Snape's created curses (Was: Re: HBP thoughts)

[meltowne]

No: HPFGUIDX 133947

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Rebecca Stephens 
<rsteph1981 at y...> wrote:
 
> Of course not.  But I don't think you can "figure out"
> a nonverbal spell someone else made up.  How would you
> know what the word that needed to be thought was?
> 
> I think someone (probably MWPP) snuck around and
> found/stole it.  They then used it frequently or
> perhaps just taught it to others, who may well have
> used it verbally.
> 
> I have no reason to doubt the pensieve scene there. 
> Snape surely did not want Harry to see it.  I believe
> they were bullies.

Ah, but... what if NONE of the spells really have specific words that 
are required.  The role of the words is to give confidence that you're 
doing it right.  Maybe that's why Hermione is always good at the 
spells, and Ron & Neville have trouble (that and the idea of the wand 
helping magnify or focus the individual's power).

The ONLY spell we've seen cast where the caster didn't know what the 
spell would do was this new one.  I smoehow doubt the foreign 
spellcasters use all the same words either.  So Harry got deperate, and 
decided to use this new spell "against enemies," and the effect was 
whatever ended up on Harry's mind.  Just like the unforgiveable curses, 
ALL spells require you to really mean it... just like Apparation too - 
you have to concentrate on what you're doing, and focus.  Consider the 
nunumber of things both Harry and Tom Riddle accomplished before they 
knew they wee wizards.  Tom made his way dont that cliff with 2 
children in tow, and it sounds like that required a significant amount 
of magic.  Tom wanted to do it, so he did!  It's not like he would have 
stumbled upon any spell books in the orphanage.

Maybe with the potions, it wasn't so much stirring the specific way as 
hahaving the confidence that doing so would work?  Harry already had 
the ability to brew potions, but always had Snape hovering over him, 
making him nervous.

I don't know if JKR really had that in mind, but maybe the most 
powerful wizards/witches really don't need to learn any spells, they 
just need the confidence and creativity to think of an what they want 
to do.  This even fits with the little things Harry did as a child - 
his mind said "get me away from the Bullies" and he ends up on the 
roof, a perfect place to get away from the bullies... he lets the snake 
loose at the zoo...

Melinda