[HPforGrownups] The Marauder's Map, Again (was: Re: Snape knew about the passageway)

[Pen Robinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 34888


>Eileen wrote:

>> > I would imagine they fall off the map. Otherwide,
>> > Gred and Forge would
>> > have had the entire faculty in Moaning Myrtle's
>> > bathroom immediately
>> > to find Ginny, even if it meant giving up their map.
>> > I'm sure the
>> > first thing they did when shedisappeared was check
>> > the map.

catalyna_99 wrote:

> As to the Marauders Map... I think it only shows what the
>Manufacturers knew were on the grounds...They found the secret
>tunnels, so they were able to put them in... They didn't know about
>the whereabouts of the CoS so it was left off.  (which means they were
> definitely active during their years at Hogwarts!)

I agree that the Marauders were only able to include the physical features
of the castle which they knew about.   The feature to make people register
on it seems like a clever but generic spell of some sort.

I have my own mental image of the Marauders' Map, which may not be
textually justified but which makes sense to me.

Hogwarts: a big place, yes?  Many floors, wings, goodness-knows-what.  Even
in their third year, Harry and co can still get lost in the castle.

We have no reason to believe that the Map is the size of a tablecloth.  In
dormant appearance it is just 'a piece of parchment'.  So...

It is my belief that the Map is in some way enchanted to show what the
holder is looking at.  No, bear with me.  If the castle and, to a limited
extent, the grounds are represented on the Map, they must be *tiny*.  It
therefore makes sense - to me! - that the Map somehow magnifies the
particular portion which is the focus of the map-reader's interest.  A
magical equivalent of Muggle devices which run a magnifying lens across a
map.  So if Harry is, say, standing next to the one-eyed witch, he is
concerned only to see whether there is anyone approaching his position.  He
isn't looking to see if a rogue band of Ravenclaws has invaded the
Slytherin common room, or if three of the Professors are engaged in dubious
practices in Trelawny's tea room.  So what he sees is what he is interested
in seeing.

This would explain quite handily why Gred and Forge didn't notice that Ron
was sharing his bed with another bloke.  They'd have no reason to scan the
dormitories while they were sneaking about, mischief-bound, so they would
never notice Pettigrew's name.  If Voldemort's name came up while he was
hiding in Quirrell's turban, they wouldn't have noticed that either unless
Quirrell happened to be in a place they were checking - which, presumably,
he wasn't, although there's no way to tell how the Map would have dealt
with such circumstances anyway.

Similarly, Harry usually seems to use the Map when he is alone; if Ron is
with him, Scabbers is not with Ron - and it never occurs to either boy to
check their bedroom when they are not there.  They *could* have kept an eye
on Crookshanks that way... hmm... assuming Crookshanks shows up on the Map.
(If he doesn't, Mrs Norris acquires new dimensions.)  But it's not
altogether surprising that Harry would check on Snape's office (and find
Barty Crouch) - he wouldn't want to be caught out by Snape.

Makes sense to me, anyway.

Pen

PS  Hello!