Harry's watch

[mellienel2 <mellienel2@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52665

Alright, I haven't read or posted on this list in an age but I'm really 
bored today so I thought I'd give this a shot:

If it were a magic watch, it probably would not have stopped 
working.

But a Muggle watch didn't have to be electronic, and that's what 
doesn't work at Hogwarts. Quartz watches could still work, I'd 
imagine. It's electricity that goes nuts.

later,
m


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "morgan_d_yyh 
<morgan_d_yyh at y...>" <morgan_d_yyh at y...> wrote:
> I'm sure this has been discussed here at some point, but I've 
> searched for the topic in the faqs and message archives and 
couldn't 
> find any reference to it. So I beg for your forgiveness and for 
some 
> patience with this silly newbie. If someone can point me to any 
past 
> threads related to this, I'd be very thankful.
> 
> In GoF, Harry has a watch, which stopped functioning after 
being 
> submersed in the lake during the second task of the Triwizard 
> Tournament (GoF, ch 23). I don't know where that watch came 
from -- 
> we're usually informed of the contents of Harry's birthday and 
> Christmas presents, but I can't remember any watch. But even 
not 
> knowing its precedence, I assume it was a magical watch, for 
three 
> reasons:
> 
> 1. According to Hermione's quotation of "Hogwarts: a History", 
"all 
> those substitutes for magic Muggles use -- electricity, and 
computers 
> and radar, and all those things -- they all go haywire around 
> Hogwarts, there's too much magic in the air." (GoF, ch 28)  If a 
> bugging system wouldn't work there, I can't see why a Muggle 
watch 
> would. 
> 
> 2. Only Hermione and the Dursleys would be likely to give 
Harry a 
> Muggle present, but 
> A) Hermione is aware a Muggle watch wouldn't work at 
Hogwarts
> B) I can't see the Dursleys giving Harry a watch unless it were 
> already broken.
> 
> 3. Harry doesn't have Muggle money to buy himself a Muggle 
watch.
> 
> So let's say the watch was magical. Maybe an unmentioned 
birthday 
> present from Sirius or Ron -- the narrator was more worried 
about the 
> Dursleys' diet and only mentioned cakes and sweets (GoF, ch 
3), but 
> maybe there was something else in the packages. 
> 
> However, if the watch was magical, why would it be damaged 
by water? 
> Why would a magical watch not be waterproof? 
> 
> And if I'm wrong in my assumptions and somehow the watch 
was indeed a 
> Muggle object, why did it keep working until February 24? (date 
of 
> the second task - GoF, ch 20)
> 
> Sincerely puzzled,
> 
> Morgan D.
> Hogwarts Letters - http://www.hogwartsletters.hpg.com.br