Also, if there was no one left alive except Harry, how did they know it was Avada Kedavra that rebounded from Harry, instead of some other spell?
(When the Dementor attacks him, Harry sees the green flash and hears the words, but only when Voldie kills his parents, not when he’s attacked himself, as I recall.)
They could have tried Legillimency on baby Harry, but nobody actually mentions that, and other than Moody it doesn’t seem like anyone would think of it.
Of course, you’re right, I forgot you could do that. In MoR at least they should have thought of it, though they didn’t seem to try it on Hermione’s. Prior Incantato* doesn’t show who was target, though, and shows only the last spell IIRC, so it’d be easy to camouflage.
I wonder if it “wandless” spells are still cast through the wand (just without holding it), or if they’re completely independent of it.
(*Edit:) The first version of this comment mistakenly said Priori Incantatem, a different spell than the one I was actually describing.
Priori Incantatem doesn’t show who was target, though,
Not only does it show who the target was, it summons a pseudo-ghost if the target was the victim of a Killing Curse.
and shows only the last spell IIRC,
The one in canon showed at least the last four or five, I’m pretty sure.
Edit: Whoops, sorry, didn’t get the context. “Priori Incantatem” is the brother-wand effect, “Prior Incantato” is the analytical spell, which we know a lot less about- I don’t believe there’s evidence either way whether it’s possible to use it to display the target or show multiple spells.
I was right by accident. I was actually thinking of the Priori Incantato (the analytical one), which seems to behave how I described above. I didn’t remember the other one, but it just happens it doesn’t apply to the situation, since Harry didn’t have his wand yet. I’ll fix it above.
Also, if there was no one left alive except Harry, how did they know it was Avada Kedavra that rebounded from Harry, instead of some other spell?
(When the Dementor attacks him, Harry sees the green flash and hears the words, but only when Voldie kills his parents, not when he’s attacked himself, as I recall.)
They could have tried Legillimency on baby Harry, but nobody actually mentions that, and other than Moody it doesn’t seem like anyone would think of it.
Looking at the last spell cast by Voldemort’s want.
Of course, you’re right, I forgot you could do that. In MoR at least they should have thought of it, though they didn’t seem to try it on Hermione’s. Prior Incantato* doesn’t show who was target, though, and shows only the last spell IIRC, so it’d be easy to camouflage.
I wonder if it “wandless” spells are still cast through the wand (just without holding it), or if they’re completely independent of it.
(*Edit:) The first version of this comment mistakenly said Priori Incantatem, a different spell than the one I was actually describing.
Not only does it show who the target was, it summons a pseudo-ghost if the target was the victim of a Killing Curse.
The one in canon showed at least the last four or five, I’m pretty sure.
Edit: Whoops, sorry, didn’t get the context. “Priori Incantatem” is the brother-wand effect, “Prior Incantato” is the analytical spell, which we know a lot less about- I don’t believe there’s evidence either way whether it’s possible to use it to display the target or show multiple spells.
I was right by accident. I was actually thinking of the Priori Incantato (the analytical one), which seems to behave how I described above. I didn’t remember the other one, but it just happens it doesn’t apply to the situation, since Harry didn’t have his wand yet. I’ll fix it above.
It’s ‘Prior (no i) Incantato’. The link in the great-grandparent is broken because you inserted an extra ‘i’.
Thank you!