JKR has updated her site today -- WEBSITE SPOILER!

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 158248

Maria wrote:
> > > S
> > > P
> > > O
> > > I
> > > L
> > > E
> > > R
> > >
> > > S
> > > P
> > > A
> > > C
> > > E
> > >
> > > The answer is "Why did Dumbledore have James' invisibility 
> > > cloak at the time of James' death, given that Dumbledore could 
> > > make himself invisible without a cloak?"
> > >
> > > She also stated that "there IS a significant -- even crucial --
> > > answer."

Alla:
> > Why else it can be crucial? Ooooo, could the answer be that Snape 
> > who was there after all, took the cloak with him and brought to
> > Dumbledore.


Kemper now:
> Abergoat came up for a theory for it a day or two ago.  It involved
> Snape unconscious, covered by the invisibility cloak.  Snape's
> unconscious because theory involves James' freeze charming, 
> stunning, or hitting Snape.  Snape goes to warn them maybe 
> encouraging them to leave.
> 
> Maybe Snape hates James 'arrogance' because it got Lily killed when
> she wasn't suppose to be killed.  Snape awakens to find Lily dead.


SSSusan:
This is an interesting one, you two.  I will confess, though, that 
when I read the update from Herself, I noted the word "at" in "at the 
time of James' death," and somehow assumed it meant that DD was in 
possession of the cloak *before* the attack occurred.

Now, how would that be significant?  

Hmmmm.  Haven't the foggiest.  All I can think of is that it might 
have played a part in the Order's plan to protect the Potters and 
somehow in the BETRAYAL.  

But that doesn't really wash, does it?  If something was fishy in how 
DD ended up w/ the cloak when James turned out to need it, DD would 
have suspected the *true* betrayer and not Sirius.  And if James & 
Lily were protected by the Fidelius, presumably *no one* who knew 
that would have thought James still needed the cloak.

So... huh... I guess that's a long way of saying, "I've no idea why 
this is *'crucial.'*"

How 'bout anyone else?  Does the word "at" in "at the time of James' 
death" mean that DD had it before/at the time of the attack, or does 
it simply mean that it "came to him" that night... which would fit 
with Snape or someone else having been at GH and then bringing it to 
DD afterwards.  *That* would explain how DD came to know about the 
attack w/o an elaborate "Once the Fidelius spell is broken, you 
just 'know'" kind of scenario.  

But I can't imagine a DDM!Snape or another Order member having LEFT 
Harry in the rubble to deliver the IC to DD.  That doesn't compute.  

Heh.  Maybe our focus is supposed to be at least as much upon 
the "when DD could make himself invisible without a cloak" part as we 
are on the "at the time of James' death" part??

Drat that woman! ;-)

Siriusly Snapey Susan