Unresolved issues in HP and the Philosopher's / Sorcerer's Stone

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 70698

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sueeeyqbong" <sue at s...> wrote:
> Hello everyone. I've started re-reading the Harry Potter series 
> again, to reassess them in the light of OoP. What interested me in 
> particular were the clues and things which, by the end of OoP, 
still 
> weren't explained or resolved... an which might point to what's 
> contained in books 6 and 7.  I thought it might be useful to make 
a 
> list of them, and would love it if people would add to it the 
things 
> I've missed.

Great!  I'm hooked already!  Okay, let's see...

 
> 3)In chapter 1, there are TONS of mentions of all the wizards and 
> witches in the streets around Vernon's place of work, all 
> celebrating something. [...] then  in 
> chapter 2, (p.27) the 11 year old Harry reflects on the peculiar 
> srangers who often bow/shake hands then disappear. This implies 
that 
> there is a sizeable magic community in Little Whinging...yet 
there's 
> never any other mention of them, and in OoP, I'm sure I remember 
> Harry being amazed that there was anyone magic living near him (on 
> discovering that Mrs Figg was magic).

I don't think much will come of this (but see comment on #6); 
perhaps the business district of Little Whinging became a gathering 
place for the wizards who lived in the wider area right after V 
fell.  Similarly, Harry seemed to meet them on shopping expeditions, 
on the bus, etc.  This does not contradict that he would be the only 
wizard in his own neighborhood.
> 
> 4)  p.45, Hagrid says (discussing why Voldemort went after Harry's 
> parents')  'maybe he thought he could persuade them, maybe he 
wanted 
> them out of the way'.  Evidently Hagrid doesn't know of the 
> prophecy, or any other reason why V targeted the Potters.  And yet 
> he was in the order at the time. Do you think Ddore kept everyone 
in 
> the order in the dark (except, presumably, those mentioned in the 
> prophecy). If so, this seems like a risky way of conducting a 
> resistance movement. Wouldn't it make the order members' job 
easier, 
> to know who V might target next?
> 
> 5)  p.47 (Hagrid discussing what might have happened to V after 
his 
> demise) 'Cause there was something about you which finished him. 
> There was something going on that night he hadn't counted on _ I 
> dunno what it was, no-one does'. Same point as point 4 above, 
> really...puts Ddore's reticence with the truth in OoP in a new 
> perspective.

These two illustrate what I see as the first book being a bit less 
developed in detail than the others.  Either JKR had not worked out 
exactly how she was going to handle these issues, or she had not 
worked out exactly who knew what.
> 
> 6)  some names in Harry's first visit to the Leaky Cauldron which 
> may ( or may well not!) appear later...
> Doris Crockford, Dedalus Diggle,

Well, in OoP, Dedalus Diggle turns up at Grimmauld Place!  He had 
also introduced himself to Vernon the day V was defeated, by the 
way.  I once posited that he was responsible for helping to set up 
Harry's protection with the Dursleys. 
> 
> 7)   p. 57 'it's about the you-know-what in vault 713'. Just a 
point 
> already mentioned in pre OoP posts : wasn't Sirius' vault later 
> mentioned a number 712...ie next door to the one used by Ddore to 
> store the philosopher's stone? Significant? Insignificant? Anyone 
> have a clue?

Has this been brought up on the "Who inherits Sirius' stuff" 
thread?  Maybe we'll soon find out!  I'll just note once again that 
Sirius' vault number was edited out of the Scholastic version for 
some reason (and I think it may have been 711).

> 12)  p.82  why did Scabbers attack Malfoy and crew when they were  
> attacking the trio on the train? Can't see any reason for 
> this...Pettigrew doesn't seem the type to put himself out for 
anyone 
> but himself.

I'll just bet Goyle was reaching for something Scabbers wanted! 
> 
[...] 
> 27) Oh, that's it. There is no number 27.

Yeah, there is!

27)Hagrid's wand: is it the umbrella or *inside* the umbrella?  Did 
he or Dumbledore ever repair it or is it still in pieces and if so, 
how can it work as well as it does?  What exactly did Dumbledore do 
for Hagrid after his expulsion besides landing him a job?

Looking forward to your next...

Annemehr