[HPforGrownups] Re: Owl Post (was: Possible Error)

[Meredith Wilson]

No: HPFGUIDX 12116



** Meredith wrote:
** 
** "We see several times (most specifically in GoF when Hedwig 
** is finding
** Sirius) that when sending owl post, the owls can find people 
** pretty much
** anywhere they are, right?  Why then in PoA did nobody ever 
** send an owl to 
** Sirius and just follow it on broomstick to find his whereabouts?
** 
** "I told him that there had to be some kind of charm that 
** allows someone not 
** to be found by owl post if they're in hiding, but he said 
** that wasn't a good 
** enough answer and so I now turn to you.  If anybody has an 
** answer, it has to 
** be you guys!"
** *******
** 
** While I can't speak for JKR, there are a couple fanon 
** solutions that I've 
** seen employed to ensure confidentiality of post:
** 
** 1)  Stealth owls.  These owls are invisible in flight... 
** bird and post only 
** appear to sender and recipient.

That would show how Sirius could possibly send an owl to Harry without being
seen, although the Firebolt came by regular owl(s), but there's no reason to
send a stealth owl _to_ him.

** 2)  Speed of enchanted owls.  Perhaps it is impossible to 
** follow an owl via 
** broomstick... they travel too fast, or in another dimension entirely.

This is a possibility, but people do see them coming and flying around in
the chapter below (in SS).
 
** Something else to take into account is found in SS Ch. 1.  
** Vernon and the 
** newscasters took note of the unusual number of owls 
** traveling in broad 
** daylight.  This always struck me as strange... in canon, 
** none of the wizards 
** or witches we've met have taken particular care to only send 
** post at night.  
** Mail usually arrives at Hogwarts in the morning, but while 
** at the Dursleys, 
** Harry receives mail at various times of the day (I think).  
** Or perhaps I've 
** missed something.  What do you think?
** 
** --Ebony

Yeah, I wonder that, too.  I mean, the day when the muggles see all of the
owls is a special occasion and people are sending more than normally, but it
would seem to me that if that is their main method of post (or really
only...) that there are enough wizards and witches the owls flying around on
a normal day would seem odd to me.  I'm sure they fly a lot at night (being
nocturnal creatures and all) but maybe they have to fly some during the day
because of distance or urgency of the message.  Something to think about...

Meredith