[HPforGrownups] Re: Wizard/Muggle "Radar"

[Janet Anderson]

No: HPFGUIDX 108808

Siriusly Snapey Susan (I think) said:

>[I'm one of the ones whose pet peeve is people assuming MOLLY will
>likely betray the Order because of her love for her children...but
>who seem to believe Arthur is immune from this!  I feel that *any*
>person who deeply loves another is susceptible to this kind of
>blackmail.]

Whereas, as I've mentioned elsewhere, I believe that *if* Molly were to 
betray the Order it would not simply be "because of her love for her 
children."  It would be because her particular manifestation of "her love 
for her children" makes her take too narrow and limited a view. This is best 
exemplified by her insisting on protecting the children and denying them 
(and Harry) access to important information, even when it might be 
beneficial to the greater good, i.e. the Second Wizarding War.  Remember, 
she didn't want Harry to know the (alleged) backstory about Sirius when they 
thought he was a deranged criminal who was stalking Harry!  I believe it is 
possible that if her children were threatened by Voldemort, she wouldn't 
stop to consider things like the fact that Voldemort's word is worthless, 
that he's capable of kidnapping and killing someone and *then* demanding 
ransom or information, or even that "threatened men live long."  She might 
just fold.

The thing about Arthur is that he *does* see the big picture -- if he 
didn't, he wouldn't still be poor and working in an office the size of a 
broom closet, when he could improve his situation with a little short-term 
schmoozing around the Ministry of Magic and downplaying his pro-Muggle 
stance.  He won't compromise, he won't fold, and he knows what evil is 
capable of.  (Why, yes, I do admire Arthur.  He reminds me of my own 
father.)  Of course he has his own faults -- Ron didn't inherit that quick 
temper and prickly response to insults from thin air.  The scene in the 
bookshop between Arthur and Lucius was all too similar to the many 
encounters between Ron and Draco.

>Anyway, to your question.  That's interesting--IS there any kind
>of "wizard detecting" or "muggle detecting" ability inherent in
>witches & wizards?  Not that I'm aware of.  But did I miss something
>in the books?  Is this something Aurors are capable of?

Well, there's one case where muggle detecting seems to occur:  when Harry 
does magic and gets nasty letters for it, one of the aggravating 
circumstances is that muggles are present.  This is true not just when he's 
in the Dursley house, but when he's in a dark alley with Dudley.  The letter 
in that case specified that a muggle being present made things worse.  But I 
don't know how they could tell, any more than I understand the entire magic 
detection system that's in use with Harry.


Janet Anderson

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