Hey guys. I was just re-reading Chamber of Secrets again, and I think I found a small flaw. After Harry and Ron flew the car to Hogwarts, they both got detention. Harry had to serve his with Lockhart. He was writing the addresses on Lockhart's envelopes so he can answer his fan mail. But why would they need envelopes. In the Wizarding World, can't you just tell your owl who you want the letter to go to? I'm not sure if this is the case... tell me what you think!
--Elani

No I think that addresses are usually necessary. Think in the first book when Harry was getting his letters, or when he got a disiplinary letter.

With Hedwig I think its different sometimes, because not only is she incredibly smart, but she has usually been where Harry is sending the letters. So if he says, "This is for Ron", she already knows where to go. But with something like the fan mail, the owls would have no clue who all these people are without an address.

So yeah, I think under normal circumstances an address is always required.

good point

gosh i heart ron you should know better. JUST KIDDING

Hmmmmm... I never really thought of this before. I think that if the owl has never delivered a letter or something to a person before, then they would probably have to put an address on it so the owl can know where it is going to .

But can owls read?

I don't know-'cause i was thinking..it is the magical world right?

I don't think that an envelope is necessary for non-formal communicae, but when it is formal, like a howler or a letter from Hogwarts it is best.

And since Lockhart is so full of himself it would only make sense that he make a big to do about everything he does.

It might also depend on whether the owl knows the person and/or location or not.

Yeah, especially when the letter receiver isnt supposed to
expect a letter from the sender,
it's wise to write the address, just in case.

True...but still. There's the picture at the end of PoA of Pidwidgeon with a letter for Harry. With Harry's address.

It seems to me that the owls normally carry scroll type items without an envelope. Also, in the first book, when Hagrid goes to find Harry on the little rock in the sea an owl delivers Hagrid the Daily Prophet while he is there. Certainly there is some kind of magic thing going on with the owls and how they deliver their messages.

Maybe it has something to do with the plot in the upcoming books. How the owls deliver mail.

you put it in an envelope then send it, i think its so its not read if its misplaced plus it would have address details on it so yeh

i think that for example as harry didnt know where Sirius was he just told hedwig to go.. butfor peopel the owl may not know then the address is used.. after all when harry recieved letters at hogwarts they always saus

"mr Harry potter,
Great hall,
Hogwarts"

Or something like that

I think they would need envelopes just for the sheer privacy. But yeah, Owls so can read...with eyes like that...even in the dark...LOL.

have they been eating there carrots?
Agee with Sir ottery

*This Ottery spazz brought to you by School House Rock, y'all should watch it and learn*

Their, their, their!!!!!!!!!!! Possessive not location.

Their mine.

There house.

THEIR!

*dies*

Detention with Lockhart, for the record would royally suck... but I bet you his grammar's impeccable.

Sorry prince ottery!

But i bet it would be fun! after all he is rather full of himself even with no memory

Owls aren't like they are in cartoons. They don't wear graduation caps and glassses and know everything. So writing fan mail addresses seems more reasonable then making one to three owls deliver hundreds of fan letters. I bet Lockhart had alot too considering he wrote a book called Year with the Yeti, which to me sounds crazy, but highly fascinating.

they probly only need adresses if they havent ever been to the place they are going to before

i completely agree. hence when harry sends hedwing off to the burrow he doesn't have to address it, but if hogwarts is sending out letters to all students they have to address them otherwise there would be massconfusion..

I agree with the above post

Address were written so that the owl can deliver it to the right person.And ofcourse they could read as they were not normal owls.

You would usually need an address. If an owl can find someone without an address, they're exceptionally smart...like Hedwig!

i agree with you because all you should need is the name of the person that you need to send it to and then give it to your owl to deliver but i think that lockhart just made that up as an excuse to have harry do detention with him.