[HPforGrownups] Re: What Little Niggling Details will be left?

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 170935

From: Mike <mcrudele78 at yahoo.com>
>Now for my nigglers. I have lots of Horcrux questions that I don't 
>see getting answered. For instance:
>1. When did Tom make his first Horcrux? Before or after his chat with 
>Slughorn.

Bart:
The implication I got was after; he wanted to be sure of what he was doing before
he started.

Mike:
>3. What happens to the extra torn soul pieces that don't get encased 
>in a Horcrux?

Bart:
They heal (although perhaps with scarring). That's why creating a horcrux is
such a horrible thing; it makes the soul damage permanent. 

Mike:
>4. What happens when a Horcrux is "destroyed"? Is the soul piece 
>killed, released, or what? And if it is released, what happens to it?

Bart:
See Dementor's Kiss. 

Mike:
>5. And just to settle a disagreement between myself and Carol, could 
>Tom have used Myrtle's death to create a Horcrux or does the murder 
>have to be by the murderer's hand?

Bart: 
I think intent has something (everything) to do with it. If Tom ordered the basilisk
to kill Myrtle, then it would be a murder; if Myrtle just looked the wrong way at
the wrong time, it would not have been murder. In any case, I don't believe 
that Tom was quite ready for horcruxery at the time of that killing. 

Mike:
>HBP nigglers:
>Was that potions book originally Eileen Prince's? Was all the writing 
>that of a young Severus or did someone else ::cough,Lily, cough:: 
>make some contributions? Why was this NEWT level book used by Sevie 
>before he got to his OWLS?

Bart:
The last: because Snape was much more advanced than other students, and because 
the Ministry had no idea what to do with advanced students (note that there does
not appear to be a mechanism for re-taking one's OWLs should one, for example,
be attacked by a dark wizard, or see a favorite teacher being attacked by a bunch
of goons, in the middle of taking one). 

Mike:
>By the book nigglers:
>
>1. Did Dumbledore get any Elixir of Life before the Philosopher's 
>Stone was destroyed?

Bart:
Apparently not. 

Mike: 
>2. What happened to the Weasley's Ford Anglia? 

Bart: 
It flew off in a Vogon spaceship with a Ford Prefect. Either that, or Hagrid's
figruing out some way to cross-breed it...

Mike:
>And one we may or may not get answered, what would have happened had 
>Diary Revenant Tom succeeded in becoming fully realised?

Bart:
My best guess is that Morty would have merged and taken over, getting a body back
a couple of books earlier. 

Mike:
>3. Why did Dumbledore tell H&H, "you must not be seen", when Hermione
>had obviously been seen all year long?

Bart:
Because they weren't seen. See: Time Paradox. 

>4. Does Voldemort own the Riddle House now? How about the Gaunt hovel?

Bart:
Good question. I believe that if there are any other claimants, they could make 
a good case. There is a definite implication that Morty did NOT own the Riddle House,
based on Frank's actions and his reactions. On the one hand, this should be 
a major clue to something, but, on the other hand, it may be just one of those things
that JKR didn't think through all the way (it's REALLY annoying when tiny
details are of utmost importance, but the author makes numerous mistakes with tiny
details). 

Mike:
>Why didn't the Tri-Wizard committee set up some massive big screen 
>TVs so the spectators could've seen what went on in the lake and 
>inside the maze? Have you ever realised how boring the last two 
>events must have been for everyone who wasn't Fleur, Harry, Cedric or 
>Krum?

Bart:
I had the same question, myself. I mean, the WW DOES have a radio equivalent. And
viewing devices with replay capability (GOF). 

Mike: 
>5. How did Kreacher know when to injure Buckbeak?

Bart:
When Morty realized that he got through to Harry. 

Mike:
>Was Voldemort listening in on Dumbledore's wrap-up talk with Harry?

Bart:
It was implied during the Ministry battle that posessing Harry was a painful experience
for Morty. 

Mike: 
>When did Wormtail come to live with Snape and when did Snape realise 
>that Sirius wasn't the Potter's Secret Keeper?

Bart: 
As for the latter, I don't think it's "realize"; I'm reasonably
sure DD TOLD him. Even on a "need to know" basis, it would be right around
the ending of POA, so that Sevvy would drop the matter (I have been in a similar
situation myself, where I was getting hit by an injustice, but I was quietly told
by the authorities in question as to WHY I was getting hit by it, and if I complained
publicly, a greater injustice would result for others, so I kept my mouth shut).

>Mike, who also wants to know why JKR felt it necessary to introduce 
>time travel and hopes that she really needed it at the same time 
>hopes he won't see it again.

Bart:
I suspect (hope?) she introduced time travel to give it sufficient limitations that
it could only be used in the most limited of circumstances (that you can't change
the past, but you CAN change the future). 

Bart