[HPforGrownups] Re: Lily and magic Outside School

[LadyNeptune6627 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 108041

[snip]
Amey:
> > > "This solves the mystery how Lily could easily do magic at home 
> > > in vacation, if her family was magic."

[snip]
DuffyPoo now:
> > I don't think so.  I think, if she truly had done magic at home 
> > in vacation, and it wasn't just Petunia's ranting, then the rule 
> > must have been changed at some point between her time at Hogwarts 
> > and Harry's.  

queenbeetle (me!):
Hi everyone! ^_^ This is my first post.  Sorry if my point has already been 
brought up; I haven't been very strictly following this entire post.

If Lily was indeed doing magic at home, I agree that the law must have been 
changed before Harry and co.'s time.

However, it's possible that Petunia, in her jealousy, could have exaggerated 
what Lily had done at home.  In partial, my copy of SS (American version, 
paperback, p. 53):
       
"[Lily] came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning 
  teacups into rats.  I was the only one who saw her for what she was--a 
freak!  But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they 
were proud of having a witch in the family!"

I think Petunia was obviously jealous of her sister's abilities; calling Lily 
a "freak" and thinking of herself (Petunia) as the normal one is a defense 
technique to help alleviate her feelings of inadequacy.  Seeing Harry recieve 
the Hogwarts letter and Dudley not recieving one (even though Petunia and Vernon 
outwardly despise the WW) probably reminded her of her own experience with 
Lily.

Thusly, I see it as possible for Petunia to exagerate what Lily actually did 
at home.  If Lily did actual magic, even very small/not complicated magic, 
Petunia would see it as a big attempt on Lily's part to "show up" (so to speak) 
her sister.  Also, how empathetic can Lily be, to do magic infront of her 
(possibly) squib sister?  Then again, it's possible the two had a specific 
confrontation about it, Lily perhaps coming off in the worse because of Petunia's 
still obviously harsh feelings.  However, we've got no cannon for that.  [In 
contrast, Lily turning teacups into rats is clearly Transfiguration, but I think 
Petunia could have exaggerated that also--as in, Petunia was so fed up with Lily 
that she assumed Lily is doing something that showy]

However, my alternate exaggeration theory relies on the fact that Lily and 
Petunia's parents are Muggles (or possibly squibs with hardly any wizarding 
knowledge).

Lily could have easily brought home wizarding candy, such as chocolate frogs, 
fizing whizbees, or any number of interesting candies described in Hogsmeade; 
or possibly magically enhanced items.  With no exposure to the WW, her 
parents and Petunia especially could see this as magic on Lily's part.  I would 
assume, however, that Lily would have adequately explained the items as not her 
own doing.  Then again, jealous Petunia could have tuned this out, and still 
have seen it as showing off.

In addition, and I'm sure this has been brought up previously, but Hermione 
is a muggleborn witch, and exceptionally bright at that.  Aren't her parents 
proud of her?  I'm sure they are "proud to have a witch in the family," even 
though they are muggles.
Therefore, I don't think that line in particular is a reference to Lily and 
Petunia coming from a line of squibs, or that their parents are wizards and 
only Petunia was a squib. Although, Petunia being a squib and Lily a witch would 
add to more emotional angst on the part of the former.

Well, there you have it. ^_^

cheers, then.
queenbeetle


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