Book Mistakes v.3

[horcrux4]

Originally Posted by meesha1971

They wear robes over their regular clothes according to Jo so, while they did put on clean robes, they would still have their torn, damaged clothes on underneath.

Not entirely - Harry had changed his jacket as well because he picks it up to get the cup out of the pocket.

[Potion]

I'm not in the mood to search all that has been said, so excuse me if this has already been said.

I can be mistaken and simply not understood what had been written. In DH in the Epilogue, I find it odd that Petunia and the rest of Lily's family are able to say farewell to Lily in front of the Hogwarts Express. I thought muggles couldn't pass the barrier hiding platform nine and three quarters, even though they knew about it.

[HedwigOwl]

Originally Posted by Potion

I'm not in the mood to search all that has been said, so excuse me if this has already been said.

I can be mistaken and simply not understood what was been written. In DH in the Epilogue, I find it odd that Petunia and the rest of Lily's family are able to say farewell to Lily in front of the Hogwarts Express. I thought muggles couldn't pass the barrier hiding platform nine and three quarters, even though they knew about it.

I'm not sure Muggles are prevented from entering the barrier per se. Muggles don't believe that such a thing is possible, and they'd be unlikely to run at a barrier full speed. Muggle parents accompanying students would expect to walk through the barrier because they already believe magic exists. An even simpler explanation would be that the barrier is enchanted to be open for parents/guardians of Hogwarts students.

[Potion]

Originally Posted by HedwigOwl

I'm not sure Muggles are prevented from entering the barrier per se. Muggles don't believe that such a thing is possible, and they'd be unlikely to run at a barrier full speed. Muggle parents accompanying students would expect to walk through the barrier because they already believe magic exists. An even simpler explanation would be that the barrier is enchanted to be open for parents/guardians of Hogwarts students.

I understand what you mean, but I still think that it's odd.

[Gwendolen]

The book doesn't mention how they got onto platform nine without a muggle ticket to somewhere. I haven't been to King's Cross recently, but I think it has ticket barriers before you get to the platforms.

[Murzim]

Originally Posted by Potion

I can be mistaken and simply not understood what was been written. In DH in the Epilogue, I find it odd that Petunia and the rest of Lily's family are able to say farewell to Lily in front of the Hogwarts Express. I thought muggles couldn't pass the barrier hiding platform nine and three quarters, even though they knew about it.

It had never been mentioned whether muggles can get on the platform before the end of DH. There aren't any other muggles ever mentioned on the platform, but it's possible that e.g. the Grangers were there in PS and CoS. We know the Grangers can get passed the other wall that seals the way into the magical world in Diagon Alley, but that one disappears from view of course, so it seems anyone accompanied by a wand-carrier can enter.
I was under the impression that the platform was solely protected from unwanted visitors by the fact, that no one in their right mind would try to walk through a solid brick wall. And from what Mrs. Weasley says in PS, it's essential not to hesitate but to walk decisively right through it. That rules out anyone who doesn't know what they are doing or bump accidentally into it.
Of course we know that the gate can be sealed (CoS). So possibly it's only open when the train is due or someone controls the access.

[ForbiddenSecret]

Originally Posted by LuMac

But that's exactly what he did at the Yule Ball. He commented on Harry's fancy socks by seeing through his dress robes. Which means he CAN see through regular clothing. I wonder if DD was aware of this

I think that he might have just looked through Harry's shoes (which would be a solid item), and that he cannot see through clothing.

[Ravenclaw797]

I was rereading PS/SS the other day, and whenever I reread, I always notice new little things that bother me, despite their relative unimportance.

Anyway, in the Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback chapter, WHY did Charlie's friends pick up Norbert from atop the highest tower? For some reason, that seems like the most impractical thing to me. If they just picked Norbert up from Hagrid's hut, they wouldn't have had to smuggle the dragon anywhere, and would just have to worry about getting back to the dormitories. Is there any practical reason for this?

Obviously it's not a huge deal, but the only reasons I can think of are that that's simply what Charlie's friends suggested, or they were trying to protect Hagrid (though I bet anyone could have deduced where they got a dragon.)

While I'm at it, is it an unimportant mistake that earlier in the chapter they mention staying up until midnight on a Wednesday (when Ron gets his hand bit by Norbert), while Astronomy classes are Wednesday at midnight? Or maybe Astronomy classes are not every Wednesday or something...

[inthebreeze]

They took Norbert to the top of the tallest tower rather than having them pick the dragon up directly from Hagrid's because Hagrid's cabin is visible from the castle. How many parts of the castle you can see his hut from depends on your interpretation of the grounds in your mind's eye but it is beyond doubt that you can see his cabin from from part of the castle, and possibly most of the castle.

Therefore, anyone that happened to look out of a window at Hagrid's hut at that time would see several wizards arrive on brooms and then leave minutes later with a suspicious crate slung between them, which would raise awkward questions. Little investigation would need to be done to find out what was in that crate, as Hagrid would have plenty of books on raising dragons in his hut, injuries from the dragon, possibly the dragon's egg shells, etc, as well as Ron's injury.

By smuggling the dragon to the top of the tower under the Cloak, no one that happened to look out the window would ever see anything suspicious at Hagrid's hut, or the arrival/departure of Charley's friends. His friends could approach the school from high up in the sky and be hard or impossible to see, even if you were specifically looking for them, then drop down, land on the tower, get Norbert, and get back flying up high and no one would be any the wiser.

That's how I saw it, anyway.

[Ravenclaw797]

Originally Posted by inthebreeze

They took Norbert to the top of the tallest tower rather than having them pick the dragon up directly from Hagrid's because Hagrid's cabin is visible from the castle. How many parts of the castle you can see his hut from depends on your interpretation of the grounds in your mind's eye but it is beyond doubt that you can see his cabin from from part of the castle, and possibly most of the castle.

Therefore, anyone that happened to look out of a window at Hagrid's hut at that time would see several wizards arrive on brooms and then leave minutes later with a suspicious crate slung between them, which would raise awkward questions. Little investigation would need to be done to find out what was in that crate, as Hagrid would have plenty of books on raising dragons in his hut, injuries from the dragon, possibly the dragon's egg shells, etc, as well as Ron's injury.

By smuggling the dragon to the top of the tower under the Cloak, no one that happened to look out the window would ever see anything suspicious at Hagrid's hut, or the arrival/departure of Charley's friends. His friends could approach the school from high up in the sky and be hard or impossible to see, even if you were specifically looking for them, then drop down, land on the tower, get Norbert, and get back flying up high and no one would be any the wiser.

That's how I saw it, anyway.

Err... Disillusionment Charms anyone? But I guess that might have made it more difficult. So okay, I guess that makes sense. Thanks

[ooerr]

In the shrieking shack scene in POA, when Ron has a broken leg, I always get confused about where he is supposed to be sitting! At first, he is on the floor, nursing his leg. Okay, fine. Then, after the Harry attacks Sirius, Ron gets up, and is said to crawl away and flop onto the bed. But, lines later, when Snape enters, it says he is on the floor again! Mistake?

[Potion]

Originally Posted by ooerr

In the shrieking shack scene in POA, when Ron has a broken leg, I always get confused about where he is supposed to be sitting! At first, he is on the floor, nursing his leg. Okay, fine. Then, after the Harry attacks Sirius, Ron gets up, and is said to crawl away and flop onto the bed. But, lines later, when Snape enters, it says he is on the floor again! Mistake?

Yeah, I recall thinking around the same lines when I read that part. But maybe Rowling simply just didn't write Ron's every movement down, maybe he crawled around without her saying so.

[ardnaxela]

Originally Posted by inthebreeze

They took Norbert to the top of the tallest tower rather than having them pick the dragon up directly from Hagrid's because Hagrid's cabin is visible from the castle. How many parts of the castle you can see his hut from depends on your interpretation of the grounds in your mind's eye but it is beyond doubt that you can see his cabin from from part of the castle, and possibly most of the castle.

Therefore, anyone that happened to look out of a window at Hagrid's hut at that time would see several wizards arrive on brooms and then leave minutes later with a suspicious crate slung between them, which would raise awkward questions. Little investigation would need to be done to find out what was in that crate, as Hagrid would have plenty of books on raising dragons in his hut, injuries from the dragon, possibly the dragon's egg shells, etc, as well as Ron's injury.

By smuggling the dragon to the top of the tower under the Cloak, no one that happened to look out the window would ever see anything suspicious at Hagrid's hut, or the arrival/departure of Charley's friends. His friends could approach the school from high up in the sky and be hard or impossible to see, even if you were specifically looking for them, then drop down, land on the tower, get Norbert, and get back flying up high and no one would be any the wiser.

That's how I saw it, anyway.

I hadn't given this any thought until I just read this post. How on earth were Charlie's friends able to just fly to the castle to pick up Norbert. I know security wasn't as tight in PS as later in the series (for obvious reasons) but surely random wizards shouldn't be able to just fly up to the astronomy tower

[ooerr]

Originally Posted by Potion

Yeah, I recall thinking around the same lines when I read that part. But maybe Rowling simply just didn't write Ron's every movement down, maybe he crawled around without her saying so.

Yeah, he definitely moves from the bed to the floor without us hearing about it, anyway.

I think it probably is a mistake though; why would he move from the comfortable bed to the hard, dusty floor? :s

[blknight7]

Originally Posted by ardnaxela

I hadn't given this any thought until I just read this post. How on earth were Charlie's friends able to just fly to the castle to pick up Norbert. I know security wasn't as tight in PS as later in the series (for obvious reasons) but surely random wizards shouldn't be able to just fly up to the astronomy tower

Can't believe I didn't think of that either!

On the one hand, there was nothing to suggest that there was ever a threat to the school that early on.

On the other, however, we know that there was something that was moved to Hogwarts for protection. Surely, Dumbledore wouldn't want people to just fly up to the castle?!

[eliza101]

Originally Posted by blknight7

Can't believe I didn't think of that either!

On the one hand, there was nothing to suggest that there was ever a threat to the school that early on.

On the other, however, we know that there was something that was moved to Hogwarts for protection. Surely, Dumbledore wouldn't want people to just fly up to the castle?!

Dumbledore was a canny old bird. I don't think Hagrid could have put anything over him. He might have just allowed Charlie and freinds to come and get Norbert.

[Ravenclaw797]

Originally Posted by ardnaxela

I hadn't given this any thought until I just read this post. How on earth were Charlie's friends able to just fly to the castle to pick up Norbert. I know security wasn't as tight in PS as later in the series (for obvious reasons) but surely random wizards shouldn't be able to just fly up to the astronomy tower

Because Dumbledore was keeping a close eye on Harry his entire first year in order to let him "try his strength." Dumbledore basically guided Harry through his first year, though Harry didn't know it. There's an interesting essay about it here http://hpcompanion.com/ps/psessay/ if anyone feels like reading. But basically Dumbledore probably knew what was going on and lifted the enchantments for that night.

[bellatrix93]

I don't think Dumbledore knew about Norbert. Otherwise he'd have known how Hagrid had got it, ans also that a stranger had known how to get past Fluffy.

[leah49]

Originally Posted by ooerr

Yeah, he definitely moves from the bed to the floor without us hearing about it, anyway.

I think it probably is a mistake though; why would he move from the comfortable bed to the hard, dusty floor? :s

Maybe he fell off the bed?

[MrSleepyHead]

Originally Posted by ardnaxela

I hadn't given this any thought until I just read this post. How on earth were Charlie's friends able to just fly to the castle to pick up Norbert. I know security wasn't as tight in PS as later in the series (for obvious reasons) but surely random wizards shouldn't be able to just fly up to the astronomy tower

As you say, I think security was simply laxer in SS/PS. It was not tightened extraordinarily until HBP. Here are the 2 passages I think are most relevant:

HBP, Snape Victorious But when he put out a hand to push open the gates, he found them chained shut. "Alohomora!" he said confidently, pointing his wand at the padlock, but nothing happened. "That won't work on these," said Tonks. "Dumbledore bewitched them himself." Harry looked around, I could climb a wall," he suggested. "No, you couldn't," said Tonks flatly. "Anti-intruder jinxes on all of them. Security's been tightened a hundredfold this summer." "Well then,” said Harry, starting to feel annoyed at her lack of helpfulness, "I suppose I'll just have to sleep out here and wait for morning.”

HBP, The Lightning-Struck Tower As they flew over the dark, twisting lane down which they had walked earlier, Harry heard, over the whistling of the night air in his ears, Dumbledore muttering in some strange language again. He thought he understood why as he felt his broom shudder when they flew over the boundary wall into the grounds: Dumbledore was undoing the enchantments he himself had set around the castle so they could enter at speed.

From these passages, it does not seem as if security around Hogwarts during PS/SS would have prevented Charlie's friends from flying to the Astronomy Tower. It is the same route the Harry and Dumbledore take by broom in HBP, and it is Dumbledore's personal enchantments - likely not placed on the school until the summer before HBP, according to Tonks - that would prevent a broom entrance.

Now, I do think Dumbledore would have heightened security himself periodically through the series, especially after GoF (i.e. after Voldemort's return). But I do not think the times surrounding PS/SS would have prompted Dumbledore to put extra protection around the castle. The Stone was "safely" guarded by a series of enchantments, and I think Dumbledore realized that Voldemort, though perhaps being more active, was still not an overwhelming threat.

Since Charlie's friends could fly to the Astronomy Tower (and given that Charlie expected this would work, which, to me, indicates that past security was also lax enough to allow broom transportation in and out of the grounds) and we have evidence for security not being tightened "a hundredfold" until HBP, I would not count this is a book mistake or inconsistency. It could be perceived as negligence on the part of Hogwarts/Dumbledore, but I do not think it is a mistake.