Alohomora and lockpicking

[Steve Vander Ark]

No: HPFGUIDX 23202

The Alohomora Charm does make for some complicated problems, as you 
very accurately point out. So does the little penknife that Sirius 
gives Harry, the one that will unlock any lock and untie any knot. My 
take on it is that locks, as a general rule, are Muggle technology, 
and as such are used occasionally, but not really expected to do much 
good. Maybe they're almost like decorations. True locking, which we 
all know is necessary sometimes, is a magical condition. Notice that 
the locks on Moody's seven-lock trunk open differently with different 
keys and different locks. Clearly these locks and keys aren't your 
normal Muggle locks and keys. They look the same, sure, but their 
effect is essentially magical, not mechanical. 

One more Alohomora problem: where does that word come from? I made a 
semi-lame guess in the Lexicon's Encyclopedia of Spells, but I'd love 
to find a more reasonable etymology. Has anyone figured out where 
this interesting incantation comes from?

resources from the Lexicon:

the Alohomora Charm
http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/spells_a.html#alohomora

the Seven-Lock Trunk
http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/artifacts.html#Seven-Lock


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