Special Qualities of Auror Magic?

[Tom Wall]

No: HPFGUIDX 79591

After rereading the *beginning* of OoP (I've already read and re-
read the end about a bazillion times,) I noticed something odd in 
Ch.3, "The Advance Guard:" the only people who use magic at Privet 
Drive in this chapter (of which we know) are Tonks and Moody - the 
Aurors.

"Why are we all standing in the dark?" said a third voice, this one 
completely unfamiliar, a woman's. "Lumos." (OoP, US hardcover, Ch.3, 
p47)

"Don't be stupid, it'll be much quicker if I – pack!" (ibid, p53)

"That could do with a bit of cleaning, too – Scourgify –" (ibid, p53)

"Okay, let's go. Locomotor Trunk." (ibid, p53)

In addition, there's Moody's use of the Disillusionment Charm on 
Harry (p54), and Moody's unlocking of the back door. (ibid)

Of course, thanks to Tonks, we know that the Aurors 
learn "Concealment and Disguise," and "Stealth and Tracking" during 
their training. (ibid, p52) Perhaps there is some kind of skill 
involved with these classes that make one's very *spells* stealthy. 
It seems reasonable to me that this would be a valuable attribute to 
possess... since detection in the Aurors' line of work could have 
deadly consequences. 

But, do you think that they'd be taught how to keep their magic 
undetectable even to the Ministry itself?

As we know, use of *any* magic at Harry's house has classically been 
detected by the Ministry of Magic – first, we have Dobby's use of a 
hover charm in CoS, which illustrates that it is not just *wizard* 
magic that the Ministry is detecting. Then we have Harry's 
accidental blowing up of Aunt Marge in PoA. Finally, in OoP, we have 
Harry's use of the Patronus Charm, which results in his Hearing at 
the Ministry of Magic. Yet, here is a case where magic is used at 
least six times, and we hear nothing to the effect that the Ministry 
has detected it.

Arthur also uses magic on Privet Drive in GoF, when the Weasleys are 
picking Harry up before the Quidditch World Cup (QWC.) As far as we 
know, Harry didn't get another warning in this case, but I'd suggest 
that any problems derived from this could be easily explained away 
by Arthur himself – after all, Fudge personally sees Harry in the 
Top Box at the QWC.

One problem I have with this idea, in general, is Mundungus' 
Apparation and Disapparation on Privet Drive. I can't figure out why 
this wouldn't be detected, nor (since Harry has been under 
surveillance all summer) why the possible Apparation and 
Disapparation of the *other* members of the Order wasn't detected 
either. 

Of course, Dumbledore might know how to keep magic from being 
detected as well... that man's always full of surprises. ;-)

-Tom