Astronomy + House-Elf Relocation + Quirell & Trolls + Apparating Internationally

[Kelly Hurt]

No: HPFGUIDX 33079

In reply to the question "What use do wizards use have for Astronomy?",

rycar007 wrote:

>There are a few reasons I can think of
>where wizards would have to use
>astronomy. 1) For use in certain
>spells or rituals that require the
>moon to be at a certain point.

This is true.  In Diagon Alley, Harry overhears a wizard showing off
his new lunosomething (no books handy) and saying (paraphrased) that he
would no longer have to make his own charts.

--- I wrote:

>[This part of the theory is based on
>the fact that there is a House Elf
>Relocation Office & I can't think of
>any other reason for JKR to have
>included such a detail.]

To which Gabriel Edson rather bluntly replied:

>I don't believe such an office exists, 
According to the 'author blurb', Newt Scamander, the 'author' of
_Fantastic Beasts and Were to Find Them_, once worked in the Office of
House-Elf Relocation.

If you're still not convinced and you don't have a copy of _Fantastic
Beasts..._, it is also referenced at the Lexicon at
<http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/w_ministry.html>

Gabriel Edson continued:

>and if it did, why would Winky and
>Dobby go desperately seeking new
>positions when they lost theirs? After
>all, if they could just apply to this
>theoretical office and wait for a
>call, why would they have to canvass
>on their own? Perhaps Dobby would,
>since he wanted to be paid, but not
>Winky.

For the same reason that humans place their resums with employment
agencies and yet continue to use other methods of searching: they still
don't have a job. Crouch, Sr. freed Winky, the human equivalent of
being fired.  She may have contacted the OHER with no luck.

--- Elizabeth Dalton wrote: 

>[McGonnagal's] students seemto have an
>awful lot of trouble with the tasks
>she assigns, and don't seem to try to
>use Transfiguration outside of
>class...

Actually, in GoF, Cedric transfigured a rock into a dog during the
first task.

--- Cassandra wrote:

>If this was the case, wouldn't he've
>been suspicious of Quirrell when he
>freaked out over a Troll that was
>actually smaller than the one he was
>able to control and put in the
>chamber?

Actually, that's a common assumption but nowhere in the book does it
specifically say Quirrell was responsible for placing the Troll in the
chamber.

--- Ronald Rae Yu wrote:

>How do they travel internationally,
>anyway?

According to _Quidditch through the Ages_, apparating over long
distances is difficult, so most people stick with brooms.

Kelly the Yarn Junkie


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