Priori Incantatem, was: surviving AK

[colbernays]

No: HPFGUIDX 113914


> Alex:
> > BTW, speaking of PI, there was a thread a week or so ago about 
> > why Priori Incantatem wasn't used to clear Sirius of the Pettigrew 
> > murder. <snip> Priori Incantatem isn't a spell.  <snip>   
> 
> Eloise:
> <snip> *Prior Incantato* *is* a spell. It is used in Ch.9 of GoF to 
> establish that Harry's wand had been responsible for conjuring the 
> Dark Mark at the QWC. They are evidently related effects as reflected 
> in the similar names and therefore confusing abbreviations.


But how does 'Prior Incantato' work? Mr Diggory(?) used it on Harry's
wand and it showed the dark mark. Could Diggory have gone further back
through Harry's spells if he had needed, or is the last spell cast the
only one available? If only the last spell is available than 'Prior
Incantato' can only confirm someone's guilt, not their innocence.

Consider this, Sirius Black kills Peter Pettigrew and 12 muggles, he
than casts a simple 'lumos'. Fudge et al turn up to arrest him, Sirius
declares "I'm innocent, check my wand". Fudge does the PI and a shadow
of a light comes out the end of the wand, if Fudge can't go back up
the list of spells any further, would he declare our friend Sirius
innocent or send him to Azkaban with out a trial?

Colin - who likes the look of the new HP editions in Australia that
have pictures of their namesakes on them, eg door to the CoS and a
goblet with blue flames.