Something I'd like to see in the Books

[Donna]

No: HPFGUIDX 83079

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "junediamanti" 
<june.diamanti at b...> wrote:
SNIP
> Responsibility and magical power.
> 
> Where precisely does the magic come from in the Potterverse? Yes we
> know that there are "wizarding families" who generally, though not
> always, produce wizarding children, and there are instances of a
> kind of genetic mutation (for want of a better word) where non-
> wizarding families (such as the Grangers) produce a magically
> talented child. But does magic per se have a source - a wellspring?
> Is it like "the force" in the movies that must not be named? Is it
> finite - both as a general force of nature and are there finite
> quantities of magical powers in the wizard?
>
SNIP 
> 
> Now while enjoying these books (both sets) I am not for a moment
> advocating that JKR sits down and takes the line that ULG does.
> Plagiarism notwithstanding, I find some of the concepts that
> Earthsea puts across would be quite challenging for younger readers.
> However, there seems to be little taught to the budding wizards at
> Hogwarts the very central idea that with great power comes great
> reponsibility.
> 
> Is it me or is everyone just wand happy? There seems to be the
> minimum of restraint on the entire wizarding population - right,
> every underage wizard risks serious educational penalties if they
> break the underage rules, but where does that leave the adult
> wizard? Pretty much in the middle of a free for all. Now there may
> well be considerable rules that are in place and that we are just
> not aware of - and that's quite possible because there's an awful
> lot of information that we don't have about the WW yet, and that
> would hold up the story unbearably if JKR were to constantly go on a
> major narrative digression to sort this out for us.
> 
SNIP
>
> All the same, I would have liked to see some ethical training in the
> Hogwarts curriculum. When it isn't appropriate to use spells, when
> it is. Is there any other effect of spells apart from the obvious.
> For instance, if you used magic to push some clouds away because
> they were raining on you, what is the effect of those clouds raining
> somewhere else and is it a good effect?
> 
> So what does anyone think? Am I just a stuffy spoilsport moralist,
> have I missed entirely on some fairly explicit treatment of
> responsibility by JKR, or does anyone agree that there should be
> ethics classes?
> 
> June

I thought that was what the MoM was for.  All those departments, like 
the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department, etc.  I always thought 
that the basics of Brittish law applied to the WW as well.  I thought 
the government was aware that there was a WW.  Fudge did inform the 
Prime Minister that Black was on the loose.  Now, I realize that the 
WW could not be common knowledge among the Brittish Government, 
otherwise with all those loose lips in government (I know that is a 
generality) the WW would be common knowledge among the Brittish 
populace.  I envision that perhaps only the most top eschelon of the 
government knows about the WW.  Do you suppose they would tell the 
Queen?

I am certain that once a Muggle born child is discovered to be a 
witch or a wizard, Minerva McGonnagal sends instructions to the 
parents that they must not let the general populace know their child 
is magical.

I think that the teachers are responsible enough and well aware of 
the importance of keeping the WW secret, that they do include ethics 
while they teach their students.  Yes, even Snape would do that in a 
round about dysfunctional way.  Otherwise, how would you explain how 
angry he was at Ron and Harry at their unususal arrival at Hogwarts 
in CoS?  (I know it was an opportunity to get Harry expelled or at 
least in very serious trouble.)  And don't they mention the bilaws in 
Cos (or is that movie contamination, I don't have my books readily 
available).

Of course, I could be wrong...
D

So sorry about the spelling here, where do I access a spell checker?