Underage magic (was: Re: Silent/Wandless Magic?) (long)

[Jacqui]

No: HPFGUIDX 101549

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "SnapesRaven" 
<SnapesRaven at w...> wrote:
> Hello, here's a question this post evoked.
> 
> David said,
> "I get the impression that, despite what Flitwick says about the 
> importance of pronunciation, once you have grown up and become 
> adept, you can do a lot of the basic spells almost without 
thinking."
> 
> Now me:
> I wonder about the whole law thing regarding underage magic. (Hope 
it hasn't been discussed before in this context!)
> Can underage witches/wizards at their parents' home perform simple 
spells like the dish cleaning spell (the one we see in CoS), or 
summon things? With the strict trial Harry's repeated performance of 
underage magic in mind I wonder if it's even possible for a child 
that's growing up in the WW instead of with Muggles to avoid each and 
any kind of (wandless) magic. And as David pointed out, I also think 
that many spells simply function without great effort after sinking 
in and becoming routine.
> 
> It strikes me as a very strange thing that Harry accidentally set 
the snake free at the zoo (PS) and didn't receive his first telling-
off back then. I recollect that in CoS it was Dobby's magical 
activity *at the Dursley's house* that earned Harry the letter. But 
Ron, Fred and eorge didn't suffer any consequences after using their 
father's enchanted car, did they? 
> How precise does the time limit of holidays/term influence this 
rule? Does every day matter? First day of vacations: magic forbidden; 
first day of term: magic allowed again? Or does the place matter; is 
magic during the term only allowed at Hogwarts/in 
Hogsmeade ...somewhere school related?
> 
> Does it have to be intentional magic, performed with the conscious 
knowledge of the act as magical? Does a baby blowing up something in 
anger or pain therefore not count? As well as Harry's temper-caused 
outbursts *before* he was introduced to the WW, acknowledging his 
abilities?
> I'm really at a loss here. 
> 
> And what happens when a student is expelled from school because of 
underage magic? Which future does he face? Is there an inevitable ill-
fate due to never having learned anything correctly? Will he/she be 
an outcast? - I can hardly imagine that. What good would that do to 
the wizarding community?
> 
> One more question: Severus supposedly knew (according to Sirius) 
more dark spells/hexes when he first attended Hogwarts than most of 
the grown-up graduates. How come an eleven year-old is able to 
perform magic without ever practising? And can anyone earnestly 
imagine Draco growing up *without* magical training? He knew how to 
mount/fly a broom, after all, and the spells he used against Harry in 
the Duelling Club (CoS) were surely not on schedule (Serpensortia for 
example). 
> 
> Every opinion and pointings to posts on this topic (giving 
answers...!) are really appreciated...
> : )
> 
> 
> SnapesRaven



Ok, this is they way that I took other children in the WW doing 
magic.  When you have a family as large as the Weasley's for example 
I think it would be impossible to distinguish who is doing what.  I 
guess that comes down to another question, how can they tell you are 
doing magic and at which times?

When Harry recieved his warning they only mentioned one of the four 
spells that he cast that night.  He did a Lumos spell to find his 
wand even before he did the Patronum one (which he did three times).  
Now we know from Harry's trial that they "thought" he was the only 
wizard within miles because they monitor that area closely.  So it 
could be possible that they way they monitor magic is by where it is 
done not by whom.  

Having said that, if the ministry shows a use of magic on Privet 
Drive, they automatically assume that it is Harry.  (Ex. When Dobby 
did magic, and Harry was blamed) 
So, if they see magic going on at the Weasley's there is no way to 
tell who is doing it.  

That is how I think Draco and Snape who both came from full wizard 
families would have the opportunity to practice magic without being 
detected.
Jacqui
--Who spends way too much time thinking of this stuff and not 
working :P