The Rare Cloaks (and vanishing spells)

[bboy_mn]

No: HPFGUIDX 87020

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mfisanich" <mfisanich at e...> wrote:

> Finally, Melissa:
> 
> ...  This makes me think, ..., then why not just develop a spell 
> that renders the spellcaster or another person invisible?  
>

bboy_mn:
There is indeed such a charm; Fred and George use an invisibility
charm on their 'joke' hats (Headless Hats). 

--- Quote - OoP UK Hb pg 477 ---
... Fred and George were demonstrating their latest bit of joke shop
merchandise.

'Headless Hats!' shouted George, as Fred waved a pointed hat decorated
with a fluffy pink feather at the watching students. ....

'How do those hats work, then?' said Hermione, distracted from her
homework and watchng Fred and George closely. 'I mean, obviously it's
some kind of Invisibility Spell, but it's rather clever to have
extended the field of invisibility beyond the boundaries of the
charmed object ... I'd imagine the charm wouldn't have a very long
life thought.'
--- end quote ---

We see the existance of the Invisibility Spell but we also see it's
flaw or shortcoming, it doesn't last very long, and as we see from
Hermione's comment, having the invisibility field extend beyond the
charmed object is quite an unusual accomplishment.


> Melissa continues:
> Wouldn't the Vanishing Spell ... be a suitable means of making 
> yourself invisible ...? Or does the Vanishing Spell make the 
> vanished object cease to exist, instead of merely 
> invisible?  
> 
> ...edited... (why the  Disillusionment charm? ....)  ...
> 
> Now I've got to vanish from my computer and make dinner! Evanesco!
> 
> Melissa

bboy_mn:
To my way of thinking, the Vanishing Spell is the garbage can/bin of
the wizard world, you use the Vanishing Spell to get rid of vomit or
the mess your dog left on the floor. When things are vanished, my
impression is, that they cease to have physical substance which does
not necessarily mean they cease to exists. It could be that we are
looking at a matter/energy conversion, much like the Star Trek
Transporters. The object is converted into the universal stream of
energy that premeates the universe. I also suspect that a Vanishing
Charm can be reverse, and while you might want to bet your cat on a
vanishing reversal, I would be reluctant to bet my life or the life of
a friend on it.

Also, consider Snape and Hermione vanishing Harry's potion in Potions
Class, if the potion was merely invisible, Harry could have still
filled a vial with it and given it to Snape for grading. Given the
implied intent and everyone's reactions, I have to believe the the
Vanishing Spell truly makes the potions vanish.

As far as the Disillusionment Charm, which I always thought should
have been called the Illusionment Charm since 'disillusion' means to
be FREE of illusion, doesn't make people invisible, it's more a a
camouflage or Chamaeleon charm, they still have physical form and are
visible, but they take on the color and texture of their background. I
would think that a 'Disillusioned' wizard could potentially, in a
limited way, hide himself from people if they didn't look too closely,
but I suspect the minute he began to move, he would give himself away. 

However, at a distance, while flying through the sky on a broom, the
camouflage would be enough to prevent most muggles from detecting a
wizard. It would be very effective in the daytime, and totally
effective at night. Even if the muggle did detect some movement in the
sky, when they took a second look, the flying wizard would no longer
be in that location. It's also possible, I speculate, to combine the
Disillusionment Charm with some other type of Apathy Spell, that would
make the sight of a camouflaged wizard moving through the sky so
incredibly boring that the muggles wouldn't bother with a second look.

Just a few thoughts.

bboy_mn