Harry Potter: the Unanswered Quetstions Project

[urbandruid]

Something my friend andromakhe said yesterday about inconsistencies in Harry Potter reminded me of something I've been meaning to do for a while now.

I swiped the idea from the Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5, in a way. They have a section on "unanswered questions" for each episode in the episode guide. So I started a list for HP. Stuff that she doesn't explain, or hasn't yet, that I wonder about, and stuff that just flat out doesn't make sense.

I have this oddly obsessive desire to make my list comprehensive, and I know I'm missing tons of stuff. I keep thinking of stuff and then forgetting it, and that's not getting me anywhere. So I'm posting the list here, and if anyone can think of anything else, leave a comment.

I was also thinking of doing a fic challenge of some kind where people try to "answer" a question or explain and apparent inconsistency. I don't know if there's any interest in that, so I thought I'd start with the list and see how it goes.

I sorted the list by book, and for random stuff I wonder about for various characters (like Sirius's job) I just filed it under the book where said character first showed up (PoA for Sirius). General series stuff (like the moving portraits question) gets filed under Sorcerer's Stone.

Stuff with strikethrough is stuff I think has been answered. Please feel free to argue with me if you'd like.


Sorcerer's Stone:

Why did Voldemort want to kill Harry?
How did Harry survive?
Why did V. want to kill James but not Lily?
What did the letter Dumbledore left with the Dursleys say?
Did they read it, or burn it?
What's the Bloody Baron's story?
Why did Snape already suspect Quirrell even before Halloween?
What did the centaurs read in the sky the night Harry and co served detention in the forest?
If Voldemort was on the back of Quirrell's head, how does he not know Snape is working against him?
Who gave Harry his Nimbus Two Thousand?
How was it Dumbledore was talked into bending the 'no brooms for first years' rule? And how fair was that, really?
What did Lily and James do for a living before they were killed?
What's Mr. Ollivander's story, and is there a reason he gives Harry the creeps?
Why does Minerva tell Draco Malfoy it's not safe to be wandering around on his own, "especially these days"?
What is the significance, if any, of Godric's Hollow?
Why did James Potter leave his invisibility cloak with Dumbledore?
What 'old school friends' of Harry's parents did Hagrid send owls to asking for pictures, if most of said friends are dead/in prison/ect? (Remus Lupin is probably one, but Hagrid said "friends", plural.)
Are the moving portraits really sentiant, or do they just mimic it really well?
What position did James Potter play on the Quidditch team?
Why is Snape so horrible to Neville in particular? (We know why he hates Harry; perhaps he hated Neville's dad, too?)
Is there some particular reason McGonagall always wears green? (Because it's mentioned a lot, and one wonders.)
Is there some meaning in the forms animagi take?
How about Patronuses? (Patroni?)
What house was Dumbledore really in? (Star makes a good case for Slytherin, and I'm starting to agree with her.)
The Hogwarts letters say specifically that students may bring a cat, an owl, or a toad. How does Ron get away with bringing a rat?
If the wand chooses the wizard, and you never get as good of results with another wizard's wand, shouldn't Ron have had his own wand all along, rather than one of his brothers' old ones?
Why, when Dumbledore Apparated to Privet Drive the night Harry was left with the Dursleys, was there no loud crack, as with normal Apparations?
JKR says we ought to ask this, so...why didn't Voldemort die when the Avada Kedavra backfired as he attempted to kill Harry?
Does it mean anything that when Harry gets his wand, red and gold sparks shoot from it? (Gryffindor colors...)
Can ordinary stuff like car crashes kill wizards?
Shouldn't Hermione have gotten into trouble for doing those 'few simple practice spells' outside of Hogwarts?
Why does Neville have such a poor memory? (strangemuses has a theory that makes a lot of sense...)
How does magic work in the HP universe?
Do you need a wand to Apparate? (Dumbledore never seems to...)

Chamber of Secrets:

Does Hagrid know Tom Riddle is Voldemort?
If he does, why didn't he tell Harry when the Chamber of Secrets was opened?
Or is that what he was going to say when Fudge & Dumbledore showed up?
Who replaced Lucius Malfoy as a school governor after he was fired?
Does Voldemort remember Ginny?
How was Nearly Headless Nick un-Petrified if he can't eat or drink?
For that matter, how were the others, when they couldn't swallow?
What happened to Lockhart after CoS?
Did he ever get his memory back? (Doesn't look like it so far, does it?)
Did it come out that Lockhart was a fraud?
Will Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue play any future role?
If Lucius' plan to bring Voldemort-as-Tom back in the diary had succeeded, would there have then been two Voldemorts, Tom and creepySnakeDude!Voldemort?
If Lockheart ever gets his mind back, will he be tried for stealing all those people's memories?
Couldn't Ginny just have used Ron's old first year books, instead of the Weasleys having to buy her her own copies of the ones Ron already had?
Are we going to see Gryffindor's sword again?
Now that Hagrid was cleared, can't he finish his training and become a full wizard?
How exactly did Gryffindor's sword get into the Sorting Hat in the first place?

Prisoner of Azkaban:

What did Sirius do for a living, before?
How did Snape not know the Death Eater spy was Peter Pettigrew?
Alternately, shouldn't he have known that Peter was the spy?
Would he have bothered to do anything with this information if he'd had it, not being a huge fan of the Marauders and all? (Good point from scottiegirlc here)
How did Filch end up confiscating the Marauders' Map?
If predicting Voldemort's return was Trelawney's second real vision, what was her first?
Why was Sirius laughing when the Ministry "caught" him after Pettigrew killed those Muggles?
How did the Muggles "not see what they think they saw"?
Is Peter the 'heir apparent' to Voldemort, the way everyone thought Sirius was? (Seems hard to believe somehow, but you never know.)
Why was Lupin watching the Marauders' Map the night Harry and co went down to visit Hagrid? (Looking out for Sirius in case he attacked, maybe?)
How did Peter as Scabbers end up as Percy's pet?
Why didn't Peter show up on the map before?
How are they so sure the map doesn't lie?
Why did Peter turn traitor in the first place?
Did Lily know Remus was a werewolf? Did she ever learn?
Did she know, or ever learn, the others were animagi?
Was Lucius Malfoy at school with them?
How did Crookshanks "talk" to Sirius?
Will the connection Harry has to Peter play any future role?
Do the Weasleys ever wonder where Ron got Pigwidgeon?
Do they ever wonder what happened to Scabbers?
Why has Voldemort been in hiding 15 years, and Peter only 12?
Why does Lupin keep it a secret that he knew Harry's parents, until Harry himself brings it up?
Harry does some serious wandless magic in this book- inflating Aunt Marge, ect. Is this an indication of how powerful he is as a wizard?
Does it mean anything that Sirius' animagus form resembles a death omen (the Grim)?
How (and why) did the Ministry ever make the arrangement with the dementors for the guarding of Azkaban?
Not sure I really want to know the answer to this one, but people keep mentioning talking to the dementors- how do the creepy things communicate?
Why did Arthur Weasley have to go out to Azkaban once?

Goblet of Fire:

Is Narcissa Malfoy a DE?
How did the Death Eaters get started?
Why are they called DEs?
Why did Snape join them?
Why did he turn back?
How did Crouch Sr. get away with sending Sirius to Azkaban without trial?
How did Mad-Eye Moody lose his leg?
Were his injuries really so bad that they couldn't be healed, or is he just stubborn? (We've seen magical medicine, for lack of a better term, do stuff modern real world medicine sure can't do...)
Who was the one more person Voldemort & Wormtail had to kill at the beginning of GoF, to clear the way to Harry?
What did Dumbledore ask Snape to do the night Voldemort came back?
How did he prove himself in the past? i.e., why does D. trust him?
What happened to Wormtail's wand?
What happened to Voldemort's wand? Did Wormtail keep it for him all those years? (Uh, as a rat? Maybe not.)
Why did Crouch Jr. and company think the Longbottoms knew where Voldemort was?
Did Dumbledore in fact look 'triumphant' when Harry said Voldemort could now touch him?
If so, what the hell for?
Do the purebloods among the Death Eaters know Voldemort is a half-blood? Or do they think this is just propoganda?
If they do, why do they support him?
Which is Moody's magical eye, left or right? (Careful examination of the OotP cover art seems to suggest the magical eye is the right one...and you really don't want to know how long it took me to figure out that I might find the answer that easily...)
What school did fake Moody (Crouch Jr.) enter Harry in the Triwizard Tournament under?
Not that I really want to know (not that any of us do) but what did Dumbledore's brother do to that goat?
Who was the Death Eater "too cowardly to return", and who was the one who had "Left [Voldemort's] service forever"? (Debates rage on as to if one is Karkaroff and the other Snape, but clear answers or speculation are encouraged here.)
How is it that both of the Creevey brothers are wizards, when their parents are Muggles? (I thought Muggle-born wizards were a bit of a genetic fluke.)
Does Harry have some kind of connection to Fawkes because his wand's feather came from him?
For that matter, does Voldemort?
Is it in any way significant that Penelope Clearwater was still at Hogwarts that year, and that Percy was there fairly often, and they aren't shown interacting at all? (There is if you're me, but...)

Order of the Phoenix:

What was the meaning of Dumbledore's Howler to Petunia? ('Remember my last' is a fragmented sentence, and cryptic besides. Maybe he's channeling Kosh from B5?)
What is the purpose of the tank full of brains in the Department of Mysteries? (Do we even want to know?)
What is the power Harry has, that is the same 'great and terrible' power locked up in the DoM? (Re-reading OotP, I'm convinced that it's love or some related 'power of the heart' type thing, but, you know, details would be good.)
What is the veil, exactly?
Was Snape part of the original Order of the Phoenix?
Was Minerva?
How could Harry give orders to the Hogwarts house elves- ie, Dobby?
Was there ever any real fear that Hermione might free Kreacher?
Did she, for that matter, ever have a chance of freeing the Hogwarts house elves?
Can everyone who went to the DoM, who had never seen death before, now see thestrals?
Why couldn't Harry see them before, if he remembers his parents' deaths?
Who taught Snape Occulmency? (Dumbledore?)
Is Sirius really all the way dead? (Yes, damnit. He is.)
Can he come back?
Did Mrs. Figg lie about seeing the dementor?
Did the other Death Eaters who escaped from Azkaban go crazy in there like Bellatrix? (Is she, then, only the most crazy, not the only crazy one?)
Which Death Eater got his head stuck in the bell jar?
Which Death Eaters were captured in the Department of Mysteries and which, if any, got away?
What horrible memories does Dudley relive when the dementors attack? (Or is he jut so spoiled and so used to the normal world that he can't deal? I really think there's something deeper here, though.)
How trustworthy is Mundungus Fletcher, really? (He tried to hex Arthur Weasley, a fellow member of the Order, in Chamber of Secrets.)
Is the prophecy really about Harry?
Will Harry survive the final battle with Voldemort?
What happened to Umbridge after OotP?
Did she ever get into trouble for sending the dementors after Harry?
Are the dementors stll in control of Azkaban, or did they join Voldemort when he (presumably) helped break out the Lestrange gang?
What death did Hagrid see to allow him to see thestrals?
And was it his idea for them to pull the carriages, or have they been doing it for ages?
Also, does the "seeing death" thing count as seeing an animal die, or does it have to be a person? What about a magical creature like a centaur (who would probably kill you if you called him an animal) or a house elf?
How did Dumbledore rescue Umbridge from the centaurs?
How does Trelawney feel about sharing her job with Firenze?
Will Percy ever reconcile with the rest of the Weasleys?
Is there more to the story of the last time the Sorting Hat gave a warning in its song?
How do death and the afterlife work in the wizarding world? Nearly Headless Nick implies some interesting stuff...
Why can only wizards return as ghosts?
Is it in any way significant that Harry's Lumos spell worked when the wand was out of his hand?
Why is Dumbledore so sure that the parents of the boy in the prophecy had to be in the Order?
Who overheard the first bit of the prophecy at the Hog's Head?
Who threw that guy out?
Why have we never heard before now that the barman was Dumbledore's brother?

Corrections and additions from (so far) jenavira, muffinmonster, scottiegirlc, g_shadowslayer, and notthatjaded, who contributed the most recent theastrals questions.


I thought of a bunch of other ones, mostly for GoF and OotP, and like an idiot I didn't write them down. I keep flipping through random notebooks, hoping to find them, but I think it's hopeless.

Help?

Comments

[jenavira.livejournal.com]

Why did V. want to kill James but not Lily?

I think the prophecy in Book 5 answered this one - he didn't give a damn about James or Lily, he wanted to kill Harry, because Harry was the one the prophecy said would be his downfall.


Why was Sirius laughing when the Ministry "caught" him after Pettigrew killed those Muggles?

Mental breakdown. His friends had just been killed, he'd just realized how badly he'd screwed them over, and when the Ministry showed up, he realized just how badly Peter had played them all. Peter fer crissakes, of all people, who Sirius had probably never thought much of before. You gotta laugh or cry...


Why didn't Peter show up on the map before?

Depends how much the map shows, and how closely Harry was paying attention - wasn't Scabbers in Hagrid's hut at the time?


How did Crouch Sr. get away with sending Sirius to Azkaban without trial?

How did George W. Bush get away with sending Jose Padilla to Guatanamo Bay without trial? People were scared. People let the government get away with a lot when they're scared.


Can he come back?
No. JKR has said this often enough and vehemently enough that I believe her.

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

Good points, all. I felt stupid putting the last one in about Sirius coming back, but I knew some idiot fangirl type would just run along and add it if I didn't. *rolls eyes* Not that I don't like Sirius, because I really do, but... dead is dead.

[jenavira.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't think that one's going to die down until the end of the series. She left it too ambiguous - of course, she says she has reasons for that, so I'm curious to see what those are. (I'm fairly sure it's for more than just causing Harry angst.)

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard that, but it doesn't really surprise me. I'm curious as to the reasons, too. Two more books and we'll know, I guess.

[muffinmonster.livejournal.com]

"How did Harry survive?"

Ah, wasn't it mentioned somewhere (the last book, possibly) that the love of his parents was so strong that it protected him against Voldemort? Something about making it impossible for Voldemort to touch him?

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

Er, yeah. That would be one of the ones I forgot to cross off. Yeah.

[scottique.livejournal.com]

If Voldemort was on the back of Quirrell's head, how does he not know Snape is working against him?

I don't have an answer for this, but I'll tell you this: It's my number-one reason for thinking that Snape's loyalties are strong, complex, and perhaps not tied to either Dumbledore or Voldemort.

Not that I know where his true loyalty lies--in an old vengeance? in honoring or protecting an old promise or bond?--but I think that Snape is more than mercenary and more than double-agent: he will work with utmost loyalty for the side that helps him with his personal goal, which we, the readers, don't know yet. I think Dumbledore knows this, and knows what Snape's Number-One-Hangup is, and uses them for each other's purposes. Does Voldemort?

How did Snape not know the Death Eater spy was Peter Pettigrew?

Another damned good question would be, Didn't Snape know that the DE spy was Peter? What if he'd known all along? We obviously see in OotP that just because they're working for the same side, Snape isn't exactly eager to help out the Marauders; it would be awfully Snapelike to 'forget' to share a secret that, if revealed, would keep the Marauders safe and alive and together as friends. By keeping Sirius's innocence a secret, didn't Snape manage to separate all four Marauders for a good thirteen years?

Then again, maybe there wasn't time. If, in one quick chain of events, Sirius and Peter switched the Secret-Keeper position, Peter alerted Voldemort, and Voldemort swept in for the betrayal, there would be no time (or reason) to inform any of the other Death Eaters.

Okay, I can't think about that one anymore. Let's think about another.

Did Lily know Remus was a werewolf? Did she ever learn?
Did she know, or ever learn, the others were animagi?

Surely she would have... we've seen in the books that she was a very intelligent woman, and when she married James, she married into a (seemingly) very tight group of friends. I can't fathom why they wouldn't tell her--if James was open-minded enough to trust a Black and a werewolf for best friends, why wouldn't he trust his wife?

Will the connection Harry has to Peter play any future role?

Oh, it's gotta. In the third-to-last chapter of Book 7, undoubtedly.

Do they ever wonder what happened to Scabbers?

They would know, wouldn't they?
Dumbledore: "Here's Sirius Black."
Mrs. Weasley: "What the fuck, Albus?"
Dumbledore: "Your kid's rat was the real killer."
Mrs. Weasley: "kthx."

Actually, if I'm not mistaken, it seems that I recall a bit of random passing description that mentioned that Percy had been pissed to find out that his rat had been Peter Pettigrew. Although that may have been talking about Ron--I know he was upset too.

Why has Voldemort been in hiding 15 years, and Peter only 12?
Two guesses on explanations:
1. Voldemort stepped out of the public light once he became really powerful. Think of most of the world's dictators and rulers-by-terror: before they have a lot of power, they have to operate openly, gathering support, but by the time they have a lot of power, they also have a lot of powerful enemies, and most of them must operate from secret locations.

2. How much of a time gap was there between when James died and Peter "died"? Probably not three years, but some time, surely. If my books weren't packed up, I'd see if I could find it.

Why do the purebloods among the Death Eaters support Voldemort, when he's half-blood?

Do they know that he's half-blood? Or do they think that it's mudblood propaganda?

Okay, I'm done talking now. I definitely wrote more than I meant to, and now I'm going to say what I was going to post to say in the first place: There are these books published by the Wizarding World Press (I kid you not) called "Guide to the Secrets of Harry Potter." You should track them down; they're pretty interesting (if not a hair far-fetched at times).

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

Interesting theory on Snape. You may be right. I'm sure that there are depths to Snape that we haven't even gotten anywhere near yet... I've got my own slightly crazy theory on Snape's loyalty, which works with yours, kind of. And I still think we're missing parts of the bigger picture, too. I hate not knowing everything. :)

As for Peter, I just don't know. I think I'll tack that question onto the list, because it could be either/or, really... and it's making my head hurt, so I too will move on.

You're probably right about Lily, it was just one of those things I put in because it's never expressly stated that she knew. From OotP, I'd guess she learned sometime after their 5th year. :)

I almost fell out of my chair laughing at the image of Mrs. Weasley saying "What the fuck?", by the way. Thanks for that.

On the Death Eaters/Voldemort as half-blood thing... You're right. I'm making assumptions.

Hey, I don't mind the long reply, really. You have interesting thoughts here.

Wizarding World Press, huh? I think I saw one of those once at the bookstore, when of course I couldn't afford it. I'll have to see if I can't find them now.

Nimbus 2000

[(Anonymous)]

Who gave Harry his Nimbus Two Thousand?

Unfortunately I loaned out my copy of SS, but it says in there when Harry get's his Nimbus 2000 that there is a note:

"Inside is your new Nimbus 2000. Don't open it at the table.

Professor McGonagall"

So it's obvious that McGonagall gave Harry the Nimbus 2000 so that the Griffindor House would have a Seeker with a broom.

Re: Nimbus 2000

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

I guess you're right, but I wish my teachers were that generous, handing out expensive stuff to students and all. :)

Not really an answer, but I need help...

[g_shadowslayer]

I don't have any answers, or actually any other questions except for one I'm sure must have been answered somewhere. If I could only find it...

Which one of Moody's eyes is the magical one, left or right?!

Re: Not really an answer, but I need help...

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Not a bad question, actually- I'm sure I've read the answer someplace, but I can't remember offhand. Will dig out my books and look it up for you, see if I can find anything.

Re: Not really an answer, but I need help...

[g_shadowslayer]

Thanks!

Re: Not really an answer, but I need help...

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

You would be truly amazed how long it took me to figure out how to answer this.

I flipped over my copy of Order of the Phoenix, and I have determined by looking at the cover art that the magical eye is most likely the right.

*faceplams* I'm such a dork.

Re: Not really an answer, but I need help...

[g_shadowslayer]

D'oh! Neither one of us thought to even look at the art. ::sigh:: Thanks!

Re: Not really an answer, but I need help...

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

*lol* So it took three people to not think of that.

I actually thought of it a couple days ago, but it's taken me that long to walk across the room and pick up the book. I'm terminally lazy.

You're welcome. :)

[analise.livejournal.com]

What's Mr. Ollivander's story, and is there a reason he gives Harry the creeps?

Maybe he's just a creepy old man?

What 'old school friends' of Harry's parents did Hagrid send owls to asking for pictures, if most of said friends are dead/in prison/ect? (Remus Lupin is probably one, but Hagrid said "friends", plural.)

I'm sure they had more friends than just the Marauders. ;)

Are the moving portraits really sentiant, or do they just mimic it really well?

From thinking about what that kid who followed Harry around all the time in Book 2 (was it Justin or Colin?) about how the photos are developed with magical something or other, I think they just mimic. Otherwise that'd be like, cloning, or something. ;)

Does Hagrid know Tom Riddle is Voldemort?

I can't say for sure, but I get this vague impression that a lot of people don't know.

Does Voldemort remember Ginny?

Why would he? The "Voldemort" that Ginny met in the Chamber wasn't the real Voldemort, but more like a memory left behind and animated by magic.

How did Filch end up confiscating the Marauders' Map?

Found it, randomly?

Why was Lupin watching the Marauders' Map the night Harry and co went down to visit Hagrid? (Looking out for Sirius in case he attacked, maybe?)

Maybe he wanted to see if Peter showed up on it again.

How are they so sure the map doesn't lie?

The Marauders created it, they know exactly what it does and whether it would lie or not.

Why did Peter turn traitor in the first place?

I get the impression that Voldemort tortured him. Plus he doesn't seem all too loyal, so he'd probly turn traitor on Voldie if some other Dark Lord popped up and scared the spit out of him.

How did Crookshanks "talk" to Sirius?

Animals alls speak the same language, you know. ;)

Do the Weasleys ever wonder where Ron got Pigwidgeon?

Does Ron not tell them? I need to go back and read the books but they're all packed away.

Is Narcissa Malfoy a DE?

Pretty sure I've read she is, but I might be thinking of fic.

Why are they called DEs?

It's scary-sounding?

Why did Snape join them?

He was interested in the Dark Arts when he was younger. Probably thought Voldie had a good idea.

How did Mad-Eye Moody lose his leg?

All a part of being an Auror, I guess.

What happened to Wormtail's wand?

Probly blown to bits when he faked his death.

What was the meaning of Dumbledore's Howler to Petunia? ('Remember my last' is a fragmented sentence, and cryptic besides. Maybe he's channeling Kosh from B5?)

Remember my last message? Didn't he send her a message of some sort when he left Harry there?

Can everyone who went to the DoM, who had never seen death before, now see thestrals?

Well, they saw death didn't they?

Who taught Snape Occulmency? (Dumbledore?)

He seems the type to have researched it.

That's all I've got for now. I'm not much help since it's been a while since I've read the books.

[analise.livejournal.com]

Why didn't Peter show up on the map before?

Who's to say he didn't? It's rather likely that if Fred and George had seen him on there, they would've just assumed he was a random person, after all, they wouldn't have been checking the map to see if he was there, you know? And I get the impression that, unlike the Potters or Sirius, Peter wasn't all that known by people in the wizarding world, so there would have been no reason for his name to stand out to them.

As far as with Harry, it's rather possible that he just didn't see Peter. After all "Scabbers" disappeared there for a bit right around the same time that Harry got the map, didn't he?

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

Oh. Well, yeah, that's true, isn't it? They might have seen him on the map for years and thought he was a student, and just not remembered the name at all when Sirius broke out and everybody started having flashbacks and stuff... Good point.

[analise.livejournal.com]

Something I started wondering about:

What death did Hagrid see to allow him to see thestrals?

And was it his idea for them to pull the carriages, or have they been doing it for ages?

(if these were answered somewhere, i don't remember, would be nice to know)

Also, does the "seeing death" thing count as seeing an animal die, or does it have to be a person? What about a magical creature like a centaur (who would probably kill you if you called him an animal) or a house elf?

[urbandruid.livejournal.com]

Oooh, good questions! *adds them to the list* I have no answers, unfortunatly.

Maybe Hagrid saw his father die? He talked about it once, so he must've been old enough to remember it...

Dementors...and a new question...

[(Anonymous)]

Are the dementors stll in control of Azkaban, or did they join Voldemort when he (presumably) helped break out the Lestrange gang?

Draco Malfoy said in OotP "The Dementors have left Azkaban." (p. 851)

But here's a question for you: If you can see Threstals after you witness someone's death, why didn't Harry see them when he left Hogwarts at the end of his fourth year?

(Granted, JKR wanted to do it so that Harry and Luna could have something in common, but still...)