorry to disagree lupin 27, but a silver bullet properly used can dispel the demon from the corpse and , going off the beloved Bram Stoker, they do visably age but they deage with the drinking of blood, Draculas mustaches was noticed by Jonathon to be less grey than the day previously and there was blood on Dracula's lip.

Interestingly, what if someone we already know and love is turned into a vampire and terrorises the tremendous trio?
Maybe Neville. :evil:

Just read your fic, awesome! :wow: :tu:
Yay Ron n Hermione! :love:

I think this an awesome editoral and it gos innto great detail. I think that Professor Sinistra is a vampir but this fact will probally not come to be very important unless Dumbledor wants them to be on his side. Its true that the Astrnomy tower is closed during the day and open at night alowing her to kept people away while she is sleeping, i guess. It makes sence that she the astronmy teacher because it dosn't take much if any magic at all to teach Astronmy, Since muggles take it in thre schools as well.

Good editorial!

However, I don't think vampires are reanimated corpses. It could be some kind of disease transferred from bats and other vampires. I'm guessing that a Vampire retains its humanity somewhat, as Hagrid had a slight disagreement with a Vampire at a pub in Minsk, and I don't really think that he went into a fist fight with the fellow. Also, they are not outlawed so much as centaurs and merpeople, like somebody said. Lastly, no spell can awaken the dead, and reanimated corpse or not, the Vampire does live.

I dont think it is very smart to take facts and rules about vampires from movies like Van Helsing or Blade, or series like Buffy/Angel Since they make their own rules, to form their stories in their best interest.

I think it is interesting if Jo will refere to vampires like the typical Dracula-vampire or the original Vampire of east-european history which is much more brutish and who can feed on everything that comes in its way. Also here vampires are not necesearaly bitten but can be born vampires

Hello Neco,
I hope this is not a stupid question, but if vanpires are born vanpires then what kind of parents would they have to have? I also wonder about vanpire's children (not just the kind you mentioned) because that would be interesting to know if the vanpires in JK Rowling's story would be able to have children or not. Mabey even some kids Hogwarts are vanpires (I know it's a strech, but you never know).

I think that this a very well thought out, and well researched editorial.
There is one thing that bothered me about it.
A vampire, at least as far as all the vampire lore that I have ever read (which is a great deal :evil: ), is NOT a reanimated corpse. To be a corpse, one would have to die. A vampire is one of the UNdead. In most, though maybe not all, vampire tales, the "victim" is nearly drained of their own blood Then he/she must either drink of the vampires, or another victims, blood immediately, or they will die.
I know it could be argued that during the transformation process the newly created vampire technically dies, but that is after he is turned, and not before. This still would not make them a reanimated corpse, because reanimation is the proccess of bringing a cropse back to life. The most famous of these creatures are zombies, and Frankenstein's monster.

Thanks for your time,
AllieTonks25 :gryff:[/COLOR]

I think that this a very well thought out, and well researched editorial.
There is one thing that bothered me about it.
A vampire, at least as far as all the vampire lore that I have ever read (which is a great deal ), is NOT a reanimated corpse. To be a corpse, one would have to die. A vampire is one of the UNdead. In most, though maybe not all, vampire tales, the "victim" is nearly drained of their own blood Then he/she must either drink of the vampires, or another victims, blood immediately, or they will die.
I know it could be argued that during the transformation process the newly created vampire technically dies, but that is after he is turned, and not before. This still would not make them a reanimated corpse, because reanimation is the proccess of bringing a cropse back to life. The most famous of these creatures are zombies, and Frankenstein's monster.

I love Vampire stories - and I've seen that different authors make different kinds of Vampires - for example, Ann Ryce makes her Vampires virtually indestructable - her vampires are also dead. She calls it 'mortal death'. The way I see it, when human blood is drained and Vampire blood filled, you 'die' but the vampire blood keeps your body from rotting, and so you are technically a corpse, which can walk, talk, etc. [ Of course Ann Ryce's Vampire blood also makes you super-sexy ! ]. It's like you die, but don't leave your body and start life as a new being.

But really, my point is different authors make vampires to their own suiting.

However, I have a feeling JKR doesn't like Vampires - and it's likely that we won't meet any.:(

http://www.geocities.com/kosalaprasanna/Slyth.jpg

The biggest problem with modern vampire tales is that they are all greatly inspired by Bram Stokers Dracula, who brings in things about vampires that they do not have...
For example that a vampire cant be seen in a mirror is purely an invention of stoker.

Vampires from old east european folklore, where most often family members who came back to prey on their relatives...

You could be born a Vampire if you where born with teth, and if you where not baptised you you where in great risk of becoming a Vampire after death...

I dont think it is very smart to take facts and rules about vampires from movies like Van Helsing or Blade, or series like Buffy/Angel Since they make their own rules, to form their stories in their best interest.

Very good point. And Anne Rice's vampires and the vampires of White Wolf have other sets of rules and must also be considered as their myths are very popular nowadays. In many myths as well the original ones, (eastern-european) vampires have no problems being out during daytime. In some myths vampires can even tolerate direct sunlight for a short time if they have just fed, or if they are old/-powerful enough. I have studied vampire myths for many years as I have always had a huge fascination for them, and believe me, there is no fascit when it comes to vampires, so saying Snape can't be a vampire because he's been seen out during daytime doesn't hold water :)
I truly believe we will at some time meet a vampire in the books or else there wouldn't have been so much talk about them. Snape comes to mind because of all the bat references, all his night wanderings, his high skills in occulmency and legimency (powers often connected with vampires) because Lupin gave them that Vampire essay after this argument with Snape (sounded to me like a major hint) and the way he is described and also portraied in the movies. I read that JKR had informed Rickman about who Snape was, his personality etc. to help him build the character. And Rickman portrais him as a vampire in my eyes. Just look at the media photos from PoA. Lastly, have you seen JKR's own drawing of Snape? He looks like a classic vampire.
So I'm not willing to rule out the possibility that Snape is a vampire...yet.

Excellent points Elise! Would you be able to list what you think are the standard characteristics of an original genre vampire?

I truly believe we will at some time meet a vampire in the books or else there wouldn't have been so much talk about them. Snape comes to mind because of all the bat references, all his night wanderings, his high skills in occulmency and legimency (powers often connected with vampires) because Lupin gave them that Vampire essay after this argument with Snape (sounded to me like a major hint) and the way he is described and also portraied in the movies. I read that JKR had informed Rickman about who Snape was, his personality etc. to help him build the character. And Rickman portrais him as a vampire in my eyes. Just look at the media photos from PoA. Lastly, have you seen JKR's own drawing of Snape? He looks like a classic vampire.
So I'm not willing to rule out the possibility that Snape is a vampire...yet.
JK said that Snape was not a vampire. It was in one of the more recent interviews that she said it.

JK said that Snape was not a vampire. It was in one of the more recent interviews that she said it.
Allright, -if she actually said it straight out in those words I will believe it, for as far as I know the woman has never straight out lied. The former answers were very wolly. In that case I don't understand all the hints she has given in the books that makes so many of us believe that he IS a vampire. Unless she mislead us on purpose. Bats must have something to do with Snape, or else much of remarks in the books make no sense as we all know by now that this is how JKR loves to hint on things that will be revealed in later books. Maybe his boggart is one? Maybe he has met a horrible vampire that had the ability to turn into a bat at one time and now this is his worse fear? Lol, I don't know. We'll see. I am at least positive that a vampire will make an appearance sometime son and fairly positive that Snape has some connection with bats :)

Here is the vampire quote from the World Book Day chat:
"Megan: Is there a link between Snape and vampires?
JK Rowling replies -> Erm... I don't think so. "

I know that this is one of her answers that people like to interpret in different ways, but I interpret it as - no.

As far as all the hints in the books, I wasn't seeing those either. I always thought that Snape was pale because he spent most of his time in the dungeons. Off hand, I can't think of any bat references, so they must not have made much of an impression on me. If a vampire comes into the story, it won't be Snape.

Here is the vampire quote from the World Book Day chat:
"Megan: Is there a link between Snape and vampires?
JK Rowling replies -> Erm... I don't think so. "

I know that this is one of her answers that people like to interpret in different ways, but I interpret it as - no.

As far as all the hints in the books, I wasn't seeing those either. I always thought that Snape was pale because he spent most of his time in the dungeons. Off hand, I can't think of any bat references, so they must not have made much of an impression on me. If a vampire comes into the story, it won't be Snape.
Ah yes, so she still hasn't said straight out that he isn't a vampire. Yes, that was the very wolly answer I was talking about. That can just mean that he has nothing to DO with vampires. He can still be one, or a half-vampire for that matter. Remember, the question wasn't: Is Snape a vampire? The answer
can be read in many ways, just like the profecy ;)
As for bat references thare are plenty, so many that it was obvious she was hinting at something, but like I said it can just as well mean that he has a bat boggart, has a batanimagus or something like that. Let me refresh your memory, this is just a few of the bat references:

-"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat."
-In book 4, Harry says "Not unless he (Snape) can turn himself into a bat or something", and Ron responds "Wouldn't put it past him." (and when Ron jokes about something, he very often hits the nail on the head)
-Quirrel called Snape an "overgrown BAT". ("Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat.

I guess these references hit me in the face because I have been studying vampire myths for years. Also all the mentioning of vampires through out the series makes it kindof obvious that one will be introduced soon. I just thought that Snape was the obvious choice, especially as Luping gave the class a vampire essay after Snape had giving them one about werewolves. It looked so much like a revenge to me

Wouldn't Snape BEING a vampire count as a link between him and vampires? Give them a little something in common?

Sirius says that Snape was always up to his eyeballs in dark magic. We also have Harry writing to Sirius at the beginning of GOF:

I'm okay; mainly because the Dursleys are terrified you might turn up and turn them all into bats if I ask you to.

We had Barty Crouch jr (in the guise of Moody) turn Draco Malfoy into a ferret - something that tickled Ron's fancy marvellously.

Snape was very unpopular and the Marauders were working very hard at learning how to transfigure things (studying hard to become Animagi).

What if Sirius or James (as one of their nasty schoolboy pranks) actually transfigured Snape into a bat?

It could have been a very public prank (Sirius and James would have wanted a big audience), and it might have gained snickering notoriety all over the school at the time. And so this transfiguration might have been witnessed or gossiped about by ghosts and portraits and contemporaries like Quirrell (who might have been a few years below Sirius at school), Barty Crouch jr, and Regulus (the latter two seemed to be in the 18-21 age group at the time of the Potter’s deaths).

Maybe Snape was left as a bat until McGonagall or Dumbledore (or Pomfrey even?) heard about it and transfigured him back again?

Snape and McGonagall seem to have a certain mutual respect, and I can easily see McGonagall trying to calm Snape down after any such incident and going off her nut at the culprits (and Snape seeing this and feeling grudging respect for her as a result).

In fact, McGonagall has said that Potter and Black were a real handful (worse even than the Weasley twins). And add to this McGonagall’s abhorrence of the fake Moody turning Malfoy into a ferret (she is quite shocked and appalled in fact – but mainly because it is a teacher doing it).

Of course, this is just an idea, but it would help explain all the bat references without necessarily having a vampire association as well.

Then again - just a ticklish notion - but what if Snape at some point day dreamed of being a vampire? A way of empowering himself – to overcome his father perhaps? Or to overcome anyone *cough Marauders cough* who wants to mess with him?

LOL - I just love the notion of him being a teenage vampire wannabee ROFL

Wouldn't Snape BEING a vampire count as a link between him and vampires? Give them a little something in common?
It's the way JKR answers that makes me suspisious. Because that's the way you answer when you don't want to give a definate answer to a question. She has had plenty of other direct questions that she has answered with a simple YES or NO. Why not this one then? See my point? And this is exactely why I'm not willing to let go of this theory just yet ;)

Snape was very unpopular and the Marauders were working very hard at learning how to transfigure things (studying hard to become Animagi).

What if Sirius or James (as one of their nasty schoolboy pranks) actually transfigured Snape into a bat?

It could have been a very public prank (Sirius and James would have wanted a big audience), and it might have gained snickering notoriety all over the school at the time. And so this transfiguration might have been witnessed or gossiped about by ghosts and portraits and contemporaries like Quirrell (who might have been a few years below Sirius at school), Barty Crouch jr, and Regulus (the latter two seemed to be in the 18-21 age group at the time of the Potter’s deaths).

Maybe Snape was left as a bat until McGonagall or Dumbledore (or Pomfrey even?) heard about it and transfigured him back again?

That's actually a very good theory! I can easily go along with that one :) That would very well explain the bat reference. Maybe the Marauders too saw his likness to bats and this is why Sirius or James did it? If this is what happened I can very well believe my theory that his boggart is a bat too :)
Yes, like I said, all the bat references doesn't need to hint that Snape is a vampire, but it DOES hint that he has something to do with bats. Good one Lady Alchymia!
Still, I'm sure we will see a vamp in book 6 or 7, -there have been too much talk about them not to be a hint. But it may of course be someone other than Snape, I suggested him mainly because of the bat references and the vampire essay set by Lupin :)

All that modern people think of vampires, are directly influenced by Bram Stokers Dracula, and most modern stories keep to the rules that Van Hellsing sets there...

1 Vampires are Nocturnal, they can move around in daylight but loose a great deal of their powers

2 Vampires have extraordinary strength and speed

3 Vampires cant be reflected by a mirror

4 Vampires can comand other beings of the night, for example werewolfs

5 Vampires are shapeshifters who can transform themselves into wolves and bats etc. they can turn themselves into a mist and change their size

6 Vampires are potentially immortal, they cant die by age og sickness

7 Vampires cant enter a house without being invited

8 Vampires will react allergig to Crosses, holy water and garlic

9 Vampires can be killed by getting their heart impalled, being beheaded or burned

10 Vampires are soulless creatures without conscience or remorse

Hmm... well, I myself am very into vampires, being a fan of Buffy/Angel, Anne Rice, and Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. I'm not sure that vampires will be important in the next book, but I truly hope that they will be.

http://www.mugglenet.com/editorials/editorials/edit-kmessier02.shtml

updated working link.

In my mind, it is unquestionable that vampires are part of Voldemort's "army of Dark creatures whom all fear." After all, we know that vampires are considered Dark creatures (10) and we know that they are feared. I hope they will make an appearance in future books, perhaps as part of this army, so we can learn more and get a first-hand account from Harry about them. What I most want to know, even more than what I mentioned above, is whether vampires have magical powers in the HP world, and if so, what kind and how strong.

Vampire references in

Half-blood Prince:

20. Luna Lovegood claimed that the former Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, was a vampire. A story her father was supposed to publish in the magazine The Quibbler. Harry believes the authenticity of this claim is questionable, however, as The Quibbler has a reputation for publishing unlikely and outrageous stories.

21. Sanguini, a vampire who attended a Slug Club Christmas Party a guest of Eldred Worple. Hes the first and only canon vampire in Harry Potter. The tall, emaciated man had dark shadows under his eyes and looked bored with the party until a nearby group of girls attracted his attention. Worple tried to distract him from the girls by shoving a pastry into his mouth. Eldred Worple mentioned Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires a book he wrote about his experiences living among Vampires.

there aren't any vampire references in deathly hallows, correct me if I'm wrong.