Memory Charms (was: Is there anything that bothers you....)

[Melanie L Ellis]

No: HPFGUIDX 56736

I see the standard Memory Charm as being nothing more than a gentle
"nudge" on the charmee's brain, something that shouldn't hurt *anybody*,
muggle or wizard. The two instances we have of Memory Charms actually
causing harm were outside the norm:

Crouch Sr. on Bertha Jorkins: I see him casting his Memory charm on her
in a bit of a panic - he's worked so hard to keep this secret, then he
walks in the door one day and finds all his hard work coming crumbling
down. He doesn't take the time to concentrate and make sure he was only
charming out the last few minutes of her life, he just slams her with all
he's got and ends up harming her in the process.

Prof. Lockhart on the way to the Chamber: I think the reason that the
Memory Charm did him so much harm is because it basically "blew up" in
his face because of Ron's broken wand. It wasn't a simple matter of it
rebounding at the same strength that it left him (like ricocheting off a
mirror), it actually got mangled and magnified by coming out of the
broken wand. He was also in an excitable state, so he may also have put
more force into it than was necessary just like Crouch Sr. did.

As for Obliviators and others who use Memory Charms in their work (like
Arthur Weasley), I think they're practiced at it enough and usually calm
enough about it that they know how to do it easily and gently so that
they will not harm anyone.

Melanie Ellis
Alabama Homeschool Message Board
http://pub77.ezboard.com/balabamahomeschoolmessageboard

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