Traveling with Thestrals

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Discussion for Traveling with Thestrals by Mommcgonagall.

[sriharish]

"He is too inexperienced with Apparition"

I'm sorry, but if you read Half-Blood Prince, you'll notice that Harry can easily apparate (especially at the end) but he hasn't got a license yet. In order of apparate you should already have the visual memory of the place (3D- Determination, Deliberation and Destination). Eventhough he prefers broomstick (don't we all?) i think Harry has now realized how handy it is.

Also Ron and Hermione don't prefer Thestrals- they are bit uncomfortable (read the story behind Thestrals in Ootp). Its not a good idea overall.

Godric's Hollow is a village, just like Hogsmeade- i think most people know where it is.

[mlp36]

Hagrid has to weigh 500 pounds or more at his size. We know that the phoenix can carry large loads, but not thestrals. They wouldn't be able to get off the ground with him.

[darules]

what about lupin? you missed out lupin
i think harry can apperate fairly easily. he accomplished sidealong apparation at the end of hbp , and i would imagine that is harder because he has to transport himself and dumbledore.

however i do tend to think that he won't apperate there

[wandaXmaximof]

I agree that Harry, Ron and Hermione can apperate fairly easily, but it's not 100% set in stone that Harry and Ginny will remain broken up. They could get back together at Bill and Flure's wedding and Ginny could decide to go with them to Godric's Hollow. If that happens apperation is out of the question.
I also think Godric's Hollow might be too hard to apperate to and how did Hagrid get there, he can't appertate.
Whilst I doubt Hagrid used Thestrals to get to the hollow and rescue baby Harry, I do see Thestral travel as a plausable method for the trio and maybe Ginny too to get to Godric's Hollow.
I thought this was a very well written editotial and straight forwards and to the point.
Even if Thestrals don't appear in book 7, I think this editorial was very believeable. Well done

[im_her_one]

Very plausible. I had been thinking about that myself. Harry could apparate, but he is underage, doesn't have a license and doesn't like it. Also, we've only seen him apparate ON HIS OWN to a place that he's been and knows where it is. When they went to the cave, Dumbledore still guided him. The only problem with thestral is how will Harry get to one?

[darules]

on the way back from the cave harry performed a sidealong apparation
as dumbledore was too weak at that moment to do anything

[Shewoman]

sriharish got ahead of me: Godric's Hollow is a village. We have no reason to think that it was destroyed. I don't see why it wouldn't be on maps. If it isn't, Hagrid probably remembers how to get there.

They may ride thestrals, but I don't think it's the only way to get there.

[mdb09]

Excellent editorial, really thought out.

Originally Posted by wandaxmaximof

I also think Godric's Hollow might be too hard to apperate to and how did Hagrid get there, he can't appertate.
Whilst I doubt Hagrid used Thestrals to get to the hollow and rescue baby Harry, I do see Thestral travel as a plausable method for the trio and maybe Ginny too to get to Godric's Hollow.

I bet thestral travel for Hagrid would make sense. After all, he's very proud of having bred them and it's almost the only explanation for how he "flew" to the island in SS.

Originally Posted by mlp36

Hagrid has to weigh 500 pounds or more at his size. We know that the phoenix can carry large loads, but not thestrals. They wouldn't be able to get off the ground with him.

I bet those carriages that take the students up to the school way a lot, plus 4 or so students-7th years all way over a hundred pounds, I bet thats almost 500 pounds. They're magical creatures, I bet they can carry Hagrid.

Originally Posted by sriharish

I'm sorry, but if you read Half-Blood Prince, you'll notice that Harry can easily apparate (especially at the end) but he hasn't got a license yet. In order of apparate you should already have the visual memory of the place (3D- Determination, Deliberation and Destination). Eventhough he prefers broomstick (don't we all?) i think Harry has now realized how handy it is.

Dumbledore hadn't seen the ledge before the Cave before and he apparated there. You just have to focus on the idea of your destination, I bet. Like Floo Powder, just say where you want to go.

[mlp36]

Originally Posted by mdb09

I bet those carriages that take the students up to the school way a lot, plus 4 or so students-7th years all way over a hundred pounds, I bet thats almost 500 pounds. They're magical creatures, I bet they can carry Hagrid.

You obviously aren't a physics major. Pulling a cart on wheels takes almost no force compared to carrying dead weight while flying. It is true that they are magical creatures, and we would do well to remember that doesn't always mean they are invincible and capable of super strength.

[JMZ]

I just wanted to share my thoughts on Harry finding Godric's Hollow:

I don't think he's going to need to ask anyone how to find Godric's Hollow, because I believe that, as a baby, Harry was present when the Fidelius Charm was performed, so he already heard where it was once. The fact that he was a small child makes no difference; he still heard the location. I think that he is going to Apparate there, but Ron and Hermoine won't be able to accompany him, because they never heard from Wormtail where the village is.

Speaking of villages, I have to wonder what the village Snape lives in is named. Could it possibly be.....Godric's Hollow?

[sondra]

Hagrid can appertate he did it in S.S on the island and at the train station.

[rotes_haar]

One thing I would like to note is that Godric's Hollow is quite possibly... nay, likely a Muggle village. It would only make sense for the Potters to hide out there, where they are anonymous and no one really knows they exist or that they are in trouble. There is also strong Hagrid canon to support this:

(PS/SS, pg 16, UK ed.)

"... house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around."

This indicates that there were enough Muggles around to want to "swarm" the site of a house's destruction when they felt the coast was clear. Sounds like a Muggle village to me.

That said, it would probably be on a map then. Thestrals may be good for places like, say, Azkaban, but since I doubt Godric's Hollow is uplottable, it would probably be on a wizarding map even if it was magical. So thestrals are probably not the only answer.

I agree that Harry, Ron and Hermione can apperate fairly easily, but it's not 100% set in stone that Harry and Ginny will remain broken up. They could get back together at Bill and Flure's wedding and Ginny could decide to go with them to Godric's Hollow. If that happens apperation is out of the question.

True, Apparition would be difficult in the legal sense if Harry hasn't got a license yet, but nothing suggests he will not be able to bring Ginny on a sidealong, especially if he concentrates. My feelings on Apparition are that once you've made the breakthrough a few times, it becomes easy to do.

[Sequensia]

What about Sirius' old motorbike? I thought Jo said something about us finding out about what happened to it. Perhaps Harry will find it or get it somehow. Or maybe it is still in Godric's Hollow, as Hagrid went back to give it to Sirius (whom was not there anymore) and thus left it somewhere there.

I don't think Godric's Hollow is under the Fidelius Charm anymore, though, so I don't think that will be a problem.

[Linda_Carrig]

I agree with Sequensia about the Flying motrcycle. I think it might be possible for the trio and maybe Ginny to go to Hagrid after the funeral and ask him about getting to Godric's Hollow. Hagrid will go get his cycle and the kids will all go on thestrals. There is also a possibility that the kids could ride in the Flying Anglia.

[floribunda]

Nicely done, Mommcgonagall -

Nicole is helping me with an editorial about how to find Godric's Hollow, so I was quite worried for a moment when I saw "Traveling" --- you took a different tack, however, so I may still have a chance.

... this will be an easy way for JKR to get Harry going without taking up too much effort or page space. No complicated explanations; we already know what Thestrals do.

Very true, and we certainly want to get on with the story. I do like Linda_Carrig's suggestion: I can see this whole little caravan (invisible, disillusioned, or at least travelling in the dark) headed out across Britain to go to Godric's Hollow. Harry and the Weasleys on their brooms, Hermione, Luna and Neville in the Anglia, and Hagrid (with Madame Maxime) leading the way in her flying carriage (which is also parked at Hogwarts for the funeral).

Months (maybe a year) ago someone said they could just see Harry as a bounty hunter: all dressed in black leather, three days of stubble, astride Sirius' motorcylce. I like that image, too. (...very much...)

Cheers!

[tovarbaker]

aside from the fact that the house James and Lilly were living at in the village of Godrics Hollow being under the fidelius charm at the time of there deaths, what has it in the story that has lead you to believe that no one could find Godrics Hollow? in fact it must be village where muggles live in close proximity because they apparently showed up to see all the commotion.

at this stage in the game, Harry can simply apparate there. he won't be going until he is 17. despite his dislike for it. it is much faster than any other form of transportation. and at this stage in the story, it seems like a waste of time for Harry to go back to Hogwarts just to snag a Thestral only then to travel back to someplace he could have aparated to in the first place

[luvtheheaven]

Well, I like the idea that Harry will fly on a thestral to get there, because he does have no idea where it is or what it looks like, so apparition will be a problem. Plus, Harry doesn't have his license - he will be 17, but he's not even planning on going back to school, so....

[squibpott]

Merlin's beard. You go away for a few days to write up an editorial on an idea you get in the middle of the night and when you finally come back you realise that someone has pipped you to the post!
That said i think this is a brilliant editorial and fully agree with every point.
Interesting the idea of Scrimegeour sending someone after him, and that person turning out to be a Death Eater! I would suggest Lucius were it not for the fact that Scrimgeour used to be an Aurour and old Luc is locked in Azkaban. Nevertheless there was always Rookwood, Mulciber, Avery and a whole cast of others that weren't named among the circle!

[Guakamolly]

Just felt like pointing out:

Getting to a place that is under a fidelius charm is not a problem - it's actually SEEING it and getting IN to it that is the tricky part.
Which means - if the Potter's home was still under the charm when Hagrid was sent to fetch little Harry, riding a thestral couldn't have helped him much without getting word from the secret keeper, because, as JK states in PoA, he could have "pressed his nose against their livingroom window" and not being able to find them.
think about it, Harry is able to stand right in front of 12 Grimmwald place, but he can't see it or enter it untill he is told the secret by Dumbledore.

Therefore, traveling by thestrals is not an advantage when it comes to actually find the G.H.