Underage Magic during war & at the MoM

[eloiseherisson at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 93732

Arya:
>>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?

But *do* we know that the Ministry don't know that Harry knows that Dudley 
knows that Harry is a wizard? (Sorry. <g>)

I'd never thought about that before, about the *Dudley* being the Muggle 
concerned. Surely the MoM must realise that the families of Muggle born wizards 
know that they are wizards? Can they really expect the Dursleys to keep such 
knowledge secret from Dudley?  

Accusing Harry of the offence of using magic in front of this particular 
Muggle in the first place is surely related to Fudge and Umbridge's unwillingness 
to hear evidence in his defence: they are simply using the law to try to 
achieve their own ends. In the same way Sirius never received justice although his 
innocence could easily have been proved. Contrariwise, the law can be 
conveniently forgotten when it suits: Harry *wasn't* charged with performing magic in 
front of a Muggle when he blew up Aunt Maud. 

~Eloise
Who also wonders why there was no immediate consequence to the Ton Tongue 
Toffee incident, which *was* a piece of underage magic performed on a Muggle in a 
house which seems closely monitored. 


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