The Missing Day

[Weasleyfanforever]

We know that an entire day transpired between the time that the Potters were killed and the time that Hagrid brought Harry to Dumbledore, so he could leave him at the Dursleys. What happened during this time period? How long did it take Hagrid to discover Harry? Was Harry in the rubble for hours, or was he found right away, and it just took that long for Hagrid to get to Privet Drive? Also, since the location of Godrics Hollow was under the Fidelus Charm, how did Hagrid know where it was? How did anyone (other than Peter) know that anything had happened at Godrics Hollow, if it was hidden? Since no one else could see the house, no one could see the the rubble, so, how would anyone know what happened at the house, and how did the rumors start so quickly?

[Alz]

OK, I'm not sure if this is correct but this is how I saw some of this ...

When the Potters died - I think the charm was broken - afterall there is no secret to keep once they died - no-one to keep safe.
I dont really have anything to support that view, I just figured it :o

I think Sirius was suppose to have grown worried that Peter wasnt where he was suppose to be and put 2 and 2 together, he then left for the Potters.
When he arrived he saw the scene - and also Hagrid arriving ... he gave Hagrid the bike and then went to find Pettigrew.
Once again not sure how much of that is factual.

Question still remain as in - who sent the signal that the Potters were dead - because Sirius and Pettigrew arrived almost together ....

The missing day - we are lead to belive Dumbledore placed Harry somewhere while he made plans for Harry to be with the Dursley's - as well as sealing the charm that kept Harry safe.
He is also assumed to have gifted Harry a few other charms and things during this 24 hours - but it is safe to assume the details about this isnt full explained ... I just offer my speculation ...

Great thread Wheezy!

[Boing]

Good question - because, unless there was a DE with Voldemort that night, there wouldn't have been anyone left to put the Dark Mark in the sky after the killing was finished. So that couldn't be used as a signal.

Something else that caught my eye is that, in the first chapter of PS/SS, Prof. McGonagall is casing the Dursleys house all day, but when Dumbledore arrives, she asks him to confirm the rumors. He says he isn't surprised to see her there, etc. So, how did she know where to go? Who had Dumbledore told his plans to? Just Hagrid? Did Hagrid tell Prof. McGonagall where Dumbledore was planning on taking Harry? How did McGonagall know who Harry's last relatives were?

I guess we do know that Dumbledore was at the very least putting some protective spells on Harry during that missing day, but as for the rest, I don't know. I would also assume that is the time when Sirius and Peter got into their little scuffle.

[Tonks]

The missing day - we are lead to belive Dumbledore placed Harry somewhere while he made plans for Harry to be with the Dursley's
But he would have been with Hagrid the entire time yeah? Since Hagrid pulled him out of the rubble, and Hagrid was the one who brought him to the Dursleys. I definitely don't think it would take an entire day to fly across England, unless of course they were going by way of Antarctica. :rolleyes:

Also agree with Bla that the spell would have been broken; after all, it was upon the Potters themselves, not Godric's Hollow as far as I understood it. I saw this one was different from the Fidelus Charm placed on Grimmauld Place; G.P. would be on the actual place, where as this one was directly on the Potters?
Something else that caught my eye is that, in the first chapter of PS/SS, Prof. McGonagall is casing the Dursleys house all day, but when Dumbledore arrives, she asks him to confirm the rumors. He says he isn't surprised to see her there, etc. So, how did she know where to go? Who had Dumbledore told his plans to? Just Hagrid? Did Hagrid tell Prof. McGonagall where Dumbledore was planning on taking Harry?
I don't know if Dumbledore told his plans to just Hagrid, but Hagrid was the one who told Professor McGonagall that Dumbledore would be at Privet Drive.

Dumbledore says "Hagrid’s late, I suppose it was he who told you I’d be here, by the way?" and McGonagall responds with "Yes, and I don’t suppose you're going to tell me why you’re here of all places?" I also think he told her exactly where Dumbledore was going to be, as in the address, and not who's house, because McGonagall was reading a map and street signs to get there (as the cat that Vernon noticed on his way to work).

However, I don't think that McGonagall had any idea why Dumbledore would be there, because she asked him. ("I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here of all places?") Why would she ask him if she already knew? (Unless she just asked for confirmation of course, but it didn't seem that way to me.)

[Alz]

Hagrid could have taken Harry to Dumbledore and then was trusted to take him to the Dursley's afterwards no?
Dumbledore would have been really busy with the events post Potters death - and as well as trying to charm Harry he would have been setting up guards etc - so I think Hagrid was just the delivery man ...
This might also explain why other knew - because Hagrid was probably running errands for Dumbledore and also has a nasty habit of letting things slip ...

OK, I was lead to believe nearly 24 hours passed between the Potters death and Harry arrving at the Dursley's - does anyone have anything contra to this?
Also - didnt Hagrid say he flew over Bristol?
Little Whinging is suppose to be in Surrey ... So I would have to assume that if the above is correct - Harry was somewhere in Wales at some point in time ....

[Tinkerbell]

Question still remain as in - who sent the signal that the Potters were dead - because Sirius and Pettigrew arrived almost together ....


Whilst watching PoA, when Prof McGonagall and Mr Fudge are in the Three Broomsticks with Madam Rosmerta, the Prof talks about when the Potters knew they were marked for death they went into hiding. We know that as Secret Keeper Wormtail would be the only one to reveal where they were, but if the Potters also told Dumbledore where they were, he could have asked Hagrid to 'patrol' the area in which he knew they were.

It is, I suppose, possible that Hagrid rescued Harry fairly promptly and then took him somewhere safe, for which Dumbledore was the secret keeper, before then escorting Harry to the Dursley's the following day, in order to make it harder for Voldemort's followers to track Harry?

Just a thought!

[Alz]

Well if Hagrid was patrolling the area - he must have seen or even heard Voldemort arriving ...
I still think someone else was there who left - raised the signal and might have even removed Harry to a safe place ...
Who is doesnt seem like it was would be Pettigrew, Black and I might even venture Hagrid - because Sirius arrived same time as Hagrid and then went off to find Pettigrew ...

Given this other person was there the night of the attack - and remained a missing element post events - I would assume someone like Snape ... because well he would fit the roll of someone who was suppose to be a DE - but also was helping Dumbledore out ... ;)

[Boing]

I always like it when things come back to Snape . . .:) I have also wondered if he was there that night - either witnessing the attacks or come just after . . .

So what happened during that day - I think it safe to assume that Harry was brought somewhere quite safe during that time. They would want to keep him quite out of the way while preparations were being made for his future home. Also, yes, protective charms, etc. but I think it might have been as simple as Harry gone into hiding.

The points about Hagrid telling Prof. McGonagal where Dumbledore would be are interesting - that seems to point out that Hagrid was away from Harry at certain points during the day - enough to talk to Prof. McGonagal without telling her anything about Harry as she didn't know when she talked to Dumbledore . . . interesting.

[Fizzle Snap]

Sirius was at the scene when Hagrid arrived, and gave him his motorcycle. I would assume Sirius pulled little Harry out, then when to find Peter after Harry was safe. Sirius was James' best friend, he could have been going there for any number of reasons.

As I understand it, once a secret keeper tells you where something is it isn't hidden from you anymore... so many people knew where the Potters were, they just couldn't share it with anyone else. Only Peter could betray the location.

Also, I think the rumors that Prof. McGonnagal was asking Dumbledore about related to whether or not Voldy was gone... she obviously knew Harry was coming to Privet Dr... but I would guess it took time to confirm that not only had Harry survived, but his assailant had not, or not completely intact.

[Alz]

See now I got the impression Hagrid arrived just after Sirius - and I mean just after ..
Was enough for Sirius to know Hagrid would help so he could go and deal with Pettigrew ..
Might need to go read that part again - but I dont get the impression there was a great deal of time ...
Hagid pulled Harry from the rubble - I am sure we had that confirmed one time - that suggests to me that Sirius wasnt there too long before Hagrid ... otherwise he would have got Harry ...

[Weasleyfanforever]

See now I got the impression Hagrid arrived just after Sirius - and I mean just after ..
Was enough for Sirius to know Hagrid would help so he could go and deal with Pettigrew ..
Might need to go read that part again - but I dont get the impression there was a great deal of time ...
Hagid pulled Harry from the rubble - I am sure we had that confirmed one time - that suggests to me that Sirius wasnt there too long before Hagrid ... otherwise he would have got Harry ...

Actually, it was Sirius that got there right after Hagrid:

"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead... an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there.

So Sirius arrived got there right after Hagrid had pulled Harry out of the rubble, is what I get from this.

[Alz]

OK, so once again Blaise strikes again :o

Getting back on track - I wonder if this is where we will see Spinners End?
It is a possible idea thrown in here as a safe house ...
Said elsewhere that Harry spends the least amount of time at Dursley's this summer - what if he goes to the safe house he was taken to all those years ago - and the place is Spinners End?

[Nagini]

How is Spinners End back on topic of the Missing Day? ;)

I can't remember where it says there was 24 hours between the time of the attack on the Potters and Hagrid delivering Harry to Dumbledore, but if there was then its possible that Hagrid took Harry to Hogwarts for safety whilst Dumbledore checked to make sure that Voldemort really was gone. It also gave Dumbledore time to create his charm and other spells and to write his letter to the Dursleys.

I am also curious about how Hagrid knew where the Potters were hiding out and managed to get there so quickly, and I thought perhaps Snape went to Dumbledore and told him that Voldemort planned to attack the Potters that night. But somehow Dumbledore wasn't able to go in person, or didn't trust Snape at that stage but he learnt that Snape had been told by Pettigrew where they were hiding so Dumbledore sent Hagrid to check it out.

Snape said he had been employed at Hogwarts for fourteen years - which is the same in OoTP since Voldemort attacked the Potters. If he did blab to Dumbledore, then Dumbledore could have given him refuge in return for his information - I do like how Snape gets blamed for it all. :D

[Alz]

How is Spinners End back on topic of the Missing Day? ;)

Well, you see Harry was taken somewhere post attack - and was then moved from there to the Dursley's and the doorstep ..
I was just offering that indeed Spinners End might have been the place he was taken to - and as such fits in with the missing day :p

The Potters were attacked around midnight - Harry was then taken somewhere by Hagrid to meet with Dumbledore - who sealed the sacrfice of his mother with the blood sacrifice - the same one that meant being with Petunia would keep him safe.

Taking all of this into account - and also Minerva finding out etc - I think I just assumed a period of a day passed and Harry was left the following evening.

[yarvelling]

Here's how I interpret the events of those 24 hours:

Nighttime:
Voldemort goes to Godricks Hollow and murders James and Lilly. Makes his escape, now terribly injured. Leaves Harry behind.
Dumbledore, hearing of the attack, sends Hagrid poste haste to recover the boy.

Early Morning:
Pettigrew goes to Godrics Hollow to try to find and rejoin his master. Finds the house and discovers the bodies of James and Lilly. Maybe he fires a Dark Mark? (do we know if anyone actually did??).
Sirius arrives (he did state that he went back, fearing he had made a mistake in trusting Pettigrew). Sirius and Pettigrew have their battle out in daylight, in the muggle street (I don't think it was ever stated where the two of them fought). Pettigrew blows up the street, killing all those muggles (the Potters' neighbours), and destroying the houses. (this also answers another question from a different thread asking why the Potters' house was destroyed if the AK curse only killed the victims but didn't destroy surroundings).
In the smoke and confusion, Pettigrew transforms into his rat form and escapes, having now cut off his finger and leaving it to be found, thus framing Sirius.
Sirius would probably lay low for a while while muggle authorities did their thing.
Sirius would have seen Hagrid arrive and find the baby Harry. He then persuaded him to take the motorbike, and saying that he wouldn't be needing it now. Hagrid would not have known about the duel with Pettigrew....
Hagrid departs. MoM officials arrive and capture Sirius.

Morning:
In the muggle world, while the battle with Pettigrew was taking place, we learn of wizards carelessly and openly celebrating the downfall of Voldemort, and they also knew of the death of the Potters. Vernon Dursley caught part of this the day he also witnessed McGonagall reading street signs and a map. Hagrid would have told her where he was going (I think that was also established in the book).

Late Evening:
McGonagall sits waiting on the Dursleys wall. Dumbledore arrives. They talk. Dumbledore has made whatever arrangements he needed, and written the letter to the Dursleys and placed the necessary charms upon it.
Hagrid arrives. If he was indeed coming from Wales ("Little tyke fell asleep over the Bristol Channel!") then it would have taken most of the day to reach London, I'm sure Hagrid would have kept it fairly slow and steady so as not to disturb Harry!
Dumbledore leaves Harry with the letter, on the Dursleys doorstep, and then He, McGonagall, and Hagrid depart.

I think the sequence with Sirius and Pettigrew fills the 'missing day' and also allows for Hagrid to have reached the Potter house and then leave again whillst maintaning a realistic timeline. Of course, it is all guesswork and supposition on my part, but thats what makes sense to me, and how I've taken it since finishing PoA...
Make of it what you will, and of course, feel free to tear it apart if I've made any glaring errors... ;)

[Alz]

OK - lets try ...

Night Time : Technically Midnight I think?
Voldemort says he was ripped from his body in GoF - so he didnt escape in any form ...
How did Dumbledore hear of the attack?
This is a fundemetal question ...

Early AM
It is established that Hagrid claimes to remove Harry from rubble - and Sirius arrives on bike - Sirius sets off to find Pettigrew - doesnt he corner him in London?
He went to Pettigrew's and realised he wasnt there and came straight to Potters ...
I got the impression the MoM officials caught Black at the scene of the 'explosion' - almost like someone had tipped them off maybe - clever Pettigrew?
I am also sure the explosion took place in a busy area and other muggles were around and witnessed it - seems to suggest light.

Apart from that am liking the rest of the stuff - great post - fanastic details and lateral thinking!