Jinx and Mandrake nitpick

[Sam Brown]

No: HPFGUIDX 22996

In PS/SS, Hermione says that '[she] know[s] a jinx when [she] sees 
one' (Chapter 11, 'Quidditch'). She then goes on to tell us that, in 
a jinx, you 'got to keep eye contact', presumably while you're saying 
the words of the jinx. From the context of the novel, we can assume 
that a jinx is wandless magic; a sort of spoken curse.

However, when we get to GoF, Harry learns the Impediment Jinx, which 
is performed via a wand, and is only said with one word 
('Impedimentia!') and not a string of words. Is this a Flint, or am I 
just being too nitpickish? 

Also, in CoS, the second year Herbology class learns that the root of 
the Mandrake is used to 'return people who have been transfigured or 
cursed to their original state' (I'm paraphrasing here; my copy is on 
loan). Does this mean that you could reverse Avada Kedavra with the 
Mandrake root? AK is a curse, after all. 

Sam, applying for membership to L.O.O.N. <g>