Voldemort to Vapormort - How Did They Know?

[Tonks]

No: HPFGUIDX 150435

Someone here once suggested that Snape would have known that 
something happened to LV when the dark-mark on his arm disappeared.  
But that does not explain how DD would have known that Lily did not 
have to die and threw herself in front of Harry.  Isn't it amazing 
how JKR just put these little clues right in front of us and we 
never notice that something is amiss?  I have never really thought 
about it. But how does DD know?  The whole WW knew overnight, but 
how?

And while we are at it some say that PP was there and killed all of 
those people with LV's wand and blamed it on Sirius.  Then how come 
LV's wand didn't regurgitate those dead people before Lily and 
James?  Huh??  How come?  PP must have used his own wand. Right?  
And if he were running into hiding I don't think he would have 
stopped to have a chat with DD.  Maybe there was a painting in the 
house that saw it all.  And the person in the painting got out quick 
enough before the painting was destroyed.  That seems like the only 
possibility, unless there was a house elf on duty.  I guess a member 
of the order could have been standing watch in an invisibility cloak 
or someone who is an animagus like MG (or Sirius) could have been 
watching the house. But then again just how many people knew where 
the Potter where?

I will have to go with the portrait.  That is the only logical way 
for DD to have known. So whoever was in the painting saw it all and 
ran to DD when Lily was killed, the house blew up, Snape's dark mark 
disappeared and DD knew.  Then he send Hagrid.  You would have 
thought that he would have gone himself, but he must have been 
making arrangements for Harry's care.  DD sure does trust Hagrid to 
let him go get the most important baby in the world. I would have 
been afraid that Hagrid being rather simple minded would have messed 
it up somehow. And then we have the mystery of Sirius's motorcycle 
and how it was that Hagrid happened to have it.  I know we have gone 
round and round on that one before.

Nikkalmati seems to have a good idea about the bike, that when 
Hagrid was sent Sirius was there and gave the bike to Hagrid to take 
Harry away while Sirius ran after Peter.  So it sounds like Peter 
must have been there too, but I don't think that is how DD knew. And 
the events must have all happened very quickly, as they could with 
wizard apparating here and there.

Now that I have typed all of this I had another idea. What if Peter 
in rat form was in the house and Sirius in dog form (after riding 
the motorcycle there as a human) was standing guard outside and fell 
asleep or something and didn't see LV enter. Mystery...

Tonks_op