Underage Magic during war & at the MoM

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 93720

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Arya" <dequardo at w...> wrote:

Arya:
> I think I have to disagree.  There's more to it than just 
monitoring 
> an area.  I also think there's something more complex to the 
> monitoring because it knows when the magic is done before a 
muggle.  
> IIRC in CoS, it mentions the business deal people Vernon had over 
for 
> dinner as being witnesses to the Hover Charm.  In OotP it also says 
> the Patronus Charm is done in front of a muggle (Dudley--who I 
don't 
> think should count because duh--he obviously knows Harry is a 
wizard!)

Geoff:
The Ministry don't know that Harry knows that Dudley knows that Harry 
is a wizard do they?

The difference in wording of the letters is interesting; Carol's 
reference to the use of the passive points that up.

Both letters (COS and OOTP) begin with the phrase "We have received 
intelligence that....." but COS continues: "...was used at your 
esidence this evening..." while the OOTP letter goes on: "...you 
performed the Patronus Charm..."

The COS letter is very civil servant-ish in its wording: "We would 
also ask you to remember that and magical activity which risks notice 
by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious 
offence...." whereas the OOTP letter is much more threatening: "The 
severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction 
of Underage Sorcery has resulted.."

It has only just occurred to me on re-reading this that in our 
discussions on young wizards, it is a decree for the "reasonable" 
restriction and not total restriction.

Canon references for the letters are:
(COS "Dobby's Warning" p.21 UK edition)
(OOTP "A Peck of Owls" p.29 UK edition)

Geoff
(In passing, on the subject of "Horse Feathers", I think that I am of 
a similar age to Kneasy but, as a native UK English speaker, I have 
never heard the expression)