Birdies in the Sky & Other Comm Methods

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 122655


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tonks" <tonks_op at y...> wrote:
> 
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn at y...> wrote:
> > 
> > > Tonks continues:
> > > I think it is clear that the Order does use their wands to 
> > > communicate with each other. Now how the message knows who to 
> > > go to and how no one else can see it or interfer with it, well 
> > > that is  another mystery.
> > > 
> > > Tonks_op


> > bboyminn:
> > 
> > I think those details are contained in the intent of the caster of 
> > the Messenger Spell. ... So to, one merely casts the Messenger 
> > Charm with specific intent, and the charm carries that intent with
> >  it.
> > 
> > As far as seeing it, (snip) Seeing a silvery bird streaking over 
> the skys of London ... they would probably mistake it for a dove or 
> pigeon. Also, ... the bird is somewhat ... semi-transparent which 
> would make for very good camouflage. ....
> >
> > Steve/bboyminn
> 
> Tonks here:
> Yes I was mistaken about the spell that DD used. And apparently I 
> have forgotten everything I learned in Spell Casting 101 also.  
> Intention, of course, is a very important part of casting a spell 
> along with faith without fear and power. 
> 

bboyminn:

Well, perhaps you did, but that's not the way I read your post. In the
books it's 'eNNervate' but that is a word that doesn't actually exist.
The closest word in my American Heritage Dictionary is 'eNervate'.
Which I assumed as the same word you found in your dictionary. 

I expanded that aspect by pointing out the real word 'Innervate' which
in real-life means exactly what JKR seems to intend; to energize or
invigorate.


> Tonks Continues:
>
> I like the semi-transparent birdie thing. How do they keep it from 
> being intercepted by the enemy?  And why do they use all of those 
> messy owls if they can send messages that way?
> 
> Tonks_op

bboyminn:

My feeling is that the 'birdie' isn't fully tangible. Being
semitransparent and Ghostly, it does not have a completely solid
physical form. Therefore obsticals like walls, windows, and door do
not effect it. Since, it is not effected by physcial containment, how
can you capture it? You can't store it in a box because the physical
limitations of the box are meaningless to it. 

Although, I do suspect that there might be some advanced spell that
could contain it, but first you have to see it then catch it. However,
even in the unlikely event that you did contain it, how would you
force it to give you the message. It's not like you can threaten a
insubstantinal ghostly birdie. 

In another part of this thread, I speculated that the 'Birdie'
Messenger Charm has some limitation. I personally suspect that you
can't send long complex messages with it; the messages have to be
brief and to-the-point, not long and rambling.

So far, we have these methods of communication-

-Owls (have we seen any owls arrive at Grimmauld Place?)

-Floo Talking (we know the fireplace at Grimmauld Place works)

-Living Portraits (very effective assuming you can get the portrait
subject to cooperate)

-Flying memos (implies that letters can be charmed to seek out the
recipient. I suspect they also have limitation, or we would see more
of them. They certainly are the least secure method of communcation.)

-Ghosts (yet to be seen as messengers but I suspect they would be very
effective as such, and indeed very effective spies as well)

-'Birdie' Messenger Charm (as I specualated, for brief messages only)

-Fawkes-the Phoenix (very powerful multifunctional bird that doesn't
seem to be hindered by barriers like walls, windows, doors, distance,
or charms)

-Two-Way Enchanted Mirrors (no details, but I suspect they must have
some limitations or they would be in much wider use. None the less, I
think we will see greater use of them in future books.)

Various Colored Wand Sparks (very basic limited signal capability)

Legilimency - (not specifically for communcation, but could be used as
such as when Harry tried to mentally will Snape to understand his
vague message about Sirius)

Patronus (I suspect if Dumbledore used a his Patronus to signal
Hagrid, that it indeed was nothing but a signal, an unmistakable
/symbol/ that represented Dumbledore which Dumbledore would never have
sent unless there was trouble. I don't see the Patronus being used as
a complex communication devise. More like person specific wand sparks.)

Wizard's Wireless (limted to entertainment and general news type
communication. I have to wonder though, why they haven't expaned
beyond the limited medium of one-way radio-like communication.)

So, what have I forgotten?

Steve/bboyminn