[HPforGrownups] FAQF Workings of the Marauder's Map

[Aberforth's Goat]

No: HPFGUIDX 23491

Markus suggested,

> How do the dots work?
>
> I have always thought that the dots only show what might be of
> interest to mischief makers.  To wit, a teacher safely in his or her
> sleeping quarters is not a threat, but a student or ghost wandering
> the halls who might stumble upon them is.  If the map showed the
> location of everybody in the castle all the time, it would be
> information overload.  But if it only showed those out-and-about, it
> would have meaning.

Howdy Marcus!

I happen to be working on Pettigrew, who appears (or rather doesn't appear)
at the center of this particular chestnut. I've been collecting Maurauders'
Map theories for a couple of weeks now, and yes your theory is one of the
popular ones. A few thousand posts back, Steve Vander Ark made a strong
argument for it, which lead to a discussion about intentions and magic.

(Of course, one can wonder why the map didn't think anyone would have been
interested to see that one of its creators was still alive. It did show
Peter to Lupin, so why didn't it show him to anyone else?)

And yes, there are other theories out there too--and it is possible to
combine many them. For now I'll just promise the best overview I can come up
with! The FAQ in question should be done within a week.

Baaaaaa!

Aberforth's Goat (a.k.a. Mike Gray)

PS If anyone would like to make a really outrageous statement about the
proponents of any other Map theory (including references to their
intelligence, manners, grammer, patriotism or mothers), please do so now. It
would certainly lend excitement to a rather dry topic ...
_______________________

"Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been
bravery...."