# Harry Potter universe question (invisibility cloak related)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 1, 2025, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653 "2025-09-01T14:15:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653/1 "2025-09-01T14:15:14Z")

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If you put the Invisibility Cloak on inside-out, does it render you unable to see anything at all?

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**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653/2 "2025-09-01T14:42:52Z")

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Does it even need to be a magic cloak to blind whoever it’s draped over?

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653/3 "2025-09-01T14:42:53Z")

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There is no reason for the magic to work that way. It seems very unlikely.

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653/4 "2025-09-01T14:47:56Z")

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Maybe the cloak was originally an April Fool’s Day joke until someone turned it inside inside out.

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**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653/5 "2025-09-01T15:06:44Z")

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This is a bit like the “how do invisible people see if the light is just passing through their eyes” question. Sometimes you have to just go with it.

I mean, the cloak isn’t “covering” their feet, so how does it know to show the floorboards as opposed to the floor below? In fact it doesn’t even need to be wrapped around or draped over a person to render them partially invisible. How does it know where to stop?

So if it’s the wrong way around - who knows? There are no clearly defined rules in fictional magic.

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**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653/6 "2025-09-01T15:19:12Z")

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If you put it on inside out you are even more visible than normal. Like, glowing, or bright colors or something.

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653/7 "2025-09-01T15:25:58Z")

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Hi-res version of yourself.

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**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-universe-question-invisibility-cloak-related/1022653/8 "2025-09-01T15:53:38Z")

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Rather reminds me of ‘Plateau eyes’ in Niven’s ‘Gift from Earth’.

A psionic power that causes people to not notice you… but can work in reverse to cause you to become the inescapable center of their attention…