Nonverbal spells

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 135603

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "vlngrrl" <vlngrrl at y...> wrote:
> I was wondering what spells are cast nonverbally, and what spells
> are cast verbally.  ... in the Ministry Battle in OoP, the Death 
> Eaters were using a lot of non-verbal, as were the Oop memebers.  
> Why, if all spells could be non-verbal, would anybody speak the 
> incantation out loud?  This seems like unneccessary effort to me. 
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> - Sarah


bboyminn:

I think virtually any spell can be cast non-verbally *IF* you are a
powerful and talented enough wizard. Notice that older wizards cast
silent spells easily, they have had a long time to practice. 

Certainly some spells lend themselves to being more effectively cast
silently, but in general, I think it is the power, skill, and
experience of the wizard that ultimately determines if a particular
spell can be cast without speaking.

Also, note that the 'Purple Flame' spell that took out Hermione in the
Dept of Mysteries would have been a lot worse if the caster had been
able to speak the words. So, for more powerful and demanding spells, 
the spell is diminished by not being able to say the words. I
seriously doubt we will ever see the AK-Killing Curse cast without words. 

So, logically the easier the spell, the easier it is to cast without
words. Lighting a candle, heating a cup of water for tea, Lumos, and
other basic and commons spells would become so easy and instinctive
over a lifetime, that most wizards could do them easily without words.

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn