The "Missing 24-hours" - an alternative take

[alhewison]

No: HPFGUIDX 42423

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., elfundeb <elfundeb at c...> wrote:

A clever idea, but I believe it cannot work. 
<SNIP>
Time-Turner principles we've seen would not allow Harry and Hagrid to 
skip over time. (For that matter, if it works going forward the same 
way it works going backward, turning it forward would simply create 
Hagrid/Harry2 at that moment who would lead parallel lives with 
Hagrid/Harry1 for the period of time the time-Turner had been set 
for, then merge again at the end of that period.)

I suppose that's my point. We have been introduced to the concept 
of "Time Travel". Hermione has been told how the Time-Turner works to 
achieve her aim, which is to attend all her classes. She is able to 
extend this principle to save Sirius and Buckbeak. This surely does 
not preclude a further use of the Time-Turner – to move forward in 
time. For example, I might be taught how to use a calculator to add-
up as that is all *I* might needed it for, but that does not preclude 
the possibility that it has further uses.

 We are perhaps limited in our understanding of the Time-Turner's 
usage by the needs of the books at the time – but opened up to the 
idea of alternative usage?

In reality whilst many people might want to "have their time again" 
and go back in time, the desire to go forward is more limited. I 
accept that if someone uses a Time-Turner to go back that they are 
really only creating a second version of themselves, But the fact 
remains that they then have some influence over their destiny. This 
is precisely why it is such a dangerous tool.

I do acknowledge that the effect of the Time-Turner so far has been 
to create 2 or more Harry/Hermiones at a single point in time. But 
the principle it establishes *to me* is that time – and destiny can 
be cheated. Hermione has already cited the dangers of creating an 
alternative self. I believe that there would be different dangers in 
not existing at all for a period, but impossible? How is it anymore 
impossible not to exist at all than it is to exist in 2 places at 
once?

Grey Wolf, you wanted canon. When Hagrid first arrives in Privet 
Drive, Dumbledore asks him if he had any problems, to which Hagrid 
replies "No, the little tyke fell asleep over Bristol". (sorry this 
is from memory –  we've got guests at the moment and they're take the 
mick if they see me sneaking down to check my canon!) That response 
does not to me sound like the answer of someone who has just looked 
after a bereaved and injured baby for 24 hours. Children are very 
hard work; if Hagrid had indeed been looking after Harry, feeding 
him, changing his nappies, etc, even if he was the most wonderful, 
patient, practiced, childcare expert in the world, his response 
should have been slightly different (IMHO). Using the Time-Turner 
bypasses the need for that. I am sure that Hagrid would be a good 
carer, but that does not mean that that was what he was doing during 
that 24 hour period.

Ali

(Who is very grateful for Darrin's spirited defence, and grateful to 
her husband for looking after her 2 little tykes today as they've 
been such !!— all week!)