Muggle questions

[jodel at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 50608

Debbie asks:

> Now an ignorant question...Hermione mentions that magic and electricity 
> don't work together. I'm assuming she means just at Hogwarts, right? 
> Otherwise, wouldn't muggles find it weird that some neighbors only use 
> candles?
> 
She was talking about Hogwarts, yes. the level of ambient magic at Hogwarts 
puts electricity, and even some simple Muggle machinery out of order. 
Evidently, by the time you reach the level of ambient magic present at 
Hogwarts you are begining to interfere with the working of natural order. 
Remember that at Hogwarts you not only have a lot of young magicals using 
magic constantly during the day (More often than an adult wizard will 
typically be using it in his everyday life) but also all of the wards, 
protections, and other concealing/controling spells that are in effect at the 
school, the presence of ghosts and a semi-sentient structure itself. 

It is possible that other really old wizarding structures may also build up 
enough of a "charge" of magic to interfere with Muggle devices to some 
degree. And high-security magical installations would also be expected to 
have many of the same damping effects that Hogwarts does.

The apparant isolation of the Weasleys (and the Diggorys?) may indicate that 
Ministry officials homes may have additional security measures applied to 
them. We have a limited viewpoint and no real indication of what may actually 
be significant yet, but it *could* be significant that the only people we 
have ever seen show up at the Burrow are either family guests like Harry or 
Hermione, or actual family members. Arthur and his kids all seem a bit too 
social in disposition for this to be altogether by choice. 

As to the other points made; I also think that Rowling has painted with an 
overly broad brush when it comes to the ignorance of Muggle terms and habits 
as displayed by "typical" wizards. Particularly in a WW which by her notes is 
about 25% Muggle-born. It was done for comic effect, but it does not really 
hold up when examined. Certainly not in context of there being only one 
all-wizarding village in all of Great Britian and no real way that wizards 
can stay completely in isolation from Muggles once outside enclaves like 
Diagon Alley and the like. But we're stuck with it and it is just a bit of 
disbelief that we are required to suspend. (As to Arthur's being in his 
particular Ministry position, rather than a Muggle-born wizard who knows 
something about the artefacts he is overseeing. I think you can thank Fudge 
and his veneration of "our fine old families". I suspect that Muggle-borns in 
Fudge's Ministry are constantly knocking themselves out against the "glass 
ceiling".)

-JOdel


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