[HPforGrownups] Re: The Riddles' Murders (WAS: The only one he ever feared?

[jp velasco]

No: HPFGUIDX 117652


Debbie wrote:
> The only argument that supports the notion that the MoM must have known about it is that if the Improper Use of Magic Office employs countrywide surveillance, Mafalda Hopkirk's predecessor should have picked up on it.  But I doubt they keep track of very much, or they would've noticed Mundungus Fletcher disapparating at 4 Privet Drive at the beginning of OOP.<

JP replied:
> Even if the magic done by wizards were "bad", it is not "improper" because using magic when your "of age" is allowed and I think that you'll need to get a licence to apparate, so logically, the Office of Improper Use of Magic had not known the Riddle murders because it was simply not their job to monitor them.<

Kim now:

> But then the deaths of three Riddles from Avada Kedavras would surely have been considered "harm to Muggles," as you say....
> In any case, AK (Avada Kedavra) is also an Unforgiveable Curse and it wouldn't matter if the wizard who performed it was "of age" -- performing AK, Crucio, or Imperius curses is supposed to land you in Azkaban. The MoM would have known about the 3 Muggles dying from AKs in Little Hangleton or else they were asleep on the job that day.<

JP here:
 
Good Point, but then I'm reminded of the Weasley Twins, (which are a year older than Harry in OotP) and they are allowed to use magic. I think the twins are 17 yrs old? so Tom Jr. would be "of age" when he had done the curse... Another thing that I remember is that Moody did the Imperius Curse on his students, and nobody from the MoM arrested him during that time... and also Tom Jr. was alone with his family, I think there's a canon where it stated that there were no witnesses to the murder. and even if the MoM monitors these Curses, they would focus their attention on other known wizards and witches that have their interest (I got this idea because when you think about it, the MoM are keeping tabs on what was happening on Privet Drive and the surrounding areas) and during his time, Tom Jr. was not that notorious.
 
on the other hand... Umbridge did try to use the Crucio curse on Harry... stating that the MoM will understand because of the situation, but if the MoM indeed has the means to monitor all magical activities around England, then they would have known that Voldy was back because he had used Two of the Unforgivable Curses on Harry the night he returned. 
 
Thanks for responding!