I think she said she’s going to reveal how horocruxes are made on Pottermore eventually. (I hope so!)
^
Or anytime, like when the chamber of secrets was opened, or when the Headmaster was murdered.
Nah, wizards are likely more accustomed to the do-it-yourself system compared with muggles. Besides aurors have been dispatched to escort students at times of emergency.
BTW, she avoided mentioning whether or not Jesus, or Santa, or any biblical or religious figure was a wizard.
Sure, he was not a nice man, but what he did, being Dumbledore’s spy, long term, in the heart of Voldemort’s camp, took tremendous courage and self-control. Also, in large part his assholery was all part of his cover for that role. Of course, he was also tremendously bitter about how James and the other marauders had treated him, and how Lily had broken his heart, and he takes that out on Harry in particular and on his students in general, but he still ultimately does the right thing at tremendous personal risk and cost. Unlike Harry, he does not get the hero role handed to him on a plate, and he does not wind up with the glory, the admiration, or the girl, but, yeah, he is the true hero of the story, and certainly the character with by far the most depth.
I being a railway nut, I perhaps take a disproportionate amount of interest in the Hogwarts Express. I don’t have the books in my possession at present; but I seem to recall – I think at the time of the Triwizard Tournament, with visitors coming to Hogwarts from the two wizarding schools on the European continent – somebody asks, “are they coming on the train, or…?” (IIRC, in fact they arrive by some other method of magical travel.)
This mention suggests to me that – as on railways “in our world” – over and above the regularly scheduled train services: those who operate the Hogwarts Express can and do, on occasion, run one-off special train workings for special purposes. Thus, there could be activity at Kings Cross on more than just four, or six, days in the year.
Guinastasia:
Because performing a spell in the Dursley house before Harry turned 17 would have triggered the Ministry’s “trace” on underage magic, and since the Ministry had a lot of Death Eaters in it at that point, they would have immediately known that Harry was on the move and unprotected.
Magiver:
The Potters intentionally sacrificed themselves to save Harry because that’s the only magic that could have protected him from Voldemort, and according to the prophecy, he’s the only one (well, he and Neville, but I have to assume that until the Potters were killed, Neville’s parents had similar instructions from Dumbledore) who could eventually kill Voldemort for good. They knew this, it was all part of Dumbledore’s plan.
Ranger Jeff:
I was of the impression that the Hogwarts Express is a special-run train on a track that routinely goes from London to Hogsmeade. Remember that after the kids get off the train, they have some additional travelling to do to actually get into the school.
You quoted Guin’s question but answered a different one, I think…? The Potters weren’t living in the Dursleys’ house!
Did the Potters know about the prophecy? Why would they be staying in their own home if they knew V. was looking for them? Anyway I figure they just got caught by surprise and, well, froze. Maybe they couldn’t concentrate well enough to Disapparate, maybe they were too stunned and frightened and just couldn’t believe they were about to die… 
My theory is that the Hogwarts Express, and its theorised other-train counterparts, are “wizarding” simulacra of Muggle steam trains, basically running on magical principles which are radically different from those of Muggle railroading. I actually doubt whether railway tracks for the HE et al. to run on, are permanently physically there. I see the features of the Hogwarts Express sharing a small and hidden corner of the Muggle rail terminus of Kings Cross in London; and the last non-rail stretch from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts; as flourishes thought of by the author, to “have some fun by complicating things a bit”. I admit that I spend more time obsessing about the wizarding world’s railways, than any sane-ish person should probably do…
They knew. That’s why they did the Fidelius charm. James for sure was without his wand when Voldemort attacked (which seems very strange, now that I think about it). I can’t explain why Lily didn’t apparate out of there.
You’re right, for some reason, I thought Guin was referring to when the Order of the Phoenix came to get Harry from the Dursleys house. I was clearly misreading.
I’m pretty sure the Potters did know about the prophecy, but they were caught by surprise when it happened, because they thought they were well-hidden through the Fidelis charm. Also, they didn’t know for sure it would be Harry that Voldemort came after, it might have been Neville. They had Dumbledore’s plan of what needed to be done if and when Voldemort came, but they were trying to keep themselves alive as long as possible until that time, if it were to come at all.
D’oh! :smack: Fidelius charm. I knew that. Thanks!
This is brilliant! I have never thought about that, but you are entirely correct.
I am so stealing this in conversation tonight. My sis is a real HP fan and a LOTR true believer kind of fan. So, I can’t wait to get her take on this.
Thanks!
That is easily one of the best pieces of fanfic ever, and better than most commercial fantasy fiction out there. And, dang if the author isn’t still writing this opus since the last update was 13 Dec 2013.
Chapters: 101 - Words: 561,089
That is one labor of love. Started this on 28 Feb 2010.
This one is probably worthy of a thread of its own.
This isn’t true of much else, but I actually thought the Snape portrayed in the movies was better and more believable than the one in the books. In the movies he was an asshole, sure, but he also showed flashes of decency (for example, when he wished Harry luck in his first Quidditch match) and just wasn’t as over-the-top eeeeevil as he was in the books.
I chalk this up to the fact that Alan Rickman knew the whole story of Snape from the beginning (Rowling took him aside, swore him to secrecy, and told him where the character was going) and thus injected small glimmers of decency into his portrayal.
The Potters couldn’t have Apparated Harry out, or at least, it would have been quite risky. Side-by apparation is possible, but it’s something that has to be practiced by both parties: The passenger isn’t doing the bulk of the work, but also isn’t just a passive rider. Trying it with a baby would probably be likely to get the baby lethally splinched anyway.
While we’re at it, ok…Harry was entered (against his will) in the contest. Why didn’t he just agree to throw the contest. For example, just say “Gosh, I can’t figure out how to get the golden egg from the dragon. I guess I forfeit”. Even if Harry couldn’t think of that idea, certainly Dumbledore, the Russian and French school heads could, and Prof. McGonnigal certainly could have. End of problem
One of my biggest problems is the idea that the wizard world was that they were so completely unaware of the Muggle world. It’s impossible that they had no idea what cars, (for example) were. Many of them lived in London–how could you not at least have seen one? For that matter, King’s Cross Station is near several busy streets. You can’t GET there without seeing cars. So why was Ron’s dad so amazed by them? Ditto radios/cell phones/tvs, etc.
Well, yeah, but it’s Voldemort. James has no wand so he can’t hope to do more than hold Voldy off for a few seconds. What’s Lily going to do if she stays? I guess if she planned to die to save Harry then that would make sense, but wouldn’t it be better to take a chance, especially since she didn’t know her sacrifice would even work? Surely she didn’t know about the curse backfiring on Voldy. And besides, I don’t remember where it said that side-along Apparition required anything of the passenger.
There’s also the Floo Network–don’t relatively well-to-do British houses have fireplaces in more than one room? If there was one upstairs, Lily could have just taken Harry and gotten out that way. Surely there was a friend’s house somewhere (or even Hogwarts) where they could have gone?