magic away from Hogwarts

[Steve]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "alora" <chrisnlorrie at y...> wrote:
> Something has been bothering me for some time. If the students that 
> attend Hogwarts cannot do magic away from school, does this include 
> Diagon Alley?  Or is it only in front of muggles?  I noticed in the 
> two times I have seen CoS, Hermione fixes Harry's glasses AGAIN (of 
> course, we know in the books it's Mr. Weasley), just as she did on 
> the train in PS/SS.  Where exactly in the line drawn on this?  I 
> guess I had nothing else to ponder tonight....
> 
> Alora
 
bboy_mn:

We need to keep in mind that there are TWO law involved here. One law
is like a petty misdemeanor and the other is a gross misdemeanor
bordering on a felony depending on how bad the circumstances are.

To preform magic, overage or underage, in a way that can be discovered
by muggles is a serious crime, and to do it in a way that actually is
discovered by muggles is a VERY serious crime. How serious the crime,
depends on how serious the circumstances.

Remember the primary purpose of the Ministry is to hid the magic world
from muggles.

When the Ministry detect a Levitation charm being performed at Harry's
house, that doesn't risk much exposure, especially if it wasn't
observed by muggles, which it was not. So he gets a written warning.
When Harry blows up his Aunt that is a more serious matter and
requires direct intervention by the Ministry. However, the magic was
contained to Harry's home, the exposure was limited to one person who
mattered, and was easy to fix. If Harry had blown her up in the middle
of a shopping mall, it would have been a disaster of monumental
proportion.

Now the second law, which says that underage kids are not allowed to
use magic outside of school. That's a pretty minor crime if it occurs
completely within the magic world. It's like muggle kids staying out
after curfew, or seeking into an 'R' rated movie. The police/Ministry
don't have time to chase down every kid who is getting into mischief.
Fred and George are constantly engaging in one type of magic or
another at the Burrow. But it's contained, out of site, and causes no
problems, so the Ministry doesn't waste it's time. For a blatant
obvious public violation in magic space, a kid would probably get a
nasty warning. I would take a mamouth violation for the ministry to
have to take any real action.

Those two separate law frequently get blurred together.

bboy_mn