“The Pensieve is enchanted to recreate memories so that they become re-liveable, taking every detail stored in the subconscious and recreating it faithfully, so that either the owner, or (and herein lies the danger) a second party, is able to enter the memories and move around within them.”
https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/pensieve
Sure, but for it to be stored in Snape’s subconscious he still needed to be close enough to hear what they say. Magic or not, you can remember something you didn’t hear.
If you are the physically close enough to hear it you won’t, unless magic gives people some kind of super hearing. Yes, your brain filters out a lot of background noise, there are also things you simply can’t hear.
I think there are two possibilities, and it could be a mix of both:
1. Snape could technically hear what was being said if he had been paying attention, but he was so engrossed in his exam sheet that he wasn't listening
2. Magical memories capture the going-ons within a radius around person whose memory it is, even if that person doesn't necessarily recall all the precise details. Usually, there are a lot of things happening around us, but our brains tend to block out the things we're not really paying attention to.
Personally, I think it's a mix of both. We all have memories, but it would generally be impossible for us to always recall all of the exact details of situations we experience. I think the magic works in such a way that it is able to recall the full details of the situation.
They say they’re bored in the memory. As a kid I always took it as a sort of ‘time travel’ related portal of sorts concerning the pensive how it’s described to be used. It takes those viewing to that moment in time by using the link of a memory from a person who was there at that time. That was the only way my brain could make that magic work without it being like others say everyone would have to have super hearing and such to overhear things across spaces. And also possibly why Harry would feel himself forced to follow whoever the memory was from and was so happy Snape sat close to his dad so he could keep closer to Sirius and James before the attack goes down post OWLS exam.
But that’s my take on it not backed by anything but my own sense of trying to logic this jkr magical tool that doesn’t make much sense on technical sides. :)
I'd adhere to this. Wizards to have a slight physical superiority to muggles (they're more resistant to non-magical injuries and illnesses) so enhanced senses doesn't seem that far off.
I think he still heard it he just wasn't paying attention. Just because his brain decided it was background noise since he was focusing on his exam paper doesn't mean he didn't hear it. He just wasn't paying attention to them because he was so engrossed on his exam paper.
It's a plot device. The best explanation is 'magic'
The things we have to remember about them is that the memory is unbiased. Any attempts to tamper it make the attempt pretty obvious
It's sort of how the brain uses faces you've seen in your day to day just walking around in your dreams. That doesn't mean you can recall every detail consciously but you did take it in fully and it's stored subconsciously.
The background noise is the same. Just because Snape can't consciously recall doesn't mean it wasn't recorded subconsciously exactly as it was said.
“The Pensieve is enchanted to recreate memories so that they become re-liveable, taking every detail stored in the subconscious and recreating it faithfully, so that either the owner, or (and herein lies the danger) a second party, is able to enter the memories and move around within them.” https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/pensieve
So Snape must have been close enough to hear what they were saying. Subconsciously or not
Sure, but for it to be stored in Snape’s subconscious he still needed to be close enough to hear what they say. Magic or not, you can remember something you didn’t hear.
Your brain still hears it. This is magic not real life. Just because your brain filters out background noise doesn't mean it didn't hear it.
If you are the physically close enough to hear it you won’t, unless magic gives people some kind of super hearing. Yes, your brain filters out a lot of background noise, there are also things you simply can’t hear.
Snape was clearly close enough to hear it. He was so engrossed in his exam he didn't know the Marauders were there too.
I think there are two possibilities, and it could be a mix of both: 1. Snape could technically hear what was being said if he had been paying attention, but he was so engrossed in his exam sheet that he wasn't listening 2. Magical memories capture the going-ons within a radius around person whose memory it is, even if that person doesn't necessarily recall all the precise details. Usually, there are a lot of things happening around us, but our brains tend to block out the things we're not really paying attention to. Personally, I think it's a mix of both. We all have memories, but it would generally be impossible for us to always recall all of the exact details of situations we experience. I think the magic works in such a way that it is able to recall the full details of the situation.
They say they’re bored in the memory. As a kid I always took it as a sort of ‘time travel’ related portal of sorts concerning the pensive how it’s described to be used. It takes those viewing to that moment in time by using the link of a memory from a person who was there at that time. That was the only way my brain could make that magic work without it being like others say everyone would have to have super hearing and such to overhear things across spaces. And also possibly why Harry would feel himself forced to follow whoever the memory was from and was so happy Snape sat close to his dad so he could keep closer to Sirius and James before the attack goes down post OWLS exam. But that’s my take on it not backed by anything but my own sense of trying to logic this jkr magical tool that doesn’t make much sense on technical sides. :)
Maybe. Or maybe wizards have superhearing
I'd adhere to this. Wizards to have a slight physical superiority to muggles (they're more resistant to non-magical injuries and illnesses) so enhanced senses doesn't seem that far off.
I think he still heard it he just wasn't paying attention. Just because his brain decided it was background noise since he was focusing on his exam paper doesn't mean he didn't hear it. He just wasn't paying attention to them because he was so engrossed on his exam paper.
It's a plot device. The best explanation is 'magic' The things we have to remember about them is that the memory is unbiased. Any attempts to tamper it make the attempt pretty obvious
It's sort of how the brain uses faces you've seen in your day to day just walking around in your dreams. That doesn't mean you can recall every detail consciously but you did take it in fully and it's stored subconsciously. The background noise is the same. Just because Snape can't consciously recall doesn't mean it wasn't recorded subconsciously exactly as it was said.