The Phoenix

[FrodoFriend]

One of the things I noticed when watching the second movie was that the statue in front of the stairway leading to Dumbledore's office is a phoenix. Now, I remember that in the book it was a gargoyle, and I wondered why they would change such an apparently inconsequential thing.

So I got to thinking about it a little, and I realized that the phoenix could easily be a symbol for much of what happens in the books. The phoenix arises from the ashes, reborn out of destruction. And there's sort of a cycle going on here - Voldemort is defeated and rises again, Harry and Co. arrive at Hogwart's and leave again in the same pattern every year, etc. There are more examples that I won't type out now.

Anyway, I thought it was interesting, and in my opinion this is a key element. Perhaps in the coming books Voldemort will almost win, and only on the brink of destruction will the good guys save the day. Or maybe Harry really is the heir of Gryffindor, thus showing yet another cycle of rebirth.

Any thoughts/further examples of a cyclical nature?