Snape & Sirius, the cloak, Harry's Gringott's key

[Elizabeth Dalton]

No: HPFGUIDX 31483

heathernmoore posted a hysterical dialogue between Snape and Dumbledore 
which nicely demonstrated Gwen's earlier point about the usefulness of 
narrative (or at least dialogue) in exploring character. Not to mention 
the usefulness of parody. ;)

I can't quite see Dumbledore hitting Snape (or anyone) with a salmon, 
though, even in a parody. Pelting them with Bertie Bott's Everyflavor 
Beans, maybe....

Regarding the cloak, Harry originally got it from Dumbledore, and I think 
he would have noticed if the second note had been in different 
handwriting. One of the other teachers may have given it back to 
Dumbledore, though, knowing whose it was. This suggests that that teacher 
might even have known that Dumbledore would return it to Harry. They're 
described as very rare, so I think it was a reasonable guess on Snape's 
part as to whose it was. (I was impressed that he was able to *see* it 
lying on the ground, given how late in the day it was getting.) Though I 
like the theory about name tags. :)

As for how Dumbledore got it from James, he may well have pulled it out 
of the rubble of the house in Godric's Hollow. Or James may have given it 
to him before going into hiding, in case someone else in "the old crowd" 
needed it. (Possibly even Snape!) In any case, I suspect Dumbledore got 
it the same way he got Harry's Gringott's key.

Notice how Harry always has the key after he meets Hagrid? Evidently no 
further proof of ownership is required than actual posession, though 
possibly there's some charm on the thing that makes it fail to work if 
it's stolen. But the goblins accept the key from Hagrid, then later Harry 
uses it, and in GoF Molly Weasley uses it to get Harry's supplies. What 
would happen if Harry lost it or it was stolen (e.g. by Dudley?)

Elizabeth