brooms, carpets, & Magic Objects

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 55472

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Hollydaze" <hollydaze at b...> wrote:
> Tom wrote:
> <SNIP>
> > > For all we know, after all, stepping on the thing (carpet)
> > > could make it lift into the air, which would be most
> > > inconvenient for in-home usage, if you see what I mean. ;-)
> 
> bboy_mn replied:
> > Precisely why they are banded as a charmable object, someone would
> > look at them and see a carpet, and step on it. 

> Hollydaze:
> 
> But we don't know that is definately the case.
> 

> 
> bboy_mn continues:
> > But if someone mistood a flying broom for a really crappy sweeping
> > broom and tried to sweep with it, there probably wouldn't be any 
> > ill effects. A flying broom held in a sweeping position would not 
> > be likely to take off flying.

bboy_mn:
I assume you are referring to a carpet flying or levitating as soon as
it was stepped on. Well, that is probably unlikely, and I'm not sure
Tom was entirely serious when he said it.

My point is that you are more likely to use a carpet as a carpet than
you are to use a really crappy broom as a broom.

 
> Hollydaze:
>  It states in GoF that the Firebolt hovered in the air so you could
mount it, don't you think a Muggle might find it a bit odd if they
say, dropped the broom and it didn't drop, seems similar to the idea
of the carpet rising if you step on it (and we don't even know that
that is the case!). 

bbboy_mn:

Interesting; this brings up a whole new question; to what extend to
charmed objects only work for magical people? 

I have to believe that to some extent, the function of a magical
object relies on the magic of the wizard using it. Could any muggle
case a spell if they got their hands on a true wizards wand, or is the
wand nothing more than a 'magnifying glass' for the wizards own
magical power? ...no power; no results. 

We would assume that somethng like a nose biting teacup, is charmed to
work on whoever uses it, magic or muggle. But what about a
time-turner? Is it a wholely self-contained magical object, or does it
draw some or all of it's magical power from the wizard using it? It
certainly doesn't draw it's magic PURPOSE from the wizard, that part
is logically self-contained, but what about it's magical power? 

I guess we really can't know, but it is an interesting thought.

< Hollydaze:
> 
> As a note to the portkey business and why they are not frequently
used, could the reason have something to do with the fact that they
are noramlly everyday objects (normally rubbish), surely the more
portkey's you have laying around the more likely it is that one would
fall into the hands of a muggle.
> 
> HOLLYDAZE!!!

bboy_mn:

I wonder what happens to a portkey that is never used? What if
everyone (Weasleys & Diggorys) decided not to go to the World Cup,
that would leave the portkey laying on top of the hill indefinitely.
Do you think that the portkey's ability fades over time. When the
object's magic fades away, the boot becomes nothing more than a common
boot. That would seem to be a reasonable safety precausion for an
object like this. 

Also, if I were going to use a portkey on a regualar basis, I think I
would enchant an object that I was alway in contact with like my shoes
or a belt. Something that would not be likely to be left lying around. 

Of course, the World Cup portkeys had to be common muggle
trash/junk/rubbish aritfacts because they were placed in advance and
you wouldn't want muggles to be drawn to them. But for everyday use, I
don't think I would use a trash/junk/rubbish like object. It would be
a common object that I would have with me all the time, and something
that wouldn't really have multiple uses; for example, I don't think
enchanting a coin would be wise, too easy to spend it, but I am not
likely to use, trade, loan, sell, or leave my belt or shoes laying around.

I still take the position that if portkeys were easy, they would be
the only thing magical people would use. Floo powder makes no sense if
portkeys are easy. Even the use of broom makes little sense, if it
only takes a couple of seconds to create a portkey. Apparation seems
way too dangerous compared to pointing you wand at your belt, and
being safely transported to where ever you want to go. The fact that
they don't totally dominate magical travel makes me think there has to
be a reason for that, and the only reason I can come up with is that
it not an easy thing to do.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn