Nonverbal spells

zgirnius zgirnius at yahoo.com
Sat Jul 30 21:37:55 UTC 2005


No: HPFGUIDX 135720


> CathyD now:
> As well, Snape said "Not all wizards can do this, of course; it is 
a question of concentration and mind power which some lack."  If this 
wasn't just a jab a Harry, and not all wizards can perform non-verbal 
spells, why then were they expected in Transfiguration and Charms as 
well?  It would certainly lead to failure for some students, wouldn't 
it?

zgirnius:
To be considered a basically qualified wizard in the WW, it suffices 
to pick up a few OWLS. The requirement to cast nonverbal spells in 
DADA, Charms, and Transfiguration (all the subjects, incidentally, 
where spoken spells are used, unless there is something in 
Arithmancy...in which case I would assume they are doing them there 
as well!) is only introduced at the NEWT level. Yes, some people will 
fail. And they will go on to careers in which they do not need high 
scores on the NEWTs in these subjects.

I don't think we know enough about magic to speculate whether this is 
a reasonable requirement. (Except in DADA. I think we have seen 
enough to agree that this *is* an important skill in defense and 
duelling. If we were hiring Aurors, all things being equal we would 
prefer candidates who can do the nonverbal spells, and can anticipate 
them when they are cast by others.) 

But as for the other subjects...since we know the spell words are 
apparently not necessary to some wizards...maybe in developing a new 
spell you wouldn't necessarily start with a word and a gesture, and 
then try to find a spell that goes with them? Maybe you think of a 
desired effect, find a mental state/image which permits the 
accomplishment of the desired effect, and then pick words/wand 
gestures which work well with that to teach to people less gifted in 
this area? This is just one (completely picked out of a hat, no canon 
either way...) idea-if it *did* work this way, researchers in the 
areas of DADA/Charms/Transfiguration would more or less *have* to be 
able to do some magic nonverbally.






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