What role do the two photos play in the magic that connects Polly with Tom? If I understood the ending correctly, the "Fire and Hemlock" photo is part of the magic that originally enslaved Tom to Laurel, so it must be significant that he gets it out of Hunsdon House and gives it to Polly.
More head-scratching! I thought Laurel wanted Tom, but could only seduce his brother, Charles, and struck a bargain with Charles for Tom's soul. (Polly and Tom have some of the worst family members ever.;)) Charles took the Fire and Hemlock picture, which Tom had originally taken, and a lock of Tom's hair, and gave it to Laurel who enchanted it to gain control of Tom's soul. It's the Obah Crypt, and I'm guessing it must be how she gives him the truth/protection gifts. Polly, the first time she overhears Laurel talking to Tom, is furious because she's bullying him - later on, Polly deliberately goes up against the school bully as part of her hero training - and tricks Tom into taking the picture out of there as payback for Laurel's nastiness, which he is able to do because it truly belonged to him. And then he gives it to her - and so literally gives her his soul to hold onto. Which I presume is why Leroy becomes paranoid about her soon afterwards.
I have some questions of my own: The necklace is an opal and there's a myth that opals brought the gift of fire to mankind. In the essay, DWJ talks about the fire being the imagination and redemption, and the hemlock is a spiritual void. Does Granny give Polly the necklace to try and protect her imagination, and stop them messing with Polly's memories? But I suppose Leroy's magic is far stronger, and so it becomes a kind of tracking device for them to know when Polly is contacting Tom?
The horse. Tom tries to call it up at the end in the duel - because he's calling on his physical strength after the music has failed? - but the horse belongs to Leroy, anyway. And Mary know this, so wouldn't Tom? I don't understand the horse part, though I presume that it was doomed to fail because Leroy is so weak by now that it's just used against Tom.
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More head-scratching! I thought Laurel wanted Tom, but could only seduce his brother, Charles, and struck a bargain with Charles for Tom's soul. (Polly and Tom have some of the worst family members ever.;)) Charles took the Fire and Hemlock picture, which Tom had originally taken, and a lock of Tom's hair, and gave it to Laurel who enchanted it to gain control of Tom's soul. It's the Obah Crypt, and I'm guessing it must be how she gives him the truth/protection gifts. Polly, the first time she overhears Laurel talking to Tom, is furious because she's bullying him - later on, Polly deliberately goes up against the school bully as part of her hero training - and tricks Tom into taking the picture out of there as payback for Laurel's nastiness, which he is able to do because it truly belonged to him. And then he gives it to her - and so literally gives her his soul to hold onto. Which I presume is why Leroy becomes paranoid about her soon afterwards.
I have some questions of my own:
The necklace is an opal and there's a myth that opals brought the gift of fire to mankind. In the essay, DWJ talks about the fire being the imagination and redemption, and the hemlock is a spiritual void. Does Granny give Polly the necklace to try and protect her imagination, and stop them messing with Polly's memories? But I suppose Leroy's magic is far stronger, and so it becomes a kind of tracking device for them to know when Polly is contacting Tom?
The horse. Tom tries to call it up at the end in the duel - because he's calling on his physical strength after the music has failed? - but the horse belongs to Leroy, anyway. And Mary know this, so wouldn't Tom? I don't understand the horse part, though I presume that it was doomed to fail because Leroy is so weak by now that it's just used against Tom.