Seeing magical concealment

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 143514

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "saraquel_omphale"
<saraquel_omphale at y...> wrote:
>
> Jen wrote:
> > Jen: After re-reading GOF, it struck me Mad-Eye might be able to 
> >see magical concealment. He can see through invisibility cloaks and 
> > that's a form of concealment, right? ...
> 
> Saraquel:
> I always had the impression that rather than see with his physical 
> eyes, DD sensed people and magic in a 6th sense sort of way (for 
> want of a better expression).  In the cave he used his hands, 
> passing them over the rockface.  ...edited...

bboyminn:

I don't doubt for a second that abstract 'seeing' comes into play. In
a broad sense, detecting traces of magic or magical residue is like a
psychic sense, you have to be able to see beyond the mundane and the
ordinary. Though, I will stop short of calling this ability to detect
traces of magic a psychic ability. 

I suspect part of the ability to detect magical residue is related to
auras. While we know every living thing, and possibly non-living
things have an aura. These halos of energy, while generally not
visible to the average mundane person, can be scientifically detected
by a means such as Kirlian photography. Also, we know that people who
have a stongly developed 'second sight' can see auras around people. 

My main point is that there are probably a wide range of indications
and clues to the presents of magical forces. They could be subtle
visual clues that are passed over and ignored by most people, but are
visible to those who look closely and with a discerning eye. Other
aspects would be sensed, as in felt in both the abstract sense and the
physical sense.

And the logical extension of that main point is that, while Harry may
have the talent and ability to do just that, he has yet to develop the
skill. Part of my original point that spawned this thread was to make
a distinction between talent and skill. Talent is a potential; skill
is the practical realization of that potential. 




> Saraquel continues:
> 
> Most people have experienced the situation when they realise that 
> someone is behind them, not because they heard or saw the other 
> person, but because they suddenly sense them.  ...edited...

bboyminn: 

Somewhere in my earlier posts on this subject I pointed out that many
times Harry has been aware that he is being watch even when the person
or being watching him can't be seen or heard. I think this is a strong
indicator that Harry indeed has the abstact sense to detect magical
residue, but that abstract sense represents a latent talent; it's no
good to him if he doesn't develop it into a practical skill.

My main point, which we have strayed from slightly, is that Harry
really needs to start developing his skills, even if that action is
portrayed as occuring in the background off-page. Harry has all the
recourses necessary to him right now. Between Tonks and Lupin, Harry
should be able to hone his dueling skills and expand his range of
available curses and spells. Bill's presents give Harry a resource to
draw on to learn curse breaking. With that skill he can get at the
guarded Horcruxes. The resources are there, the question is, will
Harry put them to use? And if he doesn't, can the books maintain any
sense of realistic logic for me as the reader? Externally, to the
reader, we can say 'love conquers all', but internally, from the
prespective of the characters, Harry must start working; he can't
depend on blind luck forever.

Others have speculated that these people are all available to Harry
when ever he needs them. But, from the internal character perspective
of the story, it seems impractical. Harry can't travel through life
with an army of assistants following him around on the off chance he
might need to call on their skill. True Hermione has great book
knowledge that Harry can call on, but it is worthless if Hermione
isn't there. Bill Weasley has great curse breaking ability, but it's
worthless if Harry is faced with a cursed object and Bill isn't there.
None of these people's skills are significant if they can't be counted
on to be there when needed, and Harry can't really predict when he
will need them. 

Consequently, Harry must learn the skills himself, or at least
established a learned foundation in these various needed areas. 

> Saraquel continues:
>
> So regarding magical concealment, I imagine that the results of
> a spell can be hidden, but the fact that magic has been done 
> leaves a disturbance in the force, Luke, which it would be 
> impossible to disguise. 
>

bboyminn:

Perhaps this is a slight attempt at humor, but I think it very much
explains the exact nature of magical residue. Although exactly how
this 'disturbance in the force' will manifest itself, will occur in a
variety of ways and leave a wide variety of clues. I don't think it is
one and only one 'clue' or type of clue. 

I think Dumbledore is a supremely preceptive man. We all go through
life ignoring much of the information around us; we don't see the ants
on the sidewalk, or the birds in the trees, or the cloud in the sky.
As young, eager, and less wise individuals, we are so distracted by
ourselves and our petty concerns, we ignore a great deal of
information that an old and wise man like Dumbledore sees. 

For example, in the past we have disccussed how Dumbledore is able to
see through Invisibility Cloaks as is hinted at in the books. I have
contented that Dumbledore can't necessarily see through I-Cloaks, but
that with his vast awareness and deep preception, he sees things that
the world at large has filered out as background noise. Perhaps what
Dumbledore senses rather than sees is the bend of the floorboards, or
some subtle shift in the heat of the room, or some slight variation in
visual aberrations that are ignored by others. Things that are
available to every one who is willing to truly look for the clues.

I think some aspect of detection of magial residue is related to this
same level of preception; the clues are available to everyone who is
willing to look and who knows what to look for. Again, in this sense,
it is much more a matter of knowledge and skill, than raw talent or
ability.

> Saraquel concludes: 
> About Moody, his eye allows him to see *through* things in a 
> physical way, but I personally don't think that he is able to
> pick up at the energy level, like DD. ...edited...
> 
> Saraquel
>

bboyminn:

We don't actually know /how/ Mad-Eye's mad eye sees. Perhaps it sees
in a heat sensing/infra-red mode that allows him to see any heat
source. Certainly a person couldn't hide under an invisibility cloak
from this type of vision. We know the Snake's (Nagini) heat sensing
vision was able to see Mr. Weasley even though he was under the I-Cloak. 

I'm not saying this it true or not true, only making the point that we
don't know the exact nature of the /mad eye/. 

Back to the central point, in a sense I am saying that I agree with
you, but I'm not limiting it to your suggestion that magical residue
is 'sensed' in the abstract. While that is certainly part of it, I
think the core aspect is having a deep sense of perception and
awareness of the world around you and knowing what to look for.

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn