Ask the mods questions all about Harry Potter

Harry Potter Forum

This thread is for people to ask questions about Harry Potter and have them answered ONLY by the moderators. The thread is not for conversation but only for questions to be answered by myself (Fuscia), Gaboman or KJ.

Thread open for your questions.

Question one: what year is it? Present day, or in the past?

I have just seen movie one, the Sourcerer's Stone and had a hard time deciding the time era the movie was set in.

Does the shape of the scar on Harry's head have any special meaning? The "N" shape?

I know he got it when attacked as a baby.

Harry's scar is a lightning bolt. The shape is not what has meaning. Harry was saved by his mother's love. The scar came about when Voldemort tried to kill Harrry. Some of Voldemorts powers were transferred to Harry in the curse that failed.

Harry was born July 31, 1980. The first book is set in 1991.

Is Harry and Co. any match for Gandalf in terms of Wizardry?

Yes, indeed, they are. Gandolf's not fit for polishing their wands.

Next question?

Ohh, didn't see that one coming...

Shadow, while Gandalf is immortal so to speak, wizards in the HP world merely live very long lives like the Numenorians. Dumbledore would be a great match for Gandalf. He is a very powerful wizard.

I have been a bit of a lurker on the HP page for a while now, mainly due to the fact that you guys are reading very deeply into the HP books. As great as all your predictions are, do you really think JKR's writing is that insightful, and profound, and not just a childrens writer who thinks up the plot as it happens?

Yes, I think that it is quite well thought out. She has written a story that has many different depths, and threads woven all throughout it. Have you read the books yourself, Sandy? What do you think? Doesn't sound to me that you are a fan!
Why we read "deeply" into the HP series is because, that is what JKR intended for her readers. She didn't write a book in hopes that people would just read it and accept it for what it is... but that they (we) would look into it, and try to find the clues, etc, that she's placed there for us... given to us.

It's just my opinion (and you know from my sig what I think of opinions), but I think that JKR is a brilliant writer.

Sandy, JK Rowling does put a ton of hidden clues in her books. There is always something happening beneath the surface. She really is a brilliant writer. Think of it, she has a kid go through school and every year he learns new life lessons. Kids relate to Harry. He is not the best looking kid, has the worst home life, yet he is a success. Many people have looked at Harry and identified with this character. J.K. has had the last chapter to book 7 written out for years. She does plan in advance for what is going to happen.

I have read all the books, and I do believe they are a good read, but then, so is Tom Clancy. One of the main problems I find with JKR is that, in my opinion, she is writing for a younger, or less-educated audience than myself, which means the 'clues' she leaves in the books are as subtle as a bull in a china-shop. For example, the port-key incident in the 4th book. It just strikes me that JKR is writing in a simple manner, which means a good, light read, but I can't seem to get heavily into it.

Well, that's the GREAT things about books... there are so many out there, it allows people to find something that they like.

We are huge HP fans... while you're a huge Tolkein fan. I still love the LotR books... but HP is just something that I truly enjoy in a way that many other books don't bring for me.

J.K. Rowling has written the books as childrens books. They are a quick read. I just find the stories endearing. People enjoy the books on different levels. Some just read them, others look for clues as to how the series will end. That being said, this forum is for anyone who likes the books. You do not have to be a total Harry nut to post or enjoy the forum.

I can see both your points, as I do enjoy reading the HP books, and Tom Clancy books for that matter

Dear Mods,Why did Harry defeat the Dark Lord when he was young?(I don't understand that part at all)

Because Harry's mother sacrificed herself, for her child. She filled him, with her love, which is something that Voldemort knows nothing of.

Why did they leave Harry with such a messed up family?

Because Lily (Harry's mother) had one remaining relative.... her sister!
Because of her blood... the same "family" blood, that runs through Petuna... he is supposed to be protected there.

True... we all know that there is more to it. We just have to wait and see what becomes of it all.

Dumbledore also thought that it would be better for Harry to grow up away from the fame of being "the boy who lived". He would grow up relatively normal before the burden of fame was placed on him.

Except for the first part of the movie, in S.S., Harry and crew spend all their time in or around the school.

Where do they spend their time in the other books/movies?

In book 2, Harry goes to the Burrow. The Burrow is where Ron's family lives. POA they get to go to Hogsmead. It is the only all wizarding village in the U.K. Book 4 goes off to the quidditch world cup, book 5 the Ministry of Magic.

I have only seen the first movie and I have read the first couple of pages of the first book, but I plan on getting through the entire series this summer. My question is, Who or What is Voldemort?

I just saw the second one, the Chamber of secrets. The voldemort he fought, was that voldermort or the memory of voldemort?

Does the book say what was up with the car?!?!?!?!

That car was hilarious, it kept taking off into the woods by itself.

Heather, Voldemort is a very evil wizard... he is the one who Harry battles throughout the series.


Whidden, are you talking about at the end, where Harry fights Tom Riddle? That is a memory of Voldemort, but he can come back that way, should he have defeated Harry in the Chamber.

What do you mean, what's up with the car? It's been turned into a magical car, by Ron's father, Arthur Weasley.

I was just wondering if in the book, it explained why it kept taking off on it's own into the woods. I found that part hilarious.

Well, come on... here it was, crashed into the whomping willow, and had the hell beat out of it.
Wouldn't you take off, and not want to be abused again? I would.

Anyway... it's magical, and I think that it had a brain of its own, so-to-speak, and wanted to do it's own thing.

I am in the middle of the second book right now, and I haven't seen the movie yet. Does the reader find out who the heir to Slytherin is in this book?

All the questions bugging you at the moment will be answered by the end of the book

But don't expect it to be obvious

Could anyone tell me if Severus Snape is married?Same question for all the teachers.

Oh,and how old is the Dark Lord?

No word on any of the Professors spouses, but I'd say they're probably married to their work.

As for Voldermort's age, he can be placed somewhere between about 64 and 67 years old (though he's probably around 70 or so by the 5th books). Not saying how we can place his age, because that could possibly ruin the fun of one of the books for people who haven't read it

Tom Marvolo Riddle was born in 1927.

I am just flying through these books. I started last week and I thought it would take me all summer, but I am already into the first couple of pages of book 3! Do the books get longer as you go?

Yes, book four is huge... and book five is even longer.

Heather, there is no way it will take you all summer.
I can read each book in one, or two days. After all, you do have to eat and sleep sometime.


But, for a first time read... take your time. Absorb everything. Assume nothing!

Way to go Heather. Take your time on 4 and 5. There are a ton of clues.

I know she is writing 7 books. Is book six out yet?

JKR is currently writing book 6. We hope it will be out soon.

Silly question: Is Sirius pronounced "serious" or "cyrus"?

It's pronounced Sirius

Well, it's more like Serious, from what I've seen on the POA previews...

hmm is Grant being Serious or Sirius?


Heather Sirius=Serious

I'm confused about one thing. Why didn't Voldemort kill Harry when he was a baby? I know it has something to do with Lily's love, but I am quite confused about the whole thing. What did Lily do to save Harry? Or hasn't it been fully explained yet? Help!

Lily sacrificed her own life for that of her baby... love. That is something that Voldemort knows nothing of. Therefore, when his spell to kill Harry hit him, it reflected back on him.

So what did Lily DO?

Sorry if I seem a bit thick!

It was the fact that she died while protecting her little baby boy.... she could have run, but she put herself in front of Harry, because she loved him, and didn't want Voldemort to kill him. Because of that love, it transfered, some how, and it is in him. That is why Voldemort cannot touch Harry, physically, in the first book.

Okay! Thanks.

Does that make sense to you, Heather? I just want to make sure that you understand why Lily did what she did, and what the results were, and why it affected Voldemort the way that it did.

I kind of feel dumb...I just don't get it. I thought there was no block for the killing curse, but you're saying that Lily's love for her baby saved him. So is love the block, or was the Potter situation special?

I am sooo annoyed with myself, because I really enjoyed the entire series, and for the most part I understand everything, but I am really stuck on this.

Lily's love gave Harry a lingering protection. Voldemort told her to stand aside, and she would not and she died trying to save her son. She took the death instead of him, so the curse rebounded on Voldemort. Love is a powerful magic of its own as well as an ancient magic that Voldemort does not understand and has not be explained in its entirety.

As for the killing curse, there is no countercurse . Harry was able to deflect it when the wands dueled in GOF. Odd effect of the shared wand cores.

When do all these events take place? I heard somewhere that Harry was born in 1981. Is that correct? If it is, then he went to Hogwarts in 1992. Is that correct?

Harry's 11th birthday is July 31st, 1991... he started Hogwarts when he was 11.
His birthday follows with the years...

Year One, he's 11
Year Two, he's 12
and so forth...
His final year, year 7, he will be 17

He was born in 1980, not 81

OKay! Got it! I knew the ages in relation to the books, but I didn't know what years they occured in. Thank you!

I have a question i'd really appreciate being answerwed.
I hope this makes sense: In PS when Dumbledore asks Hagrid where he got the flying motorbike from, Hagrid says something like "young Sirius Black lent it to me" - therefore I assumes this means at that point the incident with peter pettigrew hadn't happened because otherwise sirius would thought to have been a murderer and the wizards reactions to him would have changed dramatically (so hagrid wouldn't have been lent the bike) with me so far?lol!
But, if this is the case, why would Sirius - being Harry's GODFATHER lend Hagrid his bike knowing that it was so Harry could be taken to live with the Dursely's??? Isn't the responsibility of a godfather to become the child's guardian if their parents die. and seing as James and Lily are murdered, Sirius should have been in charge of Harry not Hagrid on behalf of dumbledore???

Is it something to do with what dumbledore tells us in bk 5 about as long as harry can call the dursely's his home he is protected from voledmort?

I'm sorry if this is a really obvious 'thing' but it was really bugging me why Sirius didn't take Harry when James and Lily were murdered.

Because Sirius was the decoy Secretkeeper, and the only two people who knew that were now dead, Lily and James... So he had to run away in order to stay alive, because all Lily and James's friends would be after him... and if he took the bike with him he would be too noticable

I'm not a moderator, and I know only moderators' answers are to be taken seriously, but I want to remind you that the reason Sirius did not take Harry was because Lily's blood was what kept Harry safe at Privut Drive. Aunt Petunia is Harry's only blood relative on his mother's side.

WHen James and Lily were killed, Sirius instantly knew that Peter had sold them out to Voldemort. He knew he had to go after Peter, so he let Harry go to Dumbledore's keeping. Sirius also knew that Dumbledore would think that he betrayed the Potters, and with Dumbledore being the most powerful wizard, knew that Harry would be safe in his keeping from the death eaters still out there.

ohhhhhh!

ok, thanks Fuschia, that makes sense!

I wonder what exactly counts as a breach of the Underage Wizardry Act.

For instance, I notice in PS that Hermione said that she had tried a few spells during the period before she went to Hogwarts. Perhaps, those are not counted as rule-breaking because she wasn't in Hogwarts yet.

But I wonder if simple things like "lumos" are under this Act. From the movie, it doesn't seem to be so.

And I guess this means no practising of spells when you're away from school as well.


Another thing: I wonder why Dumbledore didn't see through Quirell earlier? I suppose even the most powerful of wizards could not see that someone is possessed or sharing his body with another soul... scary isn't it?

To add to varra's question, how can people, like the Weasleys, who live in a magic house, avoid under age magic. Like Ginny was riding broomsticks at age six, Fred and George have explosions coming from their room, etc.

Perhaps underage magic is harder to detect in an all magic household.

Hermione practiced spells before she came to Hogwarts. They did not learn that doing magic at home was against the rules until the end of their first year. I do not think they were warned before that because they had no training.

I supose in a magic hiouse it wouldn't be as bad as doing magic infront of muggles so rules could be slacker iin magic houses

I have a question: Why can only three people answer questions? when there are other people (like myself) who know quite alot about harry potter

Well, since it's been about 2 1/2 years since anyone has posted in this thread, if there is a question it's all you. Answer away.

-HECK!

Because the people moderating the thread thought they were the only ones able to answer the questions.