Voldemort to Vapormort - How Did They Know?

[richter_kuymal]

No: HPFGUIDX 150584

Tonks <tonks_op at ...> wrote:<snip>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? 

PAR: there were witnesses.  First, there was Harry.  We know he heard 
LV tell Lily to "stand aside girl" because he can recall this more 
than 11 years later when confronted by the dementors.  IMO DD's 
pensieve contains a silvery memory of that night obtained from Harry 
as a baby.  In fact, that might be a partial explanation of where 
Harry was during the missing hours between GH and Privet drive.  
Secondly, there are possible OTHER witnesses.  There are portraits -- 
we've seen how that can be very effective at 12GP and at St. Mungo's.  
It would make sense if there were one at GH.  In addition, there are 
possible MUGGLE witnesses -- we know that GH is not a "wizards' only" 
area.  It's possible that like the Burrow, it was isolated, but it's 
also possible that it was not -- Muggles would have seen the house 
collapse without ever having to know anything about who was in there 
and therefore not destroying the FC.  There may have been those who 
planned to visit Lily and James -- like the FC on 12GP, the charm 
doesn't apply to those who already have been told the secret.  

If Harry had been taken in by the ministry, the rumors spreading would 
have been easy to understand (even at Hogwarts, things like what 
happened between Harry and Quirrell become "known" within 24 hours). 
As for "knowing LV was destroyed" either a portrait or the fading of 
dark marks or even one of those "silver instruments" like DD has on 
his desk would probably indicate LV was "gone".  
PAR