[HPforGrownups] Decline Hogwarts Invite

[Jenett]

No: HPFGUIDX 30421

On Fri, 30 Nov 2001, Margaret Dean wrote:
> I also wonder whether an untrained wizard tends to get stronger
> or weaker.  That is, if the power is not trained and channelled,
> does it eventually fade out?  Or does the person start learning
> to control it on his/her own?  This would have a bearing on how
> dangerous it might be to leave a wizard child untrained, and
> therefore how strenuously wizards would be encouraged to attend
> wizarding school.

My guess is that it'd depend on the reason for the declining to attend 
school. 

If it's because someone doesn't believe in magic at all, then the 
human mind is a very powerful thing, and quite capable of convincing 
itself that it *can't* do magic, and in fact, there's no such thing. 
Someone in that situation wouldn't be much danger, and would probably 
consider the invitation letter a prank or something of the kind. 

If it's a case like Harry's would have been, without the interference of 
Dumbledore and Hagrid (his aunt and uncle refusing to let him go, but him 
wanting to, and also believing in magic), then I think his abilities might 
well get stronger. We already see that in SS - there're a couple of 
mentions of his having done things without meaning to when he was upset). 
That wouldn't be nearly so easy to contain, and given the stresses of 
puberty, it might get even more complicated.

-Jenett
gwynyth at drizzle.com