small wonderings

[Steve Vander Ark]

No: HPFGUIDX 20763


> > 
> > 2.) How do Fred and George design/develop their pranks if they're 
> not allowed to use magic during the vacations? 

> 
> 
> 2) I've always thought the MOM ban must be subject to some sort of 
> parental override in wizarding households.  They are all familiar 
> with broomstick riding, for example (or doesn't this count?).  In 
any 
> case, Mafalda Hopkirk can only tell that magic is performed, not 
who 
> did it.  It may not apply above, say, fifth year.

Good suggestions. I've always figured that the Ministry issues that 
order and relies on parents or guardians to enforce it. I can't 
imagine that someone in the Ministry actually watches over each and 
every Wizard family from afar for signs of underage magic. I think 
it's a law without teeth...except that in Harry's case, it really, 
really matters. I imagine that part of what protects Harry at the 
Dursleys is that they are so completely opposite of magical (and are 
even described as such). Any magic done might give Harry away or 
break some of his protections, so in his case they actually DO watch. 
I expect that if he told the tale of the owlpost from Hopkirk, most 
of his friends would be amazed, since they'd probably all tried a 
little magic here and there behind the barn or whatever and never had 
an instant mail from the Ministry. 

Although they might just watch Neville, too. You never know when 
he'll melt another cauldron, especially with that influx of cheap, 
foreign-made cauldrons with thin bottoms...

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