Underage Magic at the Weasley's (and in general)

[maria_kirilenko]

No: HPFGUIDX 53482

I wrote:
> Let me try to defend JKR a bit (not that she needs it).
> 
> I believe that schoolchildren on vacation are indeed not allowed to 
> do magic. But the tracking system in the MoM is such that it cannot 
> determine who exactly preforms the spell. In other words, they only 
> track the location. This is why F&G preform magic in the Burrow 
> during the summer - there are adults living there, and the MoM 
simply 
> doesn't know that it wasn't an adult who had preformed the spell.

aesob replied:
>>I'm not attacking anyone (particularly JKR)

I know. Sorry. I wasn't implying that. 

aesob continued:
<snip> but the tracking system that maria_kirilenko 
proposes is just as hypothetic and problematic as my idea that it's 
just a 
poorly conceived plot element that JKR's bending. 

I reply:
Hypothetic, yes. Problematic - I don't know, but it's not in 
contradiction with canon. See, this theory was created in order to 
provide an explanation for the problem you brought up - and it does 
just that.

Location-tracked!Spells is a valid theory that is derived from canon, 
and while there's a choice between believing in it and thinking that 
it's just a "poorly conceived plot element" invented just to harass 
Harry - well, I'll pick the theory any day. JKR's writing isn't 
sloppy, IMO.

>>>If underage wizards were 
to practice magic at home with other adults nearby (in basements or 
their own 
rooms behind closed doors), they could still be causing serious harm 
to 
themselves, siblings, pets, etc. The idea that the MoM could track 
the rough 
location of spells being cast still has frightening big brotherly 
consequences 
(perhaps more so than just having a way of tracking underage 
wizards). >>>

You are right, the tracking is scary. But, evidently, they are able 
to do it, as we see from the letter that Harry got in the beginning 
of PoA. So how is this damaging to the theory?

>>>One 
would think if there were a way to track magic like this, they could 
find out 
where any known DE or even Voldemort is by tracking their trail of 
magic...>>>

Actually, they don't really need to. DE's leave the Dark Mark when 
they go about *marauding*. <eg>

Another explanation is that the MoM only monitors the houses where 
students live, which fits canon better. 

>>>It's all hypothetical, and perhaps JKR has a completely valid 
explanation for 
how it works. If so, I'd love to know. (That and a million other 
things!)>>>

Me too. :)

Also, Taryn asked:
Y'know, I've heard the Aunt Marge incident brought up in discussions 
of the ban of underage magic multiple times and I /still/ can't 
understand why. Harry didn't purposely break the law. It was an 
involuntary action, yet people have repeatedly referred to him as 
being guilty. >_>

Me:
Well, I assume that the MoM's "tracking system" (or intelligence, as 
it's called in the letter - I don't quite know what to make of that 
word) can't tell whether a spell was involuntary or not. Harry did 
magic when he wasn't supposed to - and the law is clear on that point.

Maria