If Harry Potter already had the contract written before going into Gringotts, how did Moody’s eye not see it? I suppose it is possible that Moody’s eye cannot see into the folded space of Harry’s pouch, but Harry has no reason to assume as much, and is smart enough not to take the risk. And whether or not Moody can see into folded pouch-space, this line makes no sense at all: “Moody paused as his Eye caught sight of the second half of the document as Harry Potter slowly, as though reluctantly, began to unfold the top upward.” Moody’s eye can easily see through mere paper. Why would he be able to see only the unfolded portion of the document?
This chapter would make a lot more sense if Harry committed the wording of the contract to memory beforehand and wrote it down at the meeting, and if McGonagall or Dumbledore was escorting Harry, not Moody.
Does the eye of Vance have infinite zoom or does it just see in all direction through all objects? I can’t read small print that’s on a piece of paper 8 feet away from me even if I have a clear view of it.
Wait, even if he did write it in the meeting room, can’t the Eye of Vance see through walls?
Now I want to know what exactly the limit of Moody’s superpower is. How far can the Eye see in every direction? How many barriers can it see through? How far can it “zoom”, if at all? To what resolution? Can the Eye read fine print from 1000 feet away?
Harry promptly reached into his robes and drew out a parchment, unfolding it and spreading it across the golden table. “I’ve taken the liberty myself, actually,” Harry said. He’d spent some careful hours in the Hogwarts library with the law books available.
Ah, you’re right. This raises the question: is this a plot hole, or is Eliezer giving us a subtle hint that the person we think is Moody was in fact someone polyjuiced as Moody, without the real Eye of Vance?
...That’s a very Harry-like exclamation. But I don’t think even HJPEV could manage to replace Mad-Eye Moody with a Polyjuiced and Time-Turned version of himself. But then again, this whole chapter was in distant third person, and we don’t know what Harry knows or how he knows it...
Why would he be able to see only the unfolded portion of the document?
Because in the folded parts, the words would be all on top of each other and difficult to make out. Take a sheet of transparent cellulose acetate and write some words on it, roll it up, then try to make out what the words say.
If Harry Potter already had the contract written before going into Gringotts, how did Moody’s eye not see it? I suppose it is possible that Moody’s eye cannot see into the folded space of Harry’s pouch, but Harry has no reason to assume as much, and is smart enough not to take the risk. And whether or not Moody can see into folded pouch-space, this line makes no sense at all: “Moody paused as his Eye caught sight of the second half of the document as Harry Potter slowly, as though reluctantly, began to unfold the top upward.” Moody’s eye can easily see through mere paper. Why would he be able to see only the unfolded portion of the document?
This chapter would make a lot more sense if Harry committed the wording of the contract to memory beforehand and wrote it down at the meeting, and if McGonagall or Dumbledore was escorting Harry, not Moody.
Does the eye of Vance have infinite zoom or does it just see in all direction through all objects? I can’t read small print that’s on a piece of paper 8 feet away from me even if I have a clear view of it.
But it would make him suspicious to see Harry carrying paper (with words already written on it—he may carry paper around as a matter of course)
It’s even worse than this; Harry did not have his pouch as he went in.
A plausible response is that Harry wrote it out during the waiting period before the Malfoys entered.
Wait, even if he did write it in the meeting room, can’t the Eye of Vance see through walls?
Now I want to know what exactly the limit of Moody’s superpower is. How far can the Eye see in every direction? How many barriers can it see through? How far can it “zoom”, if at all? To what resolution? Can the Eye read fine print from 1000 feet away?
Nope.
Technically, that quote doesn’t say where he wrote it. It just says he did his research first.
Ah, you’re right. This raises the question: is this a plot hole, or is Eliezer giving us a subtle hint that the person we think is Moody was in fact someone polyjuiced as Moody, without the real Eye of Vance?
Now you’re just being paranoid.
Which is totally appropriate.
So...maybe.
CONSTANT VIGILANCE
“What the crap” is also not a very Moody-like exclamation.
...That’s a very Harry-like exclamation. But I don’t think even HJPEV could manage to replace Mad-Eye Moody with a Polyjuiced and Time-Turned version of himself. But then again, this whole chapter was in distant third person, and we don’t know what Harry knows or how he knows it...
I could OTOH easily imagine him saying “What the hell” instead.
Because in the folded parts, the words would be all on top of each other and difficult to make out. Take a sheet of transparent cellulose acetate and write some words on it, roll it up, then try to make out what the words say.