I don't know that visiting Godric's Hollow would necessarily make a difference, in any case. Was there anything in particular to be learned there?
What could have Dumbledore learned from his office, and what could he have learned from visiting Godric's Hollow?
He definitely knew something was up or he wouldn't have known to send Hagrid.
OK, if he was not part of the Secret he would know when the Fidelius Charm no longer held, because he would be able to remember the Potters' location. (Extra-canonically Rowling said he placed some kind of alarm charm on the house, that would work too). Since the Secret was breached he knew the Secret Keeper (presumably Sirius) was the traitor. From whatever Severus reported about his Dark Mark he knew something happened to Voldemort that weakened him very significantly. Did he know Harry survived and needed to be taken to safety or did he send Hagrid to see if this was so? Because without assuming any unmentioned charms or perhaps the report of a portrait from Harry's room the only way Dumbledore could have *known* Harry survived was the wording of the Prophecy - it implies at least 2 encounters between Harry and Voldemort, one in which Voldemort would mark Harry as his equal and one where one of them would die at the hand of the other. The only way Dumbledore could know that Lily's sacrifice was at work was if he knew she had died and I don't know how he would know that without the report of someone who had been to the house.
What could be gained from visiting Godric's Hollow, or hearing the report of someone who did?
The knowledge that James and Lily were dead. That James died at the door and Lily by Harry's crib. That their wands were nowhere near their persons but somewhere in the living room. That Lily attempted to barricade herself in Harry's room. Confirmation that Harry was indeed alive, though scarred. That there was no sign of Voldemort's body.
Knowing Lily died, and especially knowing she was at Harry's crib with no means to protect herself (and knowing Voldemort said something to Severus about her possibly being allowed to live) was necessary knowledge to construct a theory of sacrificial magic saving Harry. I do not know if it was sufficient knowledge. Maybe Dumbledore had to see the protection in action as he did at the end of the book to know it worked and how. But at the very least, he needed evidence that could only be gained from within Harry's room. Unless he had the report of a portrait or time-travel was somehow involved he could only have learned this after he had already sent Hagrid.
To construct a hypothesis about Voldemort having a Horcrux he needed to know Voldemort survived something that should have otherwise killed him. That Voldemort was still alive, though significantly weakened, he could learn from Severus' Dark Mark. But once he figured out Lily's sacrifice Dumbledore could understand what it was that hit Voldemort - the AK intended for Harry - and thus confirmation that indeed Voldemort was struck by something that should have been fatal.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-09-15 03:35 pm (UTC)What could have Dumbledore learned from his office, and what could he have learned from visiting Godric's Hollow?
He definitely knew something was up or he wouldn't have known to send Hagrid.
OK, if he was not part of the Secret he would know when the Fidelius Charm no longer held, because he would be able to remember the Potters' location. (Extra-canonically Rowling said he placed some kind of alarm charm on the house, that would work too). Since the Secret was breached he knew the Secret Keeper (presumably Sirius) was the traitor. From whatever Severus reported about his Dark Mark he knew something happened to Voldemort that weakened him very significantly. Did he know Harry survived and needed to be taken to safety or did he send Hagrid to see if this was so? Because without assuming any unmentioned charms or perhaps the report of a portrait from Harry's room the only way Dumbledore could have *known* Harry survived was the wording of the Prophecy - it implies at least 2 encounters between Harry and Voldemort, one in which Voldemort would mark Harry as his equal and one where one of them would die at the hand of the other. The only way Dumbledore could know that Lily's sacrifice was at work was if he knew she had died and I don't know how he would know that without the report of someone who had been to the house.
What could be gained from visiting Godric's Hollow, or hearing the report of someone who did?
The knowledge that James and Lily were dead. That James died at the door and Lily by Harry's crib. That their wands were nowhere near their persons but somewhere in the living room. That Lily attempted to barricade herself in Harry's room. Confirmation that Harry was indeed alive, though scarred. That there was no sign of Voldemort's body.
Knowing Lily died, and especially knowing she was at Harry's crib with no means to protect herself (and knowing Voldemort said something to Severus about her possibly being allowed to live) was necessary knowledge to construct a theory of sacrificial magic saving Harry. I do not know if it was sufficient knowledge. Maybe Dumbledore had to see the protection in action as he did at the end of the book to know it worked and how. But at the very least, he needed evidence that could only be gained from within Harry's room. Unless he had the report of a portrait or time-travel was somehow involved he could only have learned this after he had already sent Hagrid.
To construct a hypothesis about Voldemort having a Horcrux he needed to know Voldemort survived something that should have otherwise killed him. That Voldemort was still alive, though significantly weakened, he could learn from Severus' Dark Mark. But once he figured out Lily's sacrifice Dumbledore could understand what it was that hit Voldemort - the AK intended for Harry - and thus confirmation that indeed Voldemort was struck by something that should have been fatal.