Mysteries and inconsistencies Pt 1

[joywitch999]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C2215
From: joywitch999
Subject: Mysteries and inconsistencies Pt 1
Date: 6/18/00 9:00 pm  (ET)

This is part 1 of a collection of mysteries, inconsistencies, and
other questions about the first 3 HP books. It is being posted in 3
parts because it is long. Some of these questions are based on my own
reading of the books, but many are questions which have been and are being
discussed on several HP discussion groups, including the amazon.com group,
the usenet group (alt.fan.harry-potter), and the this one. Some of these
are important plot questions, but many of them are simply nitpicking. It
does not include any future book speculation, such as the oft-asked "Who
will die in Book 4?" nor does it include any interesting, but purely
speculative questions, such as whether Harry is related in some way to
Dumbledore, Riddle, Godric Gryffindor, etc.

The first, and most important, mystery of the Harry Potter books is of
course: Why does Voldemort want to kill Harry?

What was Professor Trewlawny's first accurate prediction? Was it that
Harry would bring about Voldemort's downfall? [OK, I admit it, this
question falls into the category of speculation about future books,
which I said I wouldn't get into here, but I am convinced that that's
why Voldemort tried to kill Harry when he was still a baby.]

Does Snape really want the Defense against the Dark Arts job or is that
just a rumor that the Hogwarts students have made up?

What house was James Potter in when he went to Hogwarts? [Everyone
seems to assume he was in Gryffindor. If James was in Gryffindor,
then Sirius Black and probably Lupin and Pettigrew were too, unless
the social structure of how kids make friends at Hogwarts has changed
considerably. But Hagrid says that all of the wizards who followed
Voldemort were in Slytherin, and at the time everyone believes that Sirius
Black followed Voldemort, and Pettigrew really did. Therefore, unless
Hagrid was wrong or lying then Black and Pettigrew were in Slytherin,
and then probably James Potter and Lupin were too.]

Why doesn't Harry ever seem to give anyone presents, only get them? [This
could simply be JKR writing style, after all, she can't include every
event of Harry's life.]

What happened to the rest of Harry's family? How is it possible that
James' parents, Lily's parents and ALL their relatives except for Petunia
are dead?

Why was there a green flash when Voldemort tried to kill Harry? Does it
have something to do with Lily's dying to save him, the fact that Lily
had green eyes, and that Harry has the same green eyes?

Why did James Potter give Dumbledore the invisibility cloak? Wouldn't
an invisibility cloak be a useful thing to have around if an evil wizard
were looking for you?