How Long Will Wormtail's New Hand Last? (WAS: Poor Wizards)

[grey_wolf_c]

No: HPFGUIDX 42722

Phyllis wrote:
> now me:
> 
> I read that interview as well, and JKR says (in response to a 
> question about why wizards need money) "something you conjure out of 
> thin air will not last."  But this made me wonder about the silver 
> hand Voldemort conjures for Wormtail at the end of GoF.  It 
> was "conjured out of thin air" so will it also "not last?"
> 
> ~Phyllis

I'd say that the amount of time a spell exists for depends on the power 
of the wizard or witch that uses it. Since Voldemort is at the top with 
the very best, it's entirely possible that the hand lasts a long time. 
Then again, it may not have been conjured out of thin air at all: it 
may be a summon of some sort of ghostly energy. Remember that it's not 
silver, it's just silvery. So was the bird Dumbledore used to call 
Hagrid previously in GoF. Whatever that material is, we don't know it's 
properties or how easy it is to conjure, nor how much it lasts.

So, the answer I'd go for "probably lasts for a vear at a time". Once 
that time has passed, Peter has to go back to Voldy for a re-cast. 
There is, of course, no canon at all for that theory, so I'm trusting 
my gut-feeling, until JKR says otherwise (or someone whips out a 
convincing argument).

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf