they flew into the whopping willow. it is on school grounds.
Eureka! I have it!
Here it is, the answer you’ve been waiting for. Three questions answered simultaneously:
a. Why does Dumbledore trust Snape?
b. Why did Dumbledore have James’ invisibility cloak in his possession when Dumbledore doesn’t need a cloak to become invisible?
c. Whose side is Snape on?
Snape went to warn the Potters, but was too late — as he was there, Lord Voldemort arrived. James lent Snape his Invisibility Cloak. Snape witnessed the murder of the Potters, hidden by the Cloak, and saw Voldemort’s spell rebound from Harry. Afterward, Snape (wearing the cloak) rushes Harry into Dumbledore’s arms, returning the cloak.
The objections to this theory, unfortunately, are formidable.
Objection #1: If the Potters were protected by the Fidelius charm, how could Snape have gone to warn them? Answer: he must have heard the Secret-Keeper, Peter Pettigrew, mention it to Voldemort. Then he, Snape, could have been allowed to “know” their location, but (not being the Secret-Keeper himself) could not relay their location to Dumbledore.
Objection #2: Mad-Eye Moody can see right through Invisibility Cloaks. Dumbledore may be able to as well (but he may have simply been guessing). Why can’t Voldemort? Answer: I dunno.
If Harry lives, I expect lots of T-shirts and bumper stickers that say “Harry Lives!”
Hey, it doesn’t make any less sense than “Frodo Lives!” did.
Didn’t they roughly follow the train line? I would imagine that there is a gap or that the barriers are lowered on opening day so the students can arrive.
Well, that too.
IIRC (no guarantee), Hogwarts is guarded not against flying, but apparating.
Objection #3: Dumbledore told the Wizengamot (in GoF) that Snape had become a spy [for the Order of the Phoenix] well in advance of Voldemort’s downfall.
Objection #4: If Snape rushed Harry into Dumbledore’s arms, why did Dumbledore then place Harry back in the ruins of the house for Hagrid to find several hours later?
Not an objection, but an interesting question (or two): If Peter Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper, how did Minerva McGonnagall know that Lily and James were in Godric’s Hollow? More to the point, if only the Secret Keeper is allowed to speak the name of the place, how is McGonnagall able to do so?
It should be noted that the Hogwarts Express does not have its terminus on the grounds of Hogwarts, but in the village of Hogsmeade.
Anyway, I had the idea that the anti-flying-over-the-walls measure was instituted at about the same time the Order of the Phoenix was recalled to active duty. This allows the Anglia to complete its journey in CoS.
That’s why I feel that in their Final Confrontation, Harry is going to have to call Voldemort “Tom”.
For that matter, how did Hagrid go there? Only Pettigrew could have known where it was!
This suggests that:
a. Harry himself wasn’t under the Fidelius Charm, having just been born. After his parents died, anybody could go to the house, and speak its name, or
b. Harry was under the Fidelius Charm at that location, but the Secret-Keeper (Pettigrew) told Hagrid and Mrs. Cat* how to get there.
- I can never remember how to spell McGonagall.
Yanno, if someone wanted to make some money and had time on their hands, they would scour the web for all these HP7 predictions (get permission and stuff) and make a little time waster book for all the fans.
But I think part of the point of Snape’s character is to teach the readers (I read the series as didactic, I do not mean this as a criticism) that personal feelings about a person do not have to bleed over into questions of wider loyalties–and that it’s a serious, dangerous mistake to be confused on this point.
Snape hates Harry, and hates James, on a personal level–but he is (I believe) wholeheartedly loyal to the cause he shares with them. James’ and Lily’s death would upset him, if for no other reason, simply because their death was such a great victory for Voldemort.
-FrL-
I fully agree with this.
I’d agree that Snape now might regret helping Voldemort simply because he opposes Voldemort. However, at some point Snape was genuinely loyal to Voldemort. Nevertheless he regretted telling him the prophecy enough that (according to Dumbledore) this caused him to turn against Voldemort.
I’ve found the relevant passage:
(bolding mine)
Even though he’s cut off, it’s clear where the sentence I bolded is going. Dumbledore says Snape returned [to the right side] (i.e., turned against Voldemort) because he regretted that telling Voldemort the prophecy led to James and Lily’s death. Why would Dumbledore believe this unless he also believes (rightly or wrongly) that Snape cared deeply for Lily?
You mean like this one?
You’re right! I forgot about the timing of all of this.
Sorry. :smack:
-FrL-
My apologies if this link has been pasted before in this thread (I’m multitasking, so I can’t keep up. I’m lame). If any of the suspicions in the article I linked prove to be even close to true, I’d flip.
Specifically, I thought of this article when I saw this comment:
FTR, the UK children’s edition has an interesting picture - Harry, Ron, and Hermione apparently swimming in a pool of treasure.
There is the arm of what may be a house elf on Harry’s shoulder, and it is wielding Godric Griffindor’s sword.
Regards,
Shodan
Godric’s Hollow was the Potters’ home, not necessarily their hiding place. On top of that, it was the name of their village or neighborhood, not a specific address - perhaps their hiding place was in another location in Godric’s Hollow, albeit not their home.
time line of james and lily’s death
This might be helpful
Awesome link. I’ve just found my timewaster du jour, possibly, the week.
Regarding the UK HP7 book cover: It looks like Hermione is holding the sword and they are in a treasure of some sort. I gots nothing.