spells: hard not to think like a Muggle

[Steve Vander Ark]

No: HPFGUIDX 24498

The way that Witches and Wizards think about everything, including 
spells, is completely different from the way we Muggles think about 
it. We ask questions like "Does it have to be line of sight?" that 
they would never think to ask. We are used to Muggle physics and 
Muggle limitations. Witches and Wizards are used to Wizard physics 
and Wizard limitations. That makes all the difference in the world. 
In fact, it is literally a different world.

A great example of this is Molly Weasley's reaction to the fact that 
the Anglia fits so much inside its trunk and can seat five people 
across the back seat comfortably. It doesn't strike her as the least 
bit odd, and just assumes that the Muggles made it that way. But we, 
as Muggles, would be unable to comprehend how such a thing could be. 
Our world and life view, our structure for how things work, is so 
utterly different from the way Witches and Wizards see it that we 
have a difficult time understanding the way magic works. Molly, on 
the other hand, can't understand our notion of space and physics, 
which is based on science and technology. A car that couldn't hold 
more when necessary would make her do a double-take. Remember Ron 
(was it Ron?) poking Dean Thomas's poster of West Ham United, trying 
to make it move? It just didn't make sense to him.

Consider that the physical laws that govern our world--cause and 
effect, action and reaction, conservation of energy, that sort of 
thing--are secondary in the Wizard way of seeing things. For them, 
the key is intention and power. Does Molly have to see something to 
Accio it, or even know exactly what that thing is? Nope. She has the 
intention and power to make that Accio spell do exactly what she 
wants. Harry, as he's learning it, needs to specify, even see the 
object in question.  But by the time he's summoning the Triwizard Cup 
in the graveyard, he has all the intention and power he needs, almost 
without realizing it, to make exactly what he wants come directly to 
him. No specific target is needed except the desperate focus of his 
own mind, which, we are learning, is incredible indeed.

Once you free your mind of the shackles of Muggle physics, magic 
becomes that much more understandable, and it soon becomes obvious 
that magic is really the manipulation of magical power by the 
intention and focus (by means of a wand and words, usually) of the 
caster. The exact physics of the spell--how it works, how it's cast, 
what it does--is different every time, because physical laws arent' 
involved, emotions and intentions are.

That means that a spell could have a markedly different effect 
depending on the cirsumstances of it's casting (such as Expelliarmus 
actually throwing Lockhart against the wall, since Snape's intentions 
caused a somewhat more violent result). It also means that Hermione 
can create a spell on the spot (Mobiliarbus, which literally suggests 
moving a tree...you can't tell me that third year Hogwarts students 
have learned spells to move trees...she made it up on the spot, using 
her intention and her understanding of the language of spellwork). In 
it's purest form, magic requires no words and even no wand. We see 
Dumbledore using magic this way, or close to it, almost every time he 
does it.

There are three properties to a spell, and physical laws aren't 
involved at all. The three are intention, focus of power, and focus 
of mind. The intention comes first, obviously, since the spell caster 
needs to intend to do something. Then the spell words are used to 
focus the mind on the action desired, sometimes with the assistance 
of a specific thought pattern. These two are intertwined, since the 
words often marshall the mental processes, but sometimes a certain 
type of thought is required first, such as the happy thought to 
trigger a defense against Dementors. Then the wand is waved in a 
specific pattern to focus and direct the magical power of the 
caster's body toward the goal. All of these things work together to 
create an effect which simply does not obey any of our Muggle 
scientific laws. 

If we think like Muggles, this is truly, utterly, unbelievably 
amazing. That's part of what makes the books so much fun. But if we 
could truly think like Wizards, it would be completely normal, even 
mundane. And for kicks, you would read comics about Martin Miggs, the 
Mad Muggle. 

I invite you all to read some of the essays on the Lexicon about the 
nature of magic. I have had the good fortune to have contributions to 
the Lexicon from some of the finest minds in the Muggle world in this 
area. 

Steve Vander Ark
The Harry Potter Lexicon
http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon