Dumbledore's watch (was time travel is dangerous)

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 89043

> Sue Wrote:
> In what I have read, no one has referenced 
> the watch that DD wears.  JKR has refered to it at least once (it 
> seems to me) in every book.  Whether Ron is Dumbledore or not, 
there 
> is something going on with time and Dumbledore has the answer 
sitting 
> on his wrist.
> 
> vmonte replies:
> You know Sue what a great post!  I completely forgot about DD's 
> watch.  I think that may be the answer to how DD time travels.  The 
> watch is different, with multiple hands, right!  I wonder if this 
is 
> how he keeps track of all the different times he has gone back in 
> time. Perhaps he has been skipping around. Doing a few years here 
and 
> a few years there. I need to find out all the different times his 
> watch was mentioned in the books. What was going on at the time the 
> watch was mentioned? Did DD recently have to go back in time? 
>  
> vmonte again:
> Did DD recently have to go back in time to correct an error? How 
about
> Aberforth? Aberforth is in Moody's photograph. Supposedly that is 
the 
> only time Aberforth was ever seen (at least by Moody). DD may have 
> needed to come back twice to correct a mistake?

Neri adds:
The idea about DD's watch is appealing. I ran a quick search, and 
came up with three times where it is mentioned. Interestingly enough, 
one is in PoA when he sends Harry and Hermione to their 3 hrs time-
travel to save Sirius.   

CS/PS, first chapter:

Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her 
eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took 
a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd 
watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets 
were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, 
though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's 
late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"

PoA, DD sends Harry and Hermione to the past: 

"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very 
clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the 
seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If 
all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life 
tonight. But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss 
Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake
You — must — 
not — be —seen."
	Harry didn't have a clue what was going on. Dumbledore had 
turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.
	"I am going to lock you in. It is —" he consulted his 
watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do 
it. Good luck."

OotP, Just after the great battle in the MoM:
 
'Now see here, Dumbledore!' said Fudge, as Dumbledore picked up the 
head and walked back to Harry carrying it. 'You haven't got 
authorisation for that Portkey! You can't do things like that right 
in front of the Minister for Magic, you — you — '
    His voice faltered as Dumbledore surveyed him magisterially over 
his half-moon spectacles.
    'You will give the order to remove Dolores Umbridge from 
Hogwarts,' said Dumbledore. 'You will tell your Aurors to stop 
searching for my Care of Magical Creatures teacher so that he can 
return to work. I will give you . . .' Dumbledore pulled a watch with 
twelve hands from his pocket and surveyed it. . . half an hour of my 
time tonight, in which I think we shall be more than able to cover 
the important points of what has happened here. After that, I shall 
need to return to my school. If you need more help from me you are, 
of course, more than welcome to contact me at Hogwarts. Letters 
addressed to the Headmaster will find me.'

Ideas, anybody?

Neri