Divination Four: Flight to Grimmauld Place
‘The magic I evoked fifteen years ago means that Harry has powerful protection while he can still call this house home. … The magic will cease to operate the moment that Harry turns seventeen; in other words, the moment he becomes a man.’ (HBP3)
Into the Pensieve: On the night before Harry’s seventeenth birthday, he is awoken by a frantic Arabella Figg, who has somehow managed to Apparate into the house, with news that Death Eaters are preparing to attack Privet Drive on the stroke of midnight. (Thus proving that it is sometimes possible for a Squib to perform magic in extreme circumstances very late in life.) Harry will later discover that a mysterious warning from a phoenix Patronus prompted her intervention. Harry, Ron and Hermione are soon involved in a deadly duel with a gang of Death Eaters. Despite being outnumbered and encumbered by the presence of two Muggles and a Squib, the three of them manage to fight their way out, though number four, Privet Drive is wrecked in the battle. (Muggles will attribute this to a gas explosion.) At the last moment, Harry, Ron and Hermione use Side-along Apparition to escape to number twelve, Grimmauld Place, with Petunia, Dudley and Arabella Figg. Despite being woken in the middle of the night and severely shaken themselves, the resident Order members help administer to brave Mrs Figg and the traumatised Dursleys. (Tonks and Lupin return in the morning to retrieve what remains of Harry’s possessions). Arabella Figg’s brother Perkins, Arthur Weasley’s old colleague at the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, soon arrives to collect his sister. For Dudley and Petunia, however, the situation couldn’t be much worse … they are stranded in the magical world, utterly dependent on Harry and living in his house (and a hostile Dark house where they cannot touch anything, as well). Poetic justice, perhaps?
1. Concerning Privet Drive…
- ‘The magic I evoked fifteen years ago means that Harry has powerful protection while he can still call this house home. … The magic will cease to operate the moment that Harry turns seventeen; in other words, the moment he becomes a man.’ (HBP3) Do the Death Eaters also know that Dumbledore’s magic has an expiry date?
- ‘We’ll be there, Harry,’ said Ron. ‘What?’ ‘At your aunt and uncle’s house,’ said Ron. ‘And then we’ll go with you, wherever you’re going.’ (HBP30) Should we be grateful that Harry will have back up at Privet Drive.
2. Concerning Snape’s Patronus…
- [Harry asked:] ‘Why would your Patronus change?’ Lupin took his time chewing his turkey and swallowing before saying slowly, ‘Sometimes … a great shock … an emotional upheaval …. ‘ (HBP16) Why is it significant that a Patronus can change its shape? If Snape’s Patronus changed to resemble Dumbledore’s then might this be a way of Snape continuing to serve the Order, even though they all believe him to be a traitor? Certainly, I would like to think that Snape was being hypocritical in his exchange with Tonks; the only time he’s spoken to her in the entire series! ‘And incidentally’, said Snape … ‘I was interested to see your new Patronus. … I think you were better off with the old one,’ said Snape, the malice in his voice unmistakable. ‘The new one looks weak.’ (HBP8 )
3. Concerning Mrs Figg…
- ‘We have no record of any witch or wizard living in Little Whinging, other than Harry Potter,’ said Madam Bones at once. ‘That situation has always been closely monitored, given … given past events.’ (OOtP8 ) As Dumbledore’s emissary to the Muggle world (and the only Squib in the Order of the Phoenix) will Arabella Figg be a target? ‘How am I going to tell Dumbledore what’s happened? I can’t Apparate.’ (OOtP2) Just as Muggles sometimes discover latent strength in a crisis, might Arabella suddenly draw on unexpected reserves of magical power and Apparate by sheer force of will?
- ‘Harry bent down, ducked under the tent flap, and felt his jaw drop. He had walked into what looked like an old-fashioned, three-roomed flat, complete with bathroom and kitchen. Oddly enough, it was furnished in exactly the same sort of style as Mrs Figg’s; there were crocheted covers on the mismatched chairs, and a small smell of cats. ‘Well, it’s not for long,’ said Mr Weasley … ‘I borrowed this from Perkins at the office. Doesn’t camp much any more, poor fellow, he’s got lumbago.’ (GOF7) Might this coincidence offer a clue to Arabella Figg’s family (as the ‘smell of goats’ in the Hog’s Head suggests Aberforth)?
Legilimency… what is JKR thinking?
‘Let’s go again … on the count of three … one – two – three – Legilimens!’ (OOtP24)
- The magical protection Harry receives from staying at the Dursleys will not hold once he turns 17 and becomes a man. [JKR, ITV, 2005 – Madam Scoop’s Index]
- In Book 7, Harry will be 17, which means he will be “of age.” He will become a full wizard and be able to use his magic outside school. [JKR, Barnes & Noble chat, 1999 – Madam Scoop’s Index]
- Dumbledore’s Patronus is a phoenix. [JKR, Edinburgh Book Festival, 2004]
- The Order communicates by Patronus; Dumbledore taught them how to do this. [JKR, website – Madam Scoop’s Index]
- JKR: “There is a character who does manage in desperate circumstances to do magic quite late in life, but that is very rare…” [JKR, Barnes & Noble chat #1, 1999 – Madam Scoop’s Index]
- Voldemort “prefers his henchmen to do his dirty work.” [JKR, World Book Day, 2004 – Madam Scoop’s Index]
- “Harry-Snape is now as personal, if not more so, than Harry-Voldemort.” [JKR, Mugglenet/TLC interview, 2005 – Madam Scoop’s Index]
U say that dumbledore’s magic has an expiry date. And i like the idea of death eaters attackin on stroke of midnight, but that wud be overlooking the fact that the body lock spell he put on harry broke when he died. So surely the charm on privet drive wud as well?
nevertheless… great ideas!!
Matt, the magic in which the Dursley’s house is, somehow, “encased”, to protect Harry until he becomes of age, is not a magic dependent of a person – in this case, Dumbledore -, but dependent of the blood bonding existent between Aunt Petunia and Harry. Dumbledore explained that to Harry in OOtP: since Petunia, although despising Harry for all that is worth, is part of Harry’s lineage (she is the direct sister of Lily Evans Potter), her blood enforces the same protection invoked by Lily the night Voldemort killed Harry’s parents; therefore, the protection – love – is carried on by Harry’s bloodline, in this case represented, grudginly, by Petunia. It was not a magic performed, as you see, by Dumbledore, nor even by Lily: it’s a magic “created” by the power of love, an “ancient power”, as described by Dumbledore. Therefore, Matt, the magic would not wear off the moment Dumbledore died: it will only wear off when Harry becomes of age. It’s somewhat similar to the fact that muggle boys had their parental dependence and guidance “worn off” when they became of age, basing on Muggle law.
The trio and side-along apparation is great! But where was Vernon? Visiting Aunt Marge? I feel sorry for the person that has to try to apparate Dudley!!
Snape is a hypocrite but I don’t believe his Patronus has ever changed – I suspect it ties to his mother. I’m wondering if Snape’s secret (and his loyalties) involve only his mother’s fate and Lily might have helped him determine that fate…and Petunia overheard the story which means she took Harry as protection against Voldemort.
Btw, I wouldn’t regard a change in Snape’s Patronus as a sign of hypocrisy, more a reflection of the anguish he has suffered over DD’s death. (And I suppose I like the idea that a mysterious Phoenix Patronus would be trusted by the Order as a sign of Dumbledore, without knowing that it came from Snape.)
You’ll have to elaborate on the subject of Snape’s mother; sounds interesting…
Shoot, I was focusing on your analysis and forgot that you were telling a story with the first segment! Now I’m going to have to start all over again! lol
As for Snape’s mother – do you think it is odd that a girl of fifteen who captained a interschool team important enough to be in the Daily Prophet and married a muggle would cower in front of that same muggle? Gobstones spit vile liquid, Eileen could take abuse and still have the will to win. I’m suspicious that this was our clue that the couple Harry saw in Snape’s memory didn’t include Eileen (along with Snape’s statements that only a master of Legilimens can be sure he/she has properly interpreted a memory.) I’ve had great fun with the idea that Snape is like Harry, brought up unwanted by relatives, but didn’t turn out as well.
I don’t know if there’s anything wrong with this theory but seeing as Hedwig’s a white owl and Dumbledore’s first name means white could Dumbledore be an animagus and turn into Hedwig which is how he always knows what Harry is doing.
HPSpec: see comments at the end of divination three for my take on Eileen Prince. I can’t work out whether she’ll be more important or not (!) but at the present time, I suppose I see her as a second Merope Gaunt.
Jennie: an ingenious idea, predicated on the fact that we don’t see Dumbledore & Hedwig in the room together at the same time(!) … but aside from Animagus-gender question (Hedwig is a girl), JKR has said that Dumbledore is “definitely dead”. Therefore, I don’t see him surviving in Animagus form (unless maybe, the Animagus is a phoenix! Not my theory, btw.
).
And what will happen to Harry now that he hasn’t returned to the house before his 17 bday? he will need the protection of his mother’s love to defeat voldemort. Actually, he will need everything he can get!
Good theory. what is going to happen to harry’s aunt and uncle when he goes and fights voldemort? they are going to try and get out of there SOMEHOW…
thanx
em
I like you website and the theories very much! Once I had read a theory of Arabella being someone using the Polyjuice Potion and I quite like the idea. And highly unlikely, but important : aRABella… I was just wondering if maybe it could be Regulus Black under the Polyjuice Potion, but it makes no sense because if he were alive, Harry couldn´t inherit Sirius´house…
After reading over your theories I suppose Aberforth really MUST be the one who does manage in desperate circumstances to do magic quite late in life!! From the glimpse of GoF we can learn that Aberforth haven´t been a powerful wizard, he seems like something like an idiot…
But I am sure about Arabella – she will take her part in the last book, I am sure about it…
If Harry were Jewish, would his protection have expired when he turned 13 (and became a man per Jewish beliefs)?
Information gleaned from the sleeve of the 7th book, while slim, seems to contradict the basis of at least a few of your ideas it seems. While certain plot points that you’ve extrapolated from the books continue to hold up, the ones that are dependent on this particular bit of theory are a bit less sound.
It’s all great stuff. A very breathtaking analysis of the books to be truthful, but it seems to be the admirable work of a superfan (or superfans) more than anything.
Heh, maybe this is just me hoping that you haven’t ruined the book for overly curious folks such as myself.
Emma, thanks, yes I do manage to dispose of the Dursleys (more or less) in a subsequent divination.
I’m also a fan of old Mrs. Figg, Anemone – she’s the first person Harry meets in the books who isn’t completely horrible to him.
That would seem logical, Anonymous, unless it’s different for wizards. Religion isn’t really touched on in the books so far (though JKR says she will answer questions “about religious content” after book 7. Hmm).
Well, Darple, I’ve stayed away from the cover debate for obvious reasons – as I’ve always made clear, book7.co.uk is essentially fanfic that aims to be as “true” as possible to the world of the books, but Divination is a notoriously “imprecise branch of magic”, so much so that Professor Dumbledore was reluctant to allow the subject to continue at all(!) … I do hope you’ve enjoyed it, though.