R&D in the Wizard World

[dicentra_spectabilis_alba]

No: HPFGUIDX 33521

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "ftah3" <ftah3 at y...> wrote:
> 
> I still rather like the idea that Arithmancy is the science of spell-
> crafting.  As in, a combination of numerology, straight grammar, and 
> the magic inherent in words.  I.e., Fred and George blew off 
> Arithmancy and thus the spell they made up and gave to Ron to turn 
> Scabbers yellow didn't work, because it's not just words, but the 
> *right* words, determined through a scientificish process, that 
> matter.
> 
Not to burst your bubble or anything, but here's a muggle-world
definition of Arithmancy:

"Divination by numbers. The ancient Greeks examined the number and the
values of letters in each name of two combatants. They predicted the
combatant having the name of the greater value would be victorious. It
was by using this science that some diviners foretold that Achilles
would defeat Hector.

"The Chaldeans also practiced arithmancy. They divided their alphabet
into three parts, each part composed of seven letters which they
attributed to the seven planets. Through this arithmetic method they
made predictions based on the planets.

"The Platonists and Pythagoreans were also strongly attracted to this
form of divination which is similar to certain aspects of the Jewish
Kabbalah."

On the other hand, JKR is not above adapting muggle-world stuff for
her own purposes.  

I'm pretty sure there's a spell R&D--otherwise how would they have
come up with the potion to make Remus "tame" after it was too late to
cure him?

--Dicentra, who would pay top dollar for a spell that would zap Bill
Gates in the butt every time his software acted up