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

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 31499

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Elizabeth Dalton <Elizabeth.Dalton at E...> 
wrote:
> 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* 
> lying on the ground, given how late in the day it was getting.)

It was probably glistening like snow. And I don't think that it was 
all that late - I've seen full moon sometimes in bright daylight! And 
particularly during summer. (and the Shrieking Shack was during the 
last day before summer-leave...)

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? 

He has it, no doubt - the meetings in Gringotts are of no deal...

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?)

If he lost it... Well, he'd better not lose it! And he hasn't, so 
far. Maybe it has a spell to keep Harry from losing it? That Harry 
has his key until he *gives* it to someone - Dumbledore *gave* it to 
Hagrid, who in turn *gave* it to Harry who obviously *gave* it to 
Molly Weasley, who then *gave* it back...

What would Dudley do with it? Unless the fattie ate it Harry'd just 
put on his invisibility cloak and go get it back!!

I think there is a back-up for such case (but it costs, of course). 
In wizarding world, Harry Potter is the last person needing any kind 
of identification certificate! Everyone knows him by his scar!