"Your Owl Will Find Me"

[Megan]

No: HPFGUIDX 29875

Cindy wrote:
<some great stuff on owls>

Okay, here's my take I've always had on the owling system:  The owls,
in a way like the goblins, have special magical rules that apply to
their way of life.  I theorize that owls in general *cannot* be
tracked, because their ultimate duty is uphold their owners and simply
deliver the mail.  Magically, this is their job, and that is ONLY
their job.  They would be impossible to track because this is not in
an owl's duty.  Somehow, magic just forbids it because it is not what
an owl was intentioned for.  Now, OBVIOUSLY, the owls used in the WW
are not just any ol' owl plucked from a Muggle's barn.  These are WW
owls--owls connected with the magic of wizards.  It's not a spell, or
a potion, or any kind of definable, put-your-finger-on-it kind of
magic, it's just simply "The way of the owls".  What's the point of
using owls if they could be tracked or cause danger?

This is also goes to why certain mail seems to not be "received" (who
knows if Harry really DOES get fan-mail written).  Dumbledore has said
he gets letters every week as to the satisfaction of how he runs
Hogwarts.  Hermione received "undesirable" hate mail post-Witch Weekly
article.  Again, this mail IS delivered because it IS the owls' job. 
Personally, I don't think there is any mail not delivered, short death
of the owl carrying the letter.  Harry may simply not get his fan mail
(I really don't think Harry gets this "fan mail" anyway), but there
could be a block going back to Harry's unique protection by
Dumbledore.  I don't think this would be a block on Hedwig (because
that would destroy above theories!) but rather Harry himself.

In short: it's Magic.

-Megan (who was going to say something comparing our own Postal
Service to owls, but then realized that it's completely opposite &
also sincerely hopes this made sense!)