The flying car (was Separation from Muggles) (was: A Hogwarts education

[nlpnt at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 6320

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, morine10 at a... wrote:
> In a message dated Fri, 1 Dec 2000  1:42:07 AM Eastern Standard 
Time, "Rita Winston" <catlady at w...> writes:
> 
> 
> Magic can't solve everything, I think we have learned that.  I 
don't know how easy it would be to charm computers and Muggle 
technology since we know that they tend not to work all that well in 
the presence of magic.  I would also like to think that you would 
need to know a little something about how the technology works before 
you can cast a spell to manipulate it.  Look at Arthur's car.  Sure 
he made it fly, but it still couldn't handle the long trip to 
Hogwarts.  
> 

It's also possible that the effectiveness of certain spells on 
objects depends on the physical health of that object. The Weasleys' 
car was between 25-39 years old when Harry and Ron flew it (depending 
on when in that model's 8-year production run it was made, and 
whether you accept the Deathday Party Timetable or go by release 
dates); I wouldn't attempt a 200-mile-plus trip in a car that age 
without a thorough mechanical inspection first!
 
Given Arthur Weasley's total lack of mechanical knowledge and the 
fact that most of his income is otherwise spoken for, it's safe to 
assume that the Anglia was at best an MoT failure (did I get the 
British right? I mean it failed inspection), and probably more likely 
had been sitting in a field for a while. And of course Arthur didn't 
whip out a MIG welder and socket set to get it to factory spec before 
spelling it to fly; he "fixed" it by magical means, too. Result; the 
core physics weren't up to the trip. The spirit was willing but the 
Lucas electrics were weak.

 As for why the Burrow doesn't likewise fall apart, I'd assume that 
wizards have been magicking houses for ages, and Arthur was blazing 
new territory with that car.