Creative Hermione (Was:spells: hard not to think like a Muggle)

[prefectmarcus at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 24537

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Steve Vander Ark" <vderark at b...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., prefectmarcus at y... wrote:
> > 
> > I agree with nearly all you post.  However, I do disagree with 
this:
> > 
> > > It also means that Hermione 
> > > can create a spell on the spot 
> > 
> > Steve, this is Hermione we're talking about.  You are likely 
> correct 
> > in that third years probably don't study it.  It also is unlikely 
> > that first years learn "Alohomora" before Halloween, but we find 
> her 
> > knowing it.  She's the class swot, remember?
> > 
> 
> Granted, but I still don't believe that she learned a spell that 
> moves a tree. That isn't even a logical spell to have. What makes a 
> lot more sense is that she understands the root words and has no 
> problem creating the words she needs at the time she needs them. 
> After all, to move Snape in PA they used "mobilicorpus," which is 
> basically the same spell with a different thing being moved 
("corpus" 
> means "body" while "arbus" refers to a tree). Hermione, being as 
> bright as she is, has quickly moved past simply parroting back 
spell 
> words and has grasped the underlying logic to the whole thing. 

> Steve Vander Ark

You make a very good point and may very well be right. If any of the 
trio could make up spells as needed, it would be Hermione.  However, 
I still feel uncomfortable using this instant as "proof" that she is 
making them up.  If any of the trio would memorize a obscure charm 
for moving trees, it would be Hermione.  

Perhaps the truth is somewhere in the middle.  She could have found a 
chapter in a book somewhere entitled "Moving Charms".  It outlined 
the basic theory and contained a long list of examples.  She glanced 
through it learning all the obvious ones.  "Mobiliarbus" would be an 
obvious one for someone knowing latin, would it not?  I don't know 
latin so I wouldn't know.  :)

Marcus