Timeline question

[luna_loco]

No: HPFGUIDX 123986


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Hannah" <hannahmarder at y...> wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> I have a timeline question.  I looked on the Lexicon and couldn't 
> find anything there, so I wondered if anyone here could help.  It 
> relates to the time after Harry gets his 'snake attacking Arthur' 
> vision in OotP.  Reading carefully, it's clear that almost two full 
> days have gone by between the night of the attack and the time that 
> Hermione turns up at GP.  Day one is that immediately following the 
> night of Harry's vision, where they visit Arthur in St Mungo's.  
> There is then another night and most of a day (with Harry hiding 
> away) and then Hermione arrives at about six o'clock.
> 
> All well and good.  But then Hermione says; 'Dumbledore told me what 
> had happened first thing this morning...' (OotP p441 UK hardback)  
> Here's where I'm confused.  If DD told her first thing *that* 
> morning, it means a whole day had gone by with Harry, Ron, Ginny, 
> and the twins all missing, and nothing having been explained to 
> Hermione.  You can imagine the kind of fuss she'd have made, trying 
> to work out what was going on.  So do we assume that DD actually 
> told her the morning immediately after it happened, and the 'this' 
> morning is a FLINT?  Or was she left in the dark for a whole day?
> 
> Have subsequent editions of OotP been altered?  Has anyone else ever 
> wondered about it?  Does this have any bearing on conspiracy 
> theory?  I know it seems like a tiny little thing to be picking on, 
> but there's not much left that hasn't been discussed in detail, and 
> it's really bothering me.  So what do people think?  
> 
> Hannah

Short answer:  We don't know.

That being said, I believe that Hermione's story is accurate: 
Dumbledore did not tell her what had happened until the morning of the
second day.  This would have been done to protect Hermione as much as
Dumbledore and the Order.  If Hermione did not know anything that was
not generally known by everyone else at the school then Umbridge could
not hold it against her.

The sentence immediately after the one you quote has Hermione saying
"Umbridge is already livid that you lot disappeared right under her
nose, even though Dumbledore told her Mr. Weasley was in St. Mungo's,
and he'd given you all permission to visit" (OotP p498-499 US
hardback).  Combine this with Mrs. Weasley's statement that
"Dumbledore's been able to think up a good cover story for Arthur"
(OotP p480 US hardback) upon her arrival at #12 Grimmauld early on
morning of the first day and we have a basis on which to build a
possible timeline.

<Begin Speculation Mode>

At the moment Harry and the Weasley children are portkeyed to Sirius,
Umbridge is aware that something is going on.  McGonagall was sent to
delay her, but it would not be long before Umbridge knew that Harry
and the Weasleys had left.

At this time Dumbledore would have needed  an explanation as to how
the news of Mr. Weasley's going to St. Mungo's had arrived at
Hogwarts.  The most obvious story is that Everard just happened to be
visiting his painting in the Ministry when he noticed something wrong
and raised the alarm.  After Mr. Weasley was discovered, Everard would
then have returned to his painting in the headmaster's office and
informed Dumbledore.  Dumbledore could then claim to have told
McGonagall, who retrieved Harry and the Weasleys from there dorm
rooms.  This fictional timeline would provide Umbridge an explanation
that matched the facts that the Ministry knew.

Hermione would not have been told anything until she awoke.  At that
time a partial explanation could be given to Hermione by McGonagall,
the Head of House for Gryffindor. This explanation would have been
minimal, so that Hermione would not know anything she should not know.

After Umbridge had finished questioning Hermione, and everyone else
that was close to either Harry or the Weasleys, it would have been
safe to give her the rest of the story.  This occured on the morning
of the second day.

<End Speculation Mode>

Hope this helps,

Allen