Spotting Magic (was: Revisiting The Decree)

[David]

No: HPFGUIDX 47548

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Fer Mendoza" <nosref at y...> wrote:
> If the ministry "spotted" someone doing magic in "the 
> burrows", for example, I think they wouldn't be able to determine 
if 
> it was Arthur, Molley or one of their underage kids.  I wonder how 
> they do it ("spotting" magic), though. Any thoughts on this?  

Presumably there is a spell, or something like Moody's Dark 
Detectors.  Whatever it is, it seems like something that would be 
difficult and/or very expensive to do for the entire wizarding 
population.  If it were a practical possibility for the MOM to 
surveille all magic, one imagines that Voldemort would never have got 
started, Sirius Black would have been recaptured rapidly, Little 
Hangleton would have become a focus of great interest at the 
beginning of GOF, and so forth.

That Hermione, Fred and George and others are able to do magic with 
impunity appears to fit in with this view.

It has always seemed plausible to me that the detection of the hover 
charm was because Harry is the subject of especial vigilance - either 
that or Dobby had a hand in it to ensure the Dursleys would be 
especially angry and forbid Harry to go to Hogwarts

David