Viridian Dreams Forum

He who fights monsters, brother, he who fights monsters.

So here's for my new theory about the AIP:

Maybe it's Trewlany. She's a seer who has made two true predictions. Maybe she's a better seer in everyday life then she lets on.

Hello! new member here!
I did not realize there are a lot of theories about AIP. Actually, I thought it was Peter at first, or maybe Snape.

Has the AIP been identified yet? Twenty some chapters and years later......

Not yet, it is still only speculations as to who it is.

Here's just something I'm throwing out: The only time the term "agent-in-place" is used is in chapter 25. My suspicion is that the agent-in-place is Draco acting on Lucius's behalf to ensure the chamber plan works. I realize there are various holes in this theory, but it feel like a bit of a red herring tbh. And the inner monologue does feel like a typical level of Draco-style arrogance.

The major hole in that is that the AIP mentioned using Draco and that things did not go to plan. He wanted Harry disabled and out of the way for a short time, not hospitalized. It also cost him a useful tool and patsy.

Have we considered that the "house" that the AiP must live up to is a familial house instead of a sorted house?

This possibility opens up our horizons beyond Slytherin and Ravenclaw, but do we know of any families known for their intellect, perhaps a generation past? If this is the case, I think we should be looking at Augusta Longbottom's parties for the older generation of the prominently intelligent family.

No real theories about the human agent, but is it possible that s/he was influenced by the Sorting Hat?

It's the only entity we know of that has gained knowledge of Harry's future, without being a confirmed long-time ally - in fact, it's known to harbor a part of Voldemort's soul. And it sits on the head of every new student, bypassing Occlumency barriers. Which seems to fit rather well with the agent's early-mentioned fear of being driven insane if s/he failed.

The major flaw I see in this theory is that you would expect a Hat-empowered agent to know and do much more to thwart Harry.

So I was just rereading NoFP and I noticed something about the AiP's possible identity: in addition to being male, the AiP likely is not Theodore Nott, Marcus Flint, Crabbe or Goyle because they were flying in the Quidditch match on the Slytherin team at the time. While I realize that this is circumstantial evidence, but consider when have Crabbe or Boyle really shown enough intelligence to what the AiP has done? When has Marcus Flint showed the restraint or sublety to do what the AiP has done? Nott is a very large question mark. Also, since the AiP is likely a named character he is likely not one of the nameless other males on the Slytherin Quidditch team.

Unfortunately, we don't have much in the term of clues. It is probably a Slytherin on account of their theme of cunning, hence why the AiP calls themselves the only mind that is worthy of their house or something like that, seeing as most other Slytherins we see... AREN'T cunning at all. But we don't know enough about the canon of the named Slytherin characters that aren't Malfoy to be able to.... really make a proper connection.

With the latest chapter we have confirmation (or maybe further confirmation) that the AiP is not Snape and I think it's confirmed that it isn't Draco. I'll have to re-read the chapter to make sure on the latter. Anyway, the AiP can't be Snape because

I think the AiP has been gunning for Harry since at least the CoS and might be the one that got the Malfoys to send the doxies.

might be the one that got the Malfoys to send the doxies.

Eh, I doubt it. Harry hadn't changed very much by that point. I think that the assumption is that the Doxies would have happened in canon, but Harry never got his mail back from Dobby.

I think the AiP has been gunning for Harry since at least the CoS and might be the one that got the Malfoys to send the doxies.

Meh, I don't think the AiP had to do anything to get the Malfoys to send those doxies. I think it's probably the Butterfly of Doom, i.e. that Harry's changes and more antagonistic relationship with Draco might have lead to Draco badmouthing Harry more this time around and the Malfoys sending the doxies to teach the "uppity half blood" his place. Or it's like thrawnca says and they sent them in the initial timeline, but Dobby intercepted them so Harry never got them.

So, we know this much about the Agent In Place...
1. Male
2. Not Snape or Draco...
3. In Slytherin or Ravenclaw, though Slytherin seems most likely, given the line about being worthy of his house.

So, we know this much about the Agent In Place...
1. Male
2. Not Snape or Draco...
3. In Slytherin or Ravenclaw, though Slytherin seems most likely, given the line about being worthy of his house.

4. At least 13 years of age. They were present in Hogwarts during Harry's second year, which means they were at least a first year then (i.e. 11 or older). It's 2 years later in-story now, so they must be at least 13.

We can't place an upper limit on the age range, however, because A. It could be a staff member and B. There are people at Hogwarts right now for the tournament who don't go there. This could include someone who was a 6th or 7th year student when the Chamber of Secrets mess was going on. In my opinion, scenario B is unlikely, so the Agent In Place is likely between the ages of 13 and 18. (i.e. currently a 3rd-7th year student). As for scenario A? Let's run through the male Hogwarts staff members from Harry's 2nd year to now, shall we?

• Dumbledore - Haha, no.
• Filch - Squib, no magic.
• Lockheart - His mind is so blank he could run for political office.
• Slughorn - Not present in Harry's second year.
• Moody - Ditto.
• Lupin - Surely you jest.
  Spoiler: show

  I know, I know. Don't call you Shirley.
• Hagrid - This deserves an even bigger laugh than the suggestion of Dumbledore.
• Flitwick - Fits the 4 established criteria, but it would be wildly out of character for him, both in the original and current timelines.
• Snape - We've already established that it can't be him.

We also know that the AIP is quartered within Hogwarts as he does have a bed there. Colin Creevey was put in as the one to put Harry's name in for the tournament to throw us off as well, I think.
As for the possibility of a staff member, who else would learn Occlumency? Flitwick?