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Slytherincess
Slytherincess
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I don't think there is any canon info, but there are any number of magical distance observation methods he could have used:

  • The alarm spell around Potter house (similar to the one that triggered near Hog's Head in DH when the trio arrived there).

  • Watching from a portrait/photograph of himself at Potter's house (or other means - remember Sirius' mirror that he gave Harry to talk to him)

  • Having a dead wizard portrait serve as observer

  • Having some other alarm spell (e.g. something that monitors Potters' heartbeats).

Instantaneous communication is something normal for Potterverse (Dark Mark, Hermione's DA tokens, portraits, etc...). So are tripwire/alarm spells of all kinds.

Remember that Dumbledore was one of the most advanced wizards of his time, and was able to do extremely fancy magic, so combining SOME alarm/tripwire spell with a communication charm would have been easily within his capability.

And given the importance of the house/family (post-Prophecy), it's almost certain he'd have set something like that, especially being a paranoid nutcase diligent well-prepared-in-advance fellow that he was.

ETA: 09.01.12

SU: How did Dumbledore find out about what happened in Godric's Hollow?

MA:And what happened? There's this whole twenty four hours that people have been fantasizing about for years.

JKR: Yeah, I know. I've got a bit of problem with this myself, because every time I think it straight in my head I go back and look at what the fans are theorizing about, and I think "Yeah, maybe they've got a point." Dumbledore- Well there's an easy answer to how would Dumbledore know. Because you can- He? (laughs) You can. One can.

[SNIP]

Yeah, so okay. Obviously Dumbledore could cast a spell on a dwelling that would immediately alert him if something happened to it. So he could know instantaneously. That's not a problem at all. And then he could dispatch Hagrid and so on. I think The Scottish Book will have to answer that question. I'm gonna have to really go back through notes and either admit that I lost twenty four hours or I don't know, hurriedly come up with some back story to fill in. Either way, you either get to be right, or you get more story. So you can't complain.

[POTTERCAST - 12.23.07 - THE LEAKY CAULDRON]

I don't think there is any canon info, but there are any number of magical distance observation methods he could have used:

  • The alarm spell around Potter house (similar to the one that triggered near Hog's Head in DH when the trio arrived there).

  • Watching from a portrait/photograph of himself at Potter's house (or other means - remember Sirius' mirror that he gave Harry to talk to him)

  • Having a dead wizard portrait serve as observer

  • Having some other alarm spell (e.g. something that monitors Potters' heartbeats).

Instantaneous communication is something normal for Potterverse (Dark Mark, Hermione's DA tokens, portraits, etc...). So are tripwire/alarm spells of all kinds.

Remember that Dumbledore was one of the most advanced wizards of his time, and was able to do extremely fancy magic, so combining SOME alarm/tripwire spell with a communication charm would have been easily within his capability.

And given the importance of the house/family (post-Prophecy), it's almost certain he'd have set something like that, especially being a paranoid nutcase diligent well-prepared-in-advance fellow that he was.

I don't think there is any canon info, but there are any number of magical distance observation methods he could have used:

  • The alarm spell around Potter house (similar to the one that triggered near Hog's Head in DH when the trio arrived there).

  • Watching from a portrait/photograph of himself at Potter's house (or other means - remember Sirius' mirror that he gave Harry to talk to him)

  • Having a dead wizard portrait serve as observer

  • Having some other alarm spell (e.g. something that monitors Potters' heartbeats).

Instantaneous communication is something normal for Potterverse (Dark Mark, Hermione's DA tokens, portraits, etc...). So are tripwire/alarm spells of all kinds.

Remember that Dumbledore was one of the most advanced wizards of his time, and was able to do extremely fancy magic, so combining SOME alarm/tripwire spell with a communication charm would have been easily within his capability.

And given the importance of the house/family (post-Prophecy), it's almost certain he'd have set something like that, especially being a paranoid nutcase diligent well-prepared-in-advance fellow that he was.

ETA: 09.01.12

SU: How did Dumbledore find out about what happened in Godric's Hollow?

MA:And what happened? There's this whole twenty four hours that people have been fantasizing about for years.

JKR: Yeah, I know. I've got a bit of problem with this myself, because every time I think it straight in my head I go back and look at what the fans are theorizing about, and I think "Yeah, maybe they've got a point." Dumbledore- Well there's an easy answer to how would Dumbledore know. Because you can- He? (laughs) You can. One can.

[SNIP]

Yeah, so okay. Obviously Dumbledore could cast a spell on a dwelling that would immediately alert him if something happened to it. So he could know instantaneously. That's not a problem at all. And then he could dispatch Hagrid and so on. I think The Scottish Book will have to answer that question. I'm gonna have to really go back through notes and either admit that I lost twenty four hours or I don't know, hurriedly come up with some back story to fill in. Either way, you either get to be right, or you get more story. So you can't complain.

[POTTERCAST - 12.23.07 - THE LEAKY CAULDRON]

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DVK-on-Ahch-To
DVK-on-Ahch-To
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I don't think there is any canon info, but there are any number of magical distance observation methods he could have used:

  • The alarm spell around Potter house (similar to the one that triggered near Hog's Head in DH when the trio arrived there).

  • Watching from a portrait/photograph of himself at Potter's house (or other means - remember Sirius' mirror that he gave Harry to talk to him)

  • Having a dead wizard portrait serve as observer

  • Having some other alarm spell (e.g. something that monitors Potters' heartbeats).

Instantaneous communication is something normal for Potterverse (Dark Mark, Hermione's DA tokens, portraits, etc...). So are tripwire/alarm spells of all kinds.

Remember that Dumbledore was one of the most advanced wizards of his time, and was able to do extremely fancy magic, so combining SOME alarm/tripwire spell with a communication charm would have been easily within his capability.

And given the importance of the house/family (post-Prophecy), it's almost certain he'd have set something like that, especially being a paranoid nutcase diligent well-prepared-in-advance fellow that he was.