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Why did Dumbledore have James' cloak?

by David Haber

On a new post on her official web site, J.K. Rowling admitted she made a mistake in New York when she was asked, what question have you never been asked that you ought to have been asked? She now says the question should have been, Why did Dumbledore have James' invisibility cloak at the time of James' death, given that Dumbledore could make himself invisible without a cloak?

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Reader Comments: (Page 65)

Thinking logically, Dumbledore has James's cloak either because James gave it to him before he d, perhaps in the knowledge that he was going to , and wanted Dumbledore to pass it on to Harry OR someone else was at Godrick's Hollow the night Voldemort attacked the Potters and used the cloak to hide either while they were there or when they went to Dumbledore to report what had happened. I want to know where Lupin was the night Voldemort attacked...

Posted by Joe from England on June 18, 2007 08:42 AM

I think that the possiblilty of the cloak being a Horcrux of James Potter is a very good one and quite logical too.

The cloak, having been left in Dumbledore's possession when James and Lily d, would have been in his possession for a while.

Maybe, James knew about the existance of the Voldemort's Horcruxes and made one of himself as he knew that it would eventually have to be Harry who defeated Voldemort so he gave it to Dumbledore to give to Harry when the time was right to help him defeat Voldemort.

Posted by xx-teeNage-aNgel-xx from Newcastle on June 19, 2007 02:56 AM

xx-teeNage-aNgel-xx from Newcastle,

The reason to make a Horcrux is so the person making it would not . As we have already seen, you need DARK magic to regain a body, and you also need to have ed somebody in order to split your soul, and use this damage to create a horcrux.

Through out the books, do you see any indication that James would either use Dark Magic or anybody? I have not.

Posted by Emilio from Mexico City, Mexico on June 20, 2007 10:03 AM

Leah, I think you've got some good points there... I'm not sure if I completely agree about the Petunia bit, but its a possibility! As for the Harry going back in time and being the one there under the cloak, it still doesn't answer WHY Dumbledore had James cloak. It just gets too complicated. Dumbledore was not a seer, that we know of, so I think its getting too complicated when time travel is bought back in.

Posted by Kylie from Australia on June 20, 2007 7:36 PM

I highly doubt that James, or Gryfindor has a horcrux, But i do think that the cloak has some significance in defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, i just dont know how yet

Posted by Craig from Salem, Utah on June 20, 2007 8:49 PM

I like the comment posted by Joe from England...The simplest answer is often the best. Dumbledore had James' cloak because he asked to borrow it. We know that Dumbledore does not need the cloak to become invisible, but maybe he gave it to someone else to use. I think that this person was not Lupin as Joe questions, but instead it is Snape. Snape must have expressed either remorse or regret over becoming a eater, and Dumbledore sensed it and took action. The final straw that made Snape decide to switch sides was when Dumbledore convinced Snape to hide under the cloak at Godric's Hollow, and watch Voldemort James and Lily. Remember that while at school Lily was actually nice to Snape, and James saved Snape's life when Sirius' joke went too far. Snape owed James his life, and had nothing against Lily, and he had to stand there and watch Voldemort act upon the information that Snape himself provided, based on the portion of the prophecy that he overheard. Dumbledore tells Harry that Snape deeply regrets being responsible for the s of James and Lily, and perhaps he feel even guiltier because he actually witnessed it happen. I also think that throughout the books Snapes has actually been looking after Harry, even though he hates doing it, (counter jinxing Harry's broom in SS, not ing Harry when they fought at the end of HP, ect...) and he does this because he feels that he can redeem himself for the s of James and Lily by looking after their only son. Why do you think that Snape is always in Harry's business, and they always seem to run into each other at the worst times? It because Snape is watching Harry so closely, so that he can better protect him.

Posted by William from NC, USA on June 20, 2007 11:27 PM

Everyone has valid points, i especially like Joe from England's points and William (above) as they both go for some simple stuff...How do we know JK. was even thinking about horcruxes right at the start...surely she would have mentioned the cloak in more detail if it was to be something so closely related as a horcrux. It can be crucial to the plot, while still being abstract, possibly something we have never heard of before...

I also think that the whole Snape as the protector fits so well...it must be true...

Posted by Josh from England on June 21, 2007 08:08 AM

Ok if that was james' invisibility cloak turned horcux, who did james have to to make it a horcrux? as far as i know, james was a good person and would not anyone, unless they agreed to it for the better sake of the wizarding world. but i still dont think that happened, so i think the possibility of james' cloak being a horcux is out of the question.

Posted by john from pennsylvania on June 21, 2007 08:21 AM

William from NC: If Dumbledore lent the cloak to Snape so he could be at Godric's Hollow to watch the Potters , Dumbledore himself must have known Voldemort knew where they were. And in that case, don't you think he would try to stop Voldemort from ing them?

Posted by zetruz from Sweden on June 21, 2007 09:10 AM

William - I agree with you about Severus looking after Harry very closely, but I'm curious as to why Albus would have sent him to Godric's Hollow just to stand by and watch Lily and James be ed. Unless you're suggesting that for some reason Severus had to witness the damage he's done; that's a bit malicious for Albus, though.

The same goes for Remus, Joe. The poor man�s had enough pain in his life. What purpose would it serve to have him witness the of two of his best friends, and potentially their son?

Posted by Monkeeshrines from orlando fl on June 21, 2007 09:47 AM

I kind of agree with you , except for the part about dumbledore convincing snape to hide under the invisibility cloak and watch voldemort james and lily. Obviously dumbledore would've stopped voldemort had he known. Though that is a good idea about snape, which might be expressed in book 7.

Posted by Connor from Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 21, 2007 2:19 PM

i question keeps haunting me in relation to all this theory of hiding someone under cloak that how could anyone have find godric's hollow without wormtail telling them as he was actually the secret keeper for fidelius charm and we know that dumbledore didn't know this, so even he would know where potters were hiding he could not have gone there without wormtail telling him (which shall destroy hp3 completely) or for that matter anyone (except sirius i guess, who made potters change their decision about secret keeper). however, this portkey business may help in some way but we don't know for sure.

Posted by swati from India on June 22, 2007 05:26 AM

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