Couple of questions after CoS reread

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 125516



Valky earlier:
A big clue to DD having been a protective prescence is Colin's
petrification. He was saved by his camera. In the Entrance Hall.
After the Quidditch match.
 
An assumption Colin was actually taking photographs at this time
doesn't add up. Colin undoubtedly already has plenty of pictures
of the Entrance Hall, and besides he just went to Quidditch, surely
he used all his film on that.

Karen:
It is interesting that Dumbledore just happens upon the scene so
quickly, though.


Geoff:
I think assumptions are being made here which are not necessarily
borne out or supported in canon.

'"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, bending over
the statue on the bed.

"Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs."

"There was a bunch of grapes next to him," said Professor
McGonagall. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit 
Potter."

Harry's stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and carefully, he
raised himself a few inches so he could look at the statue on the
bed. A ray of moonlight lay across its staring face.

It was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up
in front of him, holding his camera.

"Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "But I shudder to think... If Albus
hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate, who knows what
might have..."'

(COS "The Rogue Bludger" p.135 UK edition)


Geoff asked questions and here are my answers:

(1) What evidence is there to suggest that Colin was found
immediately after the attack? He might have been there some time...

Valky:
I don't believe that my theory *needs* this evidence to stand to be 
honest. Surely DD *was* doing *something* to protect the children 
who were in danger from the Basilisk. MacGonagall found Colin and 
she doesn't credit his survival to her being on the scene but to 
*DD's* presence. This actually supports a theory that Dumbledore 
came down the stairs knowing that Colin was endangered, used a quick 
spell to ensure that he was not killed and then tried to trace the 
steps of the Basilisk as far as possible he could afterwards, 
fulfilling all duty as a Headmaster of the school, it doesn't 
contradict it. I feel sure that we can assume at least this much of 
Dumbledore without it needing to be explicity spelled out in a canon 
timeline.


(2) Which set of stairs was Colin on? Were these leading to the
entrance hall?

Valky:
I did go through this question during the last discussion, which 
related to DD using a Timeturner. I am pretty sure that Geoff was 
involved in that discussion, but anyhow. After a good deal of 
counting levels and reveiwing canon we came to a conclusion that 
Colin was on the second floor, just above the entrance hall close to 
the kitchens entrance (tickle the pear).


(3) Dumbledore states quite clearly that /Professor McGonagall/ found
Colin.

Valky:
Hmmm yeah but MacGonagall also credits Colins survival to DD's 
presence as I said, and she does specifically say *we* think he was 
sneaking up here to see Harry, so they most likely discussed the 
situation before coming up to hospital wing, MacGonagall does seem 
to know more than she is telling Madam Pomfrey.
Hoever, I am more interested in the grapes. It's been discussed 
before but has never come to a satisfactory conclusion for me. What 
kind of a clue is that? Did one of these "transfiguration" 
professors perform a spell?


(4) So, what do we read into Professor McGonagall's comment about
Dumbledore being on his way downstairs and what else does she think
might have taken place if he hadn't?


Valky:
Well that's what I read into it, I would like to believe its correct 
but, I don't suppose we'll find that out right away. 
There are a *lot* of unnamed motives and actions for JKR to explain 
in future books. I wonder if any of them at all will be brought into 
the light.