Sneakoscopes (was Unanswered questions)

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 39544

 "Amy Z":
> 
> OK, OK, it stands.  The thing might still be too sensitive to be 
useful 
> (I've known smoke detectors like that), but I suppose the mildest 
thing 
> that's set it off has been Fred and George putting beetles in 
Bill's soup, 
> and that's not exactly background-noise dishonesty.  So I'm 
convinced--Harry 
> should take the thing seriously.  He should also take it out of 
Vernon's old 
> socks.  And while he's at it, he should take out that pocket knife, 
which is 
> doing him no good at all locked in his trunk, and keep it in his 
pocket at 
> all times.

Yes, he should. The knife *would* have been useful during second Task 
in the water. Although it's not clear that he could have kept the 
knife as it was when the Gillyweed transformed him.

I keep imagining a scene: Sirius back in jail, waiting for trial. 
Dursleys learn of this via TV, kill Hedwig and lock Harry's things 
into the cupboard under stairs. They won't give him any food or 
water. Harry must sneak into bathroom and hope they don't notice - 
the stairs being alarmed... so that he nearly starves to death - 
until Sirius arrives... free to take Harry. Without the knife Harry 
would have died of thirst before that...

-- Finwitch