Voldemort and wandless magic

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 38166

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Edblanning at a... wrote:
> Something rather odd, or at least I thought it odd, struck me the
other day 
> when listening to the end of PS/SS (again!).
> 
> When Harry and Quirrell confront each other, Quirrell binds Harry
magically, 
> apparently without recourse to a wand.
> We know that Dumbledore can perform wandless magic.
> But Voldemort, *Voldemort*, the most powerful dark wizard of modern
times, 
> apparently needs a wand. Why? 

I think that wandless magic (useful and controlled wandless magic, I
mean, not the chaos random stuff Harry has done by accident) may be a
matter of not just power, but also mental focus and self-control --
qualities Voldemort is a bit low on.  This does raise the question of
how Quirrel could do it, but I tend to lean toward the theory that
Quirrel was actually a talented wizard and DADA instructor before
Voldemort got to him.  (I like this theory partly because it makes
Quirrel's fate more poigniant and tragic, and partly because it
improves Dumbledore's record at hiring DADA teachers.)

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com