Is it anywhere stated or implied who the Headmaster of Hogwarts was when Dumbledore was at school? This would have been c.1892-99. Could it have been Phineas Nigellus, or do the dates make that impossible?

Quick check: am I right in thinking that there is no mention of Blaise Zabini in DH, even by implication, or am I missing something?

Does it state anywhere in DH exactly (or even roughly) when the curfew was imposed in Hogsmeade? Was it as soon as the DEs took over the Ministry, or was it a response to something else such as Harry's escape from Malfoy Manor?

(1) Is it reasonable to suppose that an Avada Kedavra cast with insufficient power or determination to kill would nevertheless still have some effect (act as a powerful Stunner, leave a scar, whatever)? Points I can see in favour of this are Fake!Moody's comment that he probably wouldn't even get a nosebleed if the class tried the curse on him, and ( Read more... )

(Mods -- delete if inappropriate, because what I'm after is canon evidence that something is impossible -- or at least implausible given canon references X, Y, and Z ( Read more... )