HP Lexicon: Timeline, October 31, 1981

[Alexander]

No: HPFGUIDX 39988

  Greetings!

  There's only a little time before I again disappear from
the List, so I hurry to bring the following subject to
public attention.

  The theory that follows I had published before (in early
Spring or so), but it got no response at that time.

  What I am talking about is the so-called problem of time
line for Minerva McGonagall for the October 31, 1981 (the
day of Voldemort's attack on Potters).

  Until now HP Lexicon contains the following timeline for
the events that unfold on Oct 31 - Nov 1 (supposed events
are marked with "?"):

OCTOBER, 31:

  Voldemort attacks Potters but is destroyed by Harry

  (?) Dumbledore knows about attack and sends Hagrid to
      Godric's Hollow.

NOVEMBER 1 (early):

  Hagrid arrives to Godric's Hollow, finds Harry

  Hagrid meets Sirius and takes his motorbike

  (?) Hagrid meets McGonagall and tells her what happened

  McGonagall arrives to Privet Drive

NOVEMBER 1 (late):

  Dumbledore arrives to Privet Drive

  Hagrid and Harry arrive to Privet Drive

  Given this timeline, a lot of questions indeed appear, and
they are defined in the HP Lexicon quite correctly. However,
I see no reason to put the meeting of Hagrid and McGonagall
*after* his arrival to Godric's Hollow.

  Indeed, nothing in the canon makes us believe that Hagrid
met McGonagall on November 1. If he did meet her after he
visited Godric's Hollow, there is no way how she could know
so little about the event.

  But if we place meeting of Hagrid and McGonagall right
*before* his arrival to Godric's Hollow, everything is in
order. Indeed, Dumbledore knew enough to give instructions
to Hagrid (this we know for sure), and it is only in this
short period of time between Dumbledore's communication with
Hagrid and Hagrid's arrival to Godric's Hollow that Hagrid
has *exactly* the same amount of information that McGonagall
had when she arrived to Privet Drive.

  So, the corrected timeline should look as follows:

OCTOBER 31:
  Voldemort attacks Potters, destroyed by Harry
  Dumbledore knows about attack, instructs Hagrid
  Hagrid meets McGonagall, tells her what he knows

NOVEMBER 1:
  Hagrid arrives to Godric's Hollow
  McGonagall arrives to Privet Drive
  ...

  Unfortunately, this small error with timing of meeting of
Hagrid and McGonagall had brought a really weird theory to
life: that Hagrid met McGonagall on November 1, but without
Harry with him and didn't tell her everything he knew (this
is quite improbable giving Hagrid's nature).

  Yep, yep, I know, I'm killing mystery and the like, but I
just don't like when mysteries are created out of nothing
(my theory about Evil Harry Potter doesn't count ;).

  For more information, read Harry Potter's Lexicon:

http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/timeline_potters2.html

Sincerely yours,
Alexander Lomski,
Gryffindor/Slytherin crossbreed,
always happy to throw weird ideas into community,
wishing to know when OoF comes out of print,
and still hoping for someone to make a theory of Wizarding
economy system.

Monday, June 17, 2002, 23:15 local time (GMT+2:00)