Bob, Harry and the secret of Bonnie

[toodeep]

At the end of White Night we learn that Bob can literally see Harry's soul.  He can see that Harry lost some soul to Lash, and received some energy back from Murph in a hug or something.  And we're supposed to believe that he couldn't see a spiritual entity growing inside Harry for years?  That seems.... unlikely.  So why did he never tell Harry about the spirit creature that could kill Harry if not dealt with properly?

I believe that it has to do with the future time travel.  I think when future spirit-Harry comes back in time, he will have a talk to Bob and order him to never tell his self about the creature.  But here's my question, do you think Bob will be able to talk about it now that Bonnie is out?  If so, that might give away that he was ordered, which would give away time travel Harry, so I doubt that he will bring it up.  (probably told to not do anything to give away time-travel Harry's actions)  But how good is he at bluffing?

I suspect the knights might sit this book out, so since Butters still has Bob, we might not see him this book, but its an interesting thought.  I think there is no way at all that Bob doesn't know about Bonnie.

[nadia.skylark]

I think when future spirit-Harry comes back in time, he will have a talk to Bob and order him to never tell his self about the creature.

But why would future!Harry do that?

[peregrine]

It's entirely plausible that being able to see Harry's soul doesn't mean Bob can see Bonnie.  She is after all, not Harry.  Any more than you can eyeball congenital issues by looking at the mother.  And sometimes you can't even tell she's pregnant at all.

[prince lotore]

also bob has only done it once. If bob could see a hug he could see other things that the perv part of him would bring up. I think its more likely that its something bob has to choose to do and because he doesn't have a soul he doesn't bother to look at others too often.

[Mira]

   Bob is a dirty horny old spirit, I am willing to be that he will hit on her and Harry won't be happy about it.

[BobbyWac]

in response to why Harry would do that, it could have to do with things that happened that bonnie needs to have first hand knowledge of, gained from being in his head. And there's no reason it would come up unless Harry has the same revelation and gets a chance to ask Bob about it. That being said, he's had similar musings about things he needs to ask Bob about that we never seem him ask about.

[forumghost]

   Bob is a dirty horny old spirit, I am willing to be that he will hit on her and Harry won't be happy about it.

Yeah, but Bonnie is a kid, so probably not.

More concerning is the fact that he'd probably introduce her to his taste in literature.

[pcpoet]

truth is that bonnie is not Dresdens  child. harry was just the host for bonnie to grow in '''' drum role  ''''''////'''''   the father is Bob. . lash and bob had a affair  and bonnie is the result.

[toodeep]

But why would future!Harry do that?

Help conserve the history of the timeline.  Avoid paradox, that kind of thing.

[toodeep]

It's entirely plausible that being able to see Harry's soul doesn't mean Bob can see Bonnie.  She is after all, not Harry.  Any more than you can eyeball congenital issues by looking at the mother.  And sometimes you can't even tell she's pregnant at all.

Ya, but Bob can see the spirit world, which means he sees all these things all the time.  He can see Harry's spirit all the time.  There is no way he shouldn't have seen such a powerful cosmic hitchhiker in there.

[toodeep]

Yeah, but Bonnie is a kid, so probably not.

But is she?  She knows more than any other kid, and can learn perfectly almost instantly.  Very similar to the Archive.  I find spirits of intellect confusing because knowledge is power, but knowledge can be shared without losing anything.  Literally, Harry could order Bob to share all his knowledge with Bonnie and she would become more powerful, and he would not become less powerful.  Its not like energy.

[toodeep]

truth is that bonnie is not Dresdens  child. harry was just the host for bonnie to grow in '''' drum role  ''''''////'''''   the father is Bob. . lash and bob had a affair  and bonnie is the result.

I don't think this works both because of what we are told in the books, and because of what I expect in the future - namely, the understanding with Zeus when we run into the Greek gods that they've been through the same thing, and a comparison of some sort between Bonnie and Athena - an obvious spirit of intellect that sprang directly from her father's brow.  The comparison is just too awesome to not make, that there is a divine intellect spirit running around out there.

[nadia.skylark]

Ya, but Bob can see the spirit world, which means he sees all these things all the time.  He can see Harry's spirit all the time.  There is no way he shouldn't have seen such a powerful cosmic hitchhiker in there.

Well, if it's like a normal pregnancy, it probably wouldn't show at first. Harry got pregnant with Bonnie at the end of White Night, and gave birth at the end of Skin Game. Keeping to the average of 1 year per book, that means that he was pregnant with her for 6 years. But Harry lost Bob when he died at the end of Changes--3 years in. From there, he only saw Harry running around in just his soul (with Bonnie explicitly not along for the ride) and very briefly during an emergency when Harry had the Winter Knight mantle, which may have confused things.

I don't know how long it takes someone to start showing during a normal pregnancy, but not showing halfway through seems a little odd. Not a lot odd, though, and I can see it being accounted for by the fact that Harry's more extreme and volatile moods are, according to Bob, doing weird things to his aura. (Also, we don't know to what extent, if any, Harry's bond to Demonreach and use of soulfire might be complicating what Bob sees from Harry.)

[morriswalters]

But is she?  She knows more than any other kid, and can learn perfectly almost instantly.  Very similar to the Archive.  I find spirits of intellect confusing because knowledge is power, but knowledge can be shared without losing anything.  Literally, Harry could order Bob to share all his knowledge with Bonnie and she would become more powerful, and he would not become less powerful.  Its not like energy.

Well it should confuse you.  They violate the laws of thermodynamics.  Knowledge is power, but information, which is one component of knowledge, requires work, ask Google.  Bob, the Archive, and Bonea, should glow like molten metal from the heat generated by maintaining their information stores.  But, magic.

Ya, but Bob can see the spirit world, which means he sees all these things all the time.  He can see Harry's spirit all the time.  There is no way he shouldn't have seen such a powerful cosmic hitchhiker in there.

Unless Bonea didn't want to be seen before she was ready.  Consider Cold Days.  Harry speaking.

"Wait....You needed its help to save me? And it's price was that you don't tell me about it?"

[Paviel]

Maybe Bob did see Bonnie, and just decided not to tell Harry about her, since Harry didn't ask about her.