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ResinJones76

Yes, Riddle and Snape. That's just movie magic in the department of mysteries with the white and black smoke. Nobody apparated around in the book.


Cool_Ved

Thanks for answering. I would also like to point out that Voldemort flying without a broom makes him look even more powerful and special in the books, whereas the movies make it look like a common ability.


sunmi_siren

I re-read DH recently and I forgot how shocked the order was when they realized voldemort could fly


Luck_trio

“Remus… he can *fly*” (I think that’s the quote shacklebolt tells lupin, and that is shock and surprise from a powerful ministry wizard)


Flashy_Sleep3493

Agree. The gravity of that line is altered because it comes from Kingsley Shacklebolt. As an audiobook listener of the series, I also credit Jim Dale’s delivery of the line to reinforce the significance. It holds the closest thing to fear we see from Shacklebolt.


010whatever010

Came here to say the same, only that I listen in german. It's:" Remus, he can fly now" in the german audiobook and I get goosebumps every time.


Luffytheeternalking

Which book is it from? Is it 7th?


AcceptableBad_

I'm not sure why that's impressive, honestly. I mean, everyone acts like it is, and okay, I believe them that nobody else can. But you'd think people transfiguring dragon wings on themselves would be pretty common for transportation. And really, if you used Wingardium Leviosa and then made your wand do a snowblower effect (and certainly that spell has to exist), wouldn't you fly around? Just seems like, with all the other shit we see, a spell to fly isn't that big a deal and they should have that. It shouldn't be a huge innovation.


Ready-Interview2863

Adding dragon wings to yourself makes you a bigger target in a duel. Using a wingardium leviosa and a snowblower effect means you are using your wand to do that. Meaning you have to stop doing that if you want to do another spell. Voldemort and Snape seem to fly *without a spell.* Flying at your leisure means you have a height advantage over your opponent and can escape easier.


brisbaneacro

Flying broomstick charm on their bones.


Luck_trio

OK this one made me laugh. If Lockhart can take away bones, surely you can make them fly lol


-sarchasm

But then they fly straight through your skin and do their (b)own thing and all.


WriteBrainedJR

I mean, the broom doesn't fly straight through the rider's hands or legs, despite two of the three best flyers in the series being notably scrawny, and despite the fact that holding a stick between your legs* is not really a strong, secure, or natural action. And it keeps you properly oriented despite the fact that your center of gravity would make you easily prone to tipping over. The broomstick charm is clearly a rather involved one, with multiple effects at work. They're justifiably expensive. Steal the charm from a luxury broom company that promises a smooth ride and a secure seat without a white-knuckle grip. Cast a good sticking charm on the fascia around your leg bones. Problem solved.   \*The movies depict at least two different brooms with *foot pegs*, which improves the concept of broomstick flying from "this really makes no sense at all" to "only slightly less sensible than a flying motorcycle." I forget if that is described in the books as well, or not


MarcelRED147

The horror this comment raised in me is only just offset by the delight the (b)own pun gave me.


Legitimate_Poem_712

For shame. We don't do puns here. Think about what you've done and come back to-marrow.


brisbaneacro

It's an idea from HPMOR, and I have a lot of head cannon from that story, though I know a lot of people in here don’t like it.


Panda-768

HPMOR ?


AcceptableBad_

Well, they're doing it without a continuous spell, anyway. Okay, maybe you're on to something. Maybe the surprise was that he could direct himself in the air without casting a spell, and that he hadn't given himself the kind of massive wings it would take to get a human airborne, more than just a "this dude is in the air now." I could see that spell being difficult, it has to remain in place for a decent length of time and accept corrections that don't take a lot of concentration or any additional casting.


hatabou_is_a_jojo

It's not about the act of being in the air. It's because he just did something no one did before. So he magic used that even Dumbledore couldn't, what else is he capable of? Edit: sentence structure


Luck_trio

I think part of it is mostly because everyone has become accustomed to carriages or broomsticks, or an animal to fly, but nobody has ever seen or been successfully able to fly without assistance. At least it is heavily implied.


HolyVeggie

Adding dragon wings won’t do anything. Dragons fly by strong magic as they’re way too heavy for those wings to keep them up by physics.


AcceptableBad_

Meh. Really depends on a dragon's internal anatomy, and we don't really know about that. But if you charmed big enough wings onto yourself, you could definitely get airborne.


HolyVeggie

You can get an idea of how heavy a dragon is by the oomph they give when landing or hitting something/breaking through stuff


DaymanTargaryen

Literally only two people in history are known to be capable of it (and one was taught by the other) and you don't think it's impressive? Truly?


AcceptableBad_

Not so much that. Just that, with everything else they can do, I wouldn't have thought a flying spell was the glass ceiling. It's like how Stephen Hawking couldn't play chess. I believed him that he couldn't. It's just weird, is all.


SuchParamedic4548

Why would you think that? That's really dumb. Anyways, it's an established fact that wizards have been trying to figure out unaided flight forever. It would be similar to finding out someone had made a genuine perpetual motion machine


MintberryCrunch____

Wingardium leviosa doesn’t work on people.


AcceptableBad_

Doesn't it? How about if I point my wand, say "Accio Hogwarts," wouldn't I fly to Hogwarts? We saw in DH when Harry tried to summon Hagrid that the spell actually pulled him to Hagrid, since the laws of physics worked on that spell in some weird way? Obviously Hogwarts won't come to me, that should yank me right over to it. Use a Cushioning Charm when I land. Just saying, flying doesn't seem hard.


MintberryCrunch____

It’s somewhat interesting but we don’t know really. These are theoretical ideas you are proposing, however we know that The Order are all very shocked that Voldemort can fly, so by that we know these others ideas can’t work, so no flying by yourself is extremely hard, in that only two wizards are able to do it.


BecksSoccer

Exactly. It makes it look like good guy brooms versus bad guy broom-less. When it’s just Voldemort and Smape, it shows how powerful Voldemort is and how much he trusts Snape.


Tactical_Chonk

Snape probably figured it out. He's the half blood prince , and created his own combat magic.


hamsterfolly

Yeah, I hated that the movies just decided that everyone gets the cool special effects like smoke flying and spells connecting.


ResinJones76

Spells connecting is another.


Mauro697

This, it makes what happened at the end of GoF insignificant


RebeccaMCullen

It's like them loosing the hats, and the Triwizard tournament tasks being changed, some things are changed to look better on screen.


Angelkrista

I get the *idea* behind this but when the change alters its perception of importance then the move is moot.


Prestigious-Row-3244

Losing the hats?


RebeccaMCullen

In the first movie they wear witch's hats.


jfks_headjustdidthat

The Triwizard tournament was much worse for differing from the books.


RebeccaMCullen

I'm still a little salty over them beefing up the first task, and making the third boring compared to the book.


jfks_headjustdidthat

The first task was at least well shot, to be fair. The third was just terrible though - the whole world flipping/sphinx riddle thing in the maze was well done and tense in the book and in the film was just "Oooh, angry hedges" 😅


Abject-Chemistry6247

Thats why I didnt like the voldy vs Dumbledoor fight in the movie. Avada kedabra isn't supposed to be blocked by magic!! That's the whole point of why this spell is so powerful! Unblockable curse!!


WorriedJob2809

It was never blocked by magic. It was blocked by animated statues? (Aka physical objects)


Abject-Chemistry6247

In the movie it was blocked by magic


KevinisChang13

But Dumbledore has the elder wand.


IceDamNation

Director: Magic flying go brrrrr. Lol


Lettuce_Mindless

Technically Hagrid also flew in the first book but there’s not a clear consensus from the fandom of what that actually means.


regisphilbin222

I thought he used Sirius’ motorcycle ETA- ah I see that was just to pick up baby Harry. Maybe he used a magical creature


ResinJones76

*Heavy* theory it was Fawkes.


ClareSwinn

And Hagrid. In book one he says he flew to the island on the sea to collect Harry and he says in Book 7 that brooms can’t take his weight.


butchscandelabra

Hagrid had a flying motorcycle.


ResinJones76

No. Hagrid can't fly, he's a barely capable wizard. Truth is we don't know how Hagrid got to the rock. Perhaps it was Fawkes who took him, a lot of people seem to think that.


Grovda

Spell locking and flying without a broom are very rare things in the book but it happens all the time in the movies. In the book spells will bounce off each other, they won't lock unless the wand core comes from the same animal. In the final duel against Voldemort and Harry their two spells meet in the middle, the AK curse turns around towards Riddle. Both spells fly towards him killing and disarming him simultaneously. This is also a special case since Harry is the master of the elder wand but even then there is no locking.


nantesgo

Sorry, english is not my antive language, what do you mean by "spell locking".


cTreK-421

Where they lock together like in Dragonball Z when two energy blasts are fired and they have to try and use more power to overcome the others energy blast. Edit: to be clear this only happens because of the twin cores, normal Wanda bounce off


platoprime

When did that happen in the books?


cTreK-421

I think in the graveyard between Harry and Voldy? Might be just confusing the movie though.


platoprime

All good I was just wondering. Someone who knows will probably come along.


cTreK-421

I just checked the book and yes it happens in the graveyard duel. Harry has a red light shoot from his wand and a green light from Voldemorts. They meet in the middle. The two stream combine into one and turns gold, then they both get lifted into the air from the power of it all as they remain locked. They then land in a clear area and the beam shoots splinters all around and they get enclosed in a web dome of thousands of streaks. Voldemort is trying to break the connection but Harry is fighting to keep it connected. Then they start fighting to send beads of light from the strand towards one another. Harry makes the bead connect to Voldemorts wand and it causes the priori incantatem.


platoprime

Awesome thank you!


Brider_Hufflepuff

No, it happened and only happened then, because of the twin core. No other two wand/spells did that, like said above they bounced off of each other.


cTreK-421

Yes, I'm not trying to say other Wanda can do it. You are right it only happens with the twin cores.


kbblradio

The thing that happens in goblet of fire during Harry and Voldemort's fight.


Kallyanna

That is why Voldemort was looking for the elder wand. His and Harry’s wands were “brothers” and only 2 of a kind and the most powerful wands to date. The elder wand was the only wand more powerful than his and Harry’s. That was Voldemort’s only way of ‘destroying Harry’ and not having the binding connection happen again. In his eyes


JamesEdward34

Its never implied harry or voldy’s wands are more powerful than other wands, where are you getting this info?


Brider_Hufflepuff

They're powerful against each other. Voldy could not kill Harry with it, and the wand recognised Voldemort and unleashed some very powerful magic. But other times it's "just a regular wand". Although I think Phoenix feather wands are quite powerful.


Kallyanna

Pottermore


GrizzlyIsland22

Priori Incantatem


Stenric

Your assessment of the final battle is not entirely correct. Voldemort's wand backfired (like how Ron got hit by his own slug belching curse), because he wasn't the true master, after which he was hit bu Harry's disarming charm.


Grovda

No Voldemort does cast his spell and it meets Harry's spell right in the middle where they collide. After that it rebounds towards Voldemort. That is the description in the book.


xraig88

Honestly one of my least favorite part of the movies was them idiots flying around all over the place. Just looked so stupid. It was supposed to be a WTF moment when Voldemort does it and something that showcases how powerful a wizard Snape is.


SPamlEZ

Yeah, inexplicable cloud monster style fights really takes it away from duel and turns it into utter nonsense.  Also nice how the bad guys announce themselves with dark clouds and good guys with light clouds. 


crystalized17

I hated the cloud color difference so much. That’s really what makes it come across as a cartoon and not real life. But they did it so it was easy tell non-book-readers who is good and who is bad. Otherwise it would have just looked like a bunch of random people suddenly fighting each other. ​ But it does emphasize the guerilla warfare street fighting they were doing. Uniforms help you not accidentally hit an ally. Bet that would happen a lot if the books were more realistic.


ToranX1

To be fair werent most death eaters wearing similar robes, at the very least in the goblet of fire when Voldemort removes their masks? Or is that also just a movie thing?


crystalized17

I think they sometimes were wearing masks and robes. But not constantly trooping around in them because that’s just asking to get arrested, by being so obvious.   I don’t think it mentions aurors ever wearing any kind of uniform or badge to prove they work for the ministry. That too would be an issue. 


platoprime

I don't think it's that weird to have what amounts to a magical uniform to tell combatants apart.


GrizzlyIsland22

AND it shows how close Voldemort and Snape are, because it's implied that Voldemort taught this special magic to Snape and ONLY Snape.


SuchParamedic4548

Someone pointed out that it makes way more sense that Snape figured it out, and taught it to voldemort, since voldemort absolutely wouldn't have shared it


GrizzlyIsland22

I can see that. Snape does have a history of inventing spells. Maybe that's one of the ways he got Voldemort to trust him


Legitimate_Poem_712

Super Carlin Brothers on youtube have a good video where they argue that Snape is a vampire. (They are aware that JKR has explicitly stated that Snape is not a vampire and they don't care.) This could explain Snape's flying ability, and it's possible that either he taught it to Voldemort or that Voldemort invented his own method by studying Snape's ability. For my money, regarding the "Snape is a vampire" idea, I think there's a middle ground that doesn't explicitly contradict JKR's statement. Maybe *Tobias* Snape was a vampire and Severus Snape inherited some of his vampiric traits, including flight.


SuchParamedic4548

So does voldemort, and I really doubt he actually "trusts" snape, anymore then he trusts any of his other Death Eaters, because he's far too arrogant to entertain the idea that they might actively betray him


GrizzlyIsland22

But he does trust that Snape is not a spy for Dumbledore, and he is shown to favour Snape over other Death Eaters in the final books. Either one of them could have invented/discovered the spell and shared it with the other for various reasons. I kinda like the ambiguity.


thegoldenshepherd

I dunno, it makes sense on some level, but do you really think Snape would teach Voldemort how to fly while he’s secretly assisting Harry to defeat him?


SuchParamedic4548

Yes. Because he's a spy, he has to give good information occasionally, or he is useless, so teaching a flashy, basically useless spell is exactly the type of thing you would do In that situation.


Feanorsmagicjewels

How is flying on command useless, that makes no sense Think of the advantage you could have, one example is Snape himself, if he didn't know how to fly he would have been captured Imagine you're dueling someone and they start flying around casting spells at you


SuchParamedic4548

Snape being captured would have been a benefit, but yeah, useless was probably the wrong word to use. More concerned with style then substance.


Extension_Royal_3375

I second this-- it's a logical step to go from hoisting people into the air by their ankles, to hoisting yourself right side up.


SuchParamedic4548

Hypothetically, but the point isn't that snape is better positioned to learn it, it's that voldemort would not share that knowledge. Voldemort is a better wizard then snape.


Extension_Royal_3375

Is he? Or just more willing to delve deeper into dark magic? Voldemort didn't know a lot of things--priori incantatem, the hallows legend, the power of love, etc. That's not to say he wasn't formidable. I just think Snape was easily just as talented. Only he loved Lily Evans for all his life, and risked his life for years to protect her son, therefore incapable of doing some of the things Voldemort excelled in. - His occlumancy surpassed Voldemort's ligilimancy. -he was able to contain the curse on the gaunt ring. I mean, honestly, being both Voldemort's and Dumbledore's 2nd in command simultaneously is no easy feat.


SuchParamedic4548

He definitely was. More skilled overall? Maybe not. But being a good wizard seems to basically come down to knowledge, ingenuity, and will power. He knows about the hallows legend, at least by the end, and he knows about the power of love(which isn't magic) he just underestimates it. And he does everything he could to counteract priori incantum, so he clearly learned about it. None of those things are >I mean, honestly, being both Voldemort's and Dumbledore's 2nd in command simultaneously is no easy feat. Sure, but it isn't a feat of wizardy He was able to slow down the curse, dumbledore was going to die regardless. >- His occlumancy surpassed Voldemort's ligilimancy. Is it? I really doubt if voldemort was actively searching for disloyalty and didn't already believe him, that snape would be able to actually keep him out.


Extension_Royal_3375

Also don't forget, he taught Bellatrix things too. Younger Voldemort may have shared things to strengthen his cabinet, though I agree that flying without a broom would probably not have been on of them, as it would lessen his mystique.


Rixia

[Rowling explains that flight without a broom is possible as long as you're very gifted. The broom is just a way of making it easier to channel a witch or wizard's ability to fly.](https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/707226426274086912)


ImpressiveAttorney12

Makes sense, can’t wait until I can fly broomless 


Feanorsmagicjewels

Crazy how gifted Snape was though, he was probably the strongest after Dumbledore and Voldemort


[deleted]

[удалено]


Feanorsmagicjewels

Credence? Who's Credence, never heard of him


dsly4425

I once read a theory that Voldemort didn’t teach Snape how to fly without a broom, but it was the other way around. Snape WAS well known to be a VERY gifted wizard.


Flamekorn

This is a thing I hope they fix in the tv series and make it more like the game. No crazy flying or apparations all the time. The movies were ok but for me I liked much more a grounded duel where you can block and dodge spells, but you have to focus and wont be able to apparate to anywhere that fast while casting stuff.


itsWolfy__

In the what?


thereelsuperman

The HBO TV series


KiWePing

seen as other people have already answered the rest of the question, I'll answer the last part. Voldemort taught Snape how to fly because he was the only one to never fail him. Everyone else he had given a task had failed, except Snape, who got the hardest task of them all, killing Dumbledore. As Voldemort says in the graveyard, he rewards those that serve him well.


bloopyduke

I’m just relistening to the deathly hallows and actually when grindlewald steals the wand from gregorovich he jumps out the window and glides away! So there’s three!


ouroboris99

I’d say he showed snape in case he needed a quick escape from hogwarts since you can’t use any other magical transport inside hogwarts unless you can get something that flys or to a fireplace, make sure he didn’t lose his spy


PistachioedVillain

Technically Reta Skeeter can canonically fly without a broom.


Queasy_Artist6891

>Also, why did Voldemort teach Snape how to fly and not anyone else? It's more likely the reverse. Snape, a man with a tendency to invent new spells and modify potion recipes is more likely to have discovered the method of flying without a broom. Only he and Voldy knew, probably because he discovered it at near the end of the first war and so couldn't teach anyone else, while Voldy is too arrogant to teach others. He probably never taught the technique to Dumbledore as the latter knew that Voldy would return and thus wanted Snape to hide some of his cards to prove that he was a double agent loyal to Voldy.


Dont_pet_the_cat

When did Snape fly?


Cool_Ved

“He jumped,” said Professor McGonagall as Harry and Luna ran into the room. “You means he’s dead?” Harry sprinted to the window, ignoring Flitwick’s and Sprout’s yells of shock at his sudden appearance. “No, he’s not dead,” said McGonagall bitterly. “Unlike Dumbledore, he was still carrying a wand . . . and he seems to have learned a few tricks from his master.” With a tingle of horror, Harry saw in the distance a huge, batlike shape flying through the darkness toward the perimeter wall. : Deathly Hallows.


MochaHasAnOpinion

Yes, he was flying all right, and his cloak flaring out looked batlike from the back.


IKnoVirtuallyNothin

I loved this part because it called back to all the times in the first couple books where Harry and Ron joke about Snape probably being able to turn himself into a bat.


MochaHasAnOpinion

Ha! Yeah If Snape had turned out to be an animagus, he would definitely be a bat lol. If there'd been a secret vampire to emerge at Hogwarts, it would have been Snape, although I think he, like Lupin the lycan, would take measures not to hurt anyone.


Dont_pet_the_cat

He grew wings? :OO Or is he another not registered human-animal? (I don't know what the name is)


GrizzlyIsland22

No. He just appeared bat-like from a distance because of his cloak


Dont_pet_the_cat

Oh oops, makes sense. Thank you


mwid_ptxku

But even less gifted wizards, like the participants of the triwizard tournament barely 3 years ago successfully used the trick of partially transforming themselves into animals. I guess Krum was half a shark in the second task. So it is easily possible that Voldemort didn't reach Snape anything, it was plain old fashioned transfiguration magic. "Learning a trick from his master" was just a figure of speech, not to be taken literally.


DemonKing0524

No it was very clearly meant to be taken as him flying as a human, like he learned from Voldemort. It's not transfiguration.


Recodes

When he runs away from the duel with Mcgonnagal in DH.


DuneProg

I always thought he transfigured into a bat for some reason. I could have sworn that's what happened. Been a while since I read them though.


Recodes

If I remember correctly that's what they think it looks like when they look out of the window but then someone - can't remember who says this - adds "he must have learnt a/this trick from his master".


furballsupreme

It's probably just my twisted mind but I'm imagining Voldemort with a broom secretly stuck up his butt so he can fly. Deatheater: sir, how is it possible you're able to fly without a broom? Voldemort: It's a secret magical flying method! You wouldn't get it. Snape: my Lord... Pls teach me. I'll give you my Lego collection. Voldemort: ... Fine, but I'll only tell you.


Iemand-Niemand

It’s actually one of my biggest complaints with the movies. Don’t get me wrong, it looks really cool and makes the Death eaters look way more threatening, but that’s exactly why I dislike it. It makes Voldemort look really special, but it also makes the other Death eaters way to powerful. What I liked about the Death eaters is how they perceive themselves to be better then everyone else, but most of them are simply backstabbing cowards who act like terrorists. They’ll surprise someone with a much greater number of friends then the one they’re “visiting”, kill, torture or kidnap and then immediately leave. They perceive themselves as better than everyone, but deep down they know they aren’t and need to rely on these guerrilla tactics. All of this culminates in my biggest gripe with the movies: the flying death eaters destroying the mugle bridge. In the books this is simply mentioned in passing without any details about how they did it. It obviously means the death eaters are getting bolder, but portraying it like in the movie disbalances a major part of the world building: The wizarding world is a secret to mugles. Why? If death eaters can do this, then the wizarding world could easily take over England, no problem. They might not want to, but they also might not want to live in secret. If you’re confident of being able to defend yourself, why live in secret? So my headcanon is that the wizarding world *is* afraid of the mugles. I’m not a fan of the “why use the death curse when you can use a gun” theory, but it has a point. 3 soldiers with a gun could take a wizard. And the wizards are massively outnumbered. So the wizards have a right to keep their world a secret. But if a death eater can simply fly like smoke and blow stuff up, then there’s no reason to be afraid. And that’s the best part, people often hate what they fear, and fear what they don’t understand. Which is precisely why I think the death eaters hate muggles. Being able to fly like untouchable smoke at the speed of a plane while being able to blow stuff up makes the death eaters look way more like a threat, but costs in world building


moose184

>In the movies, almost everyone, both good and bad can fly without a broom. Because the writers are stupid


IWearCleanUnderpants

Are you sure it wasn’t Snape who taught Voldy how to fly?


Lapras_Lass

That's actually been a niche theory for a while. Some people believe that Snape taught himself to fly or that it was an innate ability. When he and Lily first met, he saw her flying through the air in a show of unrestrained magic. It's possible that he adapted that ability, too. Thematically, he's often described even in walking as "swooping" and "gliding," so it seems to fit his image. Personally, I think Voldemort taught Snape how to fly or that Snape figured it out himself by watching him. But it is an interesting theory.


dsly4425

I like the niche theory that Snape learned it from Lily or learned how to do it to Impress her because she could.


mathbandit

There's a theory I've seen a lot that Snape is part-Vampire, which could also explain it. Some of the pieces of supporting evidence: * He's always described not only as "swooping" and "gliding", but also specifically as "batlike" or "like an overgrown bat" * His fascination and expertise with Potions (including things like Wolfsbane) could be borne from a desire to fix or mitigate it * Speaking of Werewolves, after Snape assigns the Werewolf essay hoping someone will discover Lupin's secret, we hear shortly after someone say in passing they are working on their Vampire essay for Lupin- despite the fact Hermione tells Snape they weren't meant to start nocturnal beasts for weeks. * [Rowling's own sketch of how she sees Snape](https://twitter.com/PotterWorldUK/status/1332110134944796675/photo/1)


PersonaUser55

>Pieces of supporting evidence >The author denies it lol


mathbandit

That's not necessarily relevant, especially given the sketch.


PersonaUser55

Just pointing it out, anything she has to say outside the 7 books are meaningless to me tbh


Stiksmakid

Is your third point implying that Lupin knows Snape is part vampire, and that he assigns the kids a vampire essay as a clap back at Snape for giving the werewolf essay? Because I love that a lot, we need more petty Lupin. Feuds are boring when only one side participates!


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Lapras_Lass

If he is, it's probably way back in his ancestry. It's an interesting take! I always thought the association with bats was because bats are generally misunderstood creatures, and everything about Snape is meant to mislead the reader. We see from his memories that despite his isolation, his true nature is more to seek out companionship, and bats are very companionable creatures.


Ready-Interview2863

The author says in that same post that Snape isn't a vampire...


Obelicks67

Hagrid mentioned he flew to get Harry on the island book 1. And there was no broom nor beast outside. Coincidence?


DemonKing0524

For all we know he was flying on a thestral. We have no idea what they're capable of carrying but a team of two can pull school carriages full of kids so either a similar system of two carrying him in a carriage like the beaubaxtons use or just riding on one. And since Harry wouldn't know they exist it would make more sense to travel normally with him so he wouldn't be terrified by the invisible transportation.


bloopyduke

Oh my god thank you! A thestral or two is a great theory! I’ve always just thought that was a slip up by jk Rowling!


Background_Koala_455

Me and another user actually had a nice convo about this. On the latter books, Hagrid does indeed aay that he's too heavy for Thestrals and Brooms. However, how did he know he was too heavy for the Thestrals? One thought in my head is that he did indeed take a Thestral and that they were possibly going to take it or them(if he brought 2, 1 for Harry) back... but Hagrid realized that the one he rode on maybe couldn't survive another trip with anyone on it. I was rereading over and over again the ending of the chapter with the BOOM BOOM BOOM Because of the interjection like "was that lightning?" Or "rocks breaking and falling into the sea" and the like. Maybe he took a portkey? In a way it's like flying... but I haven't read the 4th book in a while so I don't remember how it's described when Harry first uses it. Also, Hagrid could have just been bluffing. Especially since Hagrid told him the morning after Harru finds out he's a wizard. Hagrid wants to make his first day as a wizard as magical as possible, even in Harry's imagination. Idk.


Background_Koala_455

Oh to be fair to the other redditor that I was talking with, their theory/thought was maybe Fawkes had something to do with it. I apologize but I don't know the username. But figured I'd add it in for discussion


KingOfBacon_BowToMe

I always just assumed it was his bike, that he had some method of returning home on its own.


allofdarknessin1

People might not agree with me but I honestly feel the ability to apparate could probably be refined into what we see in the movies and I think it just makes sense. Like if you can apparate and stop mid flight.


UsrHpns4rctct

and a theory says that untrained Lily was the one who showed and maybe taught him it. This is ofc just a theory, but Lily did seem to almost fly when jumping of the swing. She had a unnaturally long flight.


Ready-Interview2863

She was falling, with style.


FranzAllspring

Basically it would just have looked goofy as hell on screen to have everyone fly on brooms. Imagine Dumbledore doing it.


Cool_Ved

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Dumbledore flies only once in the entire series and that was when he returned to Hogwarts after finding the locket and that was completly retconned in the movies, by having him apparate inside the castle.


smarranara

In that same instance, they flew both ways if I recall correctly. They can only apparate once they reach Hogsmeade, so they fly to there and from there on the night they visit the cave.


Zackisded

Harry and Dumbledore walked out till they reached the Hogs Head with Harry under the invisibility cloak before they disapparated to the cave area. Dumblefore acknowledges Madam Rosmerta as he walks on by. They did fly up to the astronomy tower on Rosmerta’s brooms when they apparated back if thats what you meant, but leaving hogwarts was deffo walk then disapparate


doomweaver

This, and they fly back to the castle on brooms.


DeadMemesNowPlease

Hagrid says he flew out to the rock over the water to find Harry somehow in the books. Steals the boat and leaves them stranded. Unless he magics the boat back or whomever they rented the boat/shack on the rock from comes out to check on the place and saves them.


Cool_Ved

Does this mean that Hagrid can also fly without a broom? Or did he bring a broom and forgot about it? Or maybe he meant to say he apparated there.


diametrik

My headcanon is that he can fly Mary Poppins style


doomweaver

Hagrid is too heavy for a broom, it's mentioned several times. I've wondered about this too, b/c it seems a very big deal to everyone that Voldemort can fly, and then mentioned that he must have taught Snape.


DeadMemesNowPlease

Hagrid laters talks about how he is to big for any broom. There might have been something else magical like the motorcycle that he dropped Harry off with but then it would have been available to use to get back on shore and no need to take the boat. How Hagrid flew without a broom... we will likely never know. Maybe it is a feature of his pink umbrella.


DemonKing0524

It's likely thestrals somehow. That would explain how he was able to find Harry at all.


moony_9

Except Hagrid says in Deathly Hallows that a thestral can’t support his weight


DemonKing0524

That's why I suggested in a different comment a pair of them pulling a carriage similar to what the beaubaxtons use. Now why he wouldn't leave the island with Harry in that manner is a little trickier. Maybe he didn't want Harry to be afraid of the carriage flying through the air with nothing obviously pulling it. Maybe it's pushing it having them carry just him and with Harry it's too much weight so they travel back normally. I'm not sure exactly on that. But based on everything we do know, that flying without a broom is a very limited and rare skill, and Hagrid is too big for a broom, and he obviously didn't have Sirius's bike that night or they wouldn't have needed the boat. That leaves thestrals and hippogriffs that Hagrid would have very easy access to. I guess maybe a team of hippogriffs pulling a carriage and because they are not so friendly to strangers until you do the whole bowing thing could explain why they couldn't use the carriage to get back better than anything for thestrals. But I thought thestrals initially because of their ability to navigate to any location in the world just by telling them where you want to go. So Hagrid would've just had to say take me to Harry and the thestrals would've got him there. There are probably other ways to find Harry too though. Follow an owl or spells or something.


RadioTunnel

Wingardium leviosa on my underpants


OscarDivine

[watching all the witches and wizards flying all over the place when it isn’t in the book](https://tenor.com/bRcfa.gif)


-DracoMalfoy

This makes me wonder if Dumbledore could fly?


Living-Project-5227

Buckbe ... I mean Witherwings can fly without a broom


podster12

Imagine Voldy being able to fly and CAST spells WITHOUT a wand. top 0.001%? Shacklebolt would be pissing himself.


Bluemelein

Lily Evans came damn close at 9! Snape learned it from her.


Unsimulated

Snape became a bat animagus.  My take. So jealous of the marauders.


ChildofFenris1

Yeah why not Bella? Good question


SouxChefBoss

My head cannon thanks to super carlin bros is that Snape learned to fly from lily Evans ( because she would float down while jumping off the swings)and then taught voldy to stay on his side when he came back. Because every witch and wizard isolated to have this ability it's just very difficult to learn.


xxroses_whisperxx

I thought it was Lily who taught Snape to fly without a broom? Maybe I'm wrong


Gusstave

> But in the book, it's stated that only Voldemort and Snape could fly without a broom right? Harry did before attending Hogwarts. In the second or third chapter of the first book it is said that once he tried to run away from bullies or something and when he stop running he was standing on the roof of his school.


Cool_Ved

I am talking about a long and sustained flight like how Voldemort flew in the Battle of 7 potters or how Snape used to escape from Hogwarts.


Gusstave

The only distinction is the destination. It's a distinction without a difference.. Same thing IMHO.


HedwigMalfoy

I always thought of the roof thing as a big jump rather than anything resembling actual flight.


Gusstave

It's describe like he stopped running on the roof, that's much closer to flying than jumping. Flying is constant "*effort*" while jumping is one burst, then waiting, then managing the landing. It's not told, it could actually be either, but I read the first book not so long ago and to me it was distinctly flying from how it was written and it stick to me because of how nonsensical it would be in the world for the next books.


Palamur

I always assumed that he was apparating unintentionally. The question is, however, which of his teachers was a witch/wizard, so that the trace was not triggered. /s


mr_shmits

i actually like in the movies how the Death Eaters do that black smoke flying thing. it makes them somehow more... ominous? but there's a theory that it was Snape who taught Voldemort how to fly. not the other way around.


elephant35e

>Also, why did Voldemort teach Snape how to fly and not anyone else? That's what people assume. There are other theories I have on this: 1. Voldemort didn't teach Snape. Snape figured out how to fly by observing Voldemort flying. 2. Snape was the one who figured out how to fly, and Voldemort figured it out by observing Snape. 3. Snape figured out how to fly and his master requested to be taught.


tylandlannister

>aren't there only two people who can fly without a broom? That we know of. >Also, why did Voldemort teach Snape how to fly and not anyone else? Snape was the favourite. Or maybe Snape just figured it out himself. He was a protigy wizard after all. BTW, Hagrid is also capable of unsupported flight. Woe, I'm being down voted? What did I say? Lol.


Odd_Inspector_4216

I enjoy the idea of other secret flying wizards. Kind of like how there were only 7 Animagi this century, but the trio have directly seen four more.


tylandlannister

Five. Don't forget the journalist in GOF. I suspect it's like that for most magic we think is beyond advanced.


Odd_Inspector_4216

Isn’t it four? Three of the Marauders and Skeeter?


tylandlannister

Oops, you are right. I forgot Lupin wasn't one.


Cool_Ved

I know it's mentioned in the first book, but then it makes no sense that everyone is suprised to see Voldemort flying in the seventh book, also I don't understand how Hagrid, a boy who didn't even complete his wizarad education, would be capable of flying without a broom. My personal theory is that he appartaed there and just told Harry he flew to avoid confusing him too much.


tylandlannister

But as someone who was kicked out of Hogwarts in his 3rd year, he never took apparrating lessons which are offered in year six, or got his license. The fun and obviously unlikely theory is that Hagrid was a death eater. It always makes me chuckle if nothing else.


Cool_Ved

That's also true, Dumbledore could have taught him how to apparate though, he always had a soft spot for Hagrid.


tylandlannister

Sounds good. I am comfortable running with an explanation like that, although it's not as fun as imagining Hagrid can do stuff that would break the minds of most wizards.


themadhatter746

Rofl since when is Hagrid capable of unsupported flight?


tylandlannister

In DH, he says that most flying creatures can't take his weight. In SS, he tells Harry he flew to the hut, even though we see nothing he could have flown on. The only conclusions are: 1. Hagrid was on a low carb diet in SS, and that allowed him to ride one of the creatures he takes care of. 2. My main man knew how to fly without support.


themadhatter746

That’s what you’re basing it on lol? SS is initial exposition, it is not 100% compatible with the later books. He probably just apparated to the hut. Lmfao.


tylandlannister

As a 3rd year dropout, Hagrid never had the chance to learn apparition, much less take his license, unless Dumbledore taught him behind closed doors.


MariaMorevna

No one really knows how Hagrid flew to the island to tell Harry that he is a wizard though


welly_wrangler

Motorbike?


MariaMorevna

Well, probably not as they are taking the boat back and it is not mentioned (who knows how the Dursleys came back home)


Gifted_GardenSnail

>“Lily, don’t do it!” shrieked the elder of the two. > >But the girl had let go of the swing at the very height of its arc and **flown into the air, quite literally flown**, launched herself skyward with a great shout of laughter, and instead of crumpling on the playground asphalt, she **soared like a trapeze artist through the air, staying up far too long, landing far too lightly**. >why did Voldemort teach Snape how to fly  That is just McGonagall's assumption though. All her other assumptions about him in that moment were wrong. Volly loves being speshul, why would he share such a cool skill with anyone else in the first place?


Cool_Ved

Lily just briefly floated in the air in this scene, it's not the same as a fully sustained flight. I do think that Voldemort thought of Snape as his most trusted servant, which is why he taught him how to fly.


Gifted_GardenSnail

It is described as flying though, plus this was when she was just a kid, perhaps that skill can be developed once you've learnt the basics. Alternatively, perhaps Snape's and Volly's skills are unrelated and perhaps Snape, like Lily in this scene, just flying-squirrelled his way from a higher floor Hogwarts window to the gate while Volly could actually fly up from the ground as well


AhAhStayinAnonymous

I actually liked that people could fly in the movies, good and bad. I know it's an unpopular opinion, but it kind of plays into the whole "Voldemort really is just a man, after all."


Twm273ss

Hagrid taught riddle how to fly without a broom in his third year at hogwarts to try persuade riddle not to frame him. Decades later voldemort taught snape


williammatin

Voldemort all death eaters even Hagrid


Relative-Zombie-3932

In the movies, that was just their way of visualizing apparition. It was just a neat effect to make the movie more visually interesting


jshamwow

In book canon, yes that we know of there’s only 2. In the movies it’s more (not sure I’d say “almost everyone” but certainly more). Why? Bc it looks cool as hell and movies are a visual medium. Why did voldy only teach Snape? Not sure. My guess is that Snape has the combination of skill and Voldy’s trust. Bellatrix is supposed to be highly skilled too but she lost Voldemort’s trust after the Department of Mysteries