Wand breaking - Legal Sanctions and Authority

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 141168

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "manawydan" <manawydan at n...> wrote:
> Carol wrote
> > breaking wizarding law. At one point in CoS, Hagrid threatens 
> > Draco Malfoy with expulsion is he refuses to take his detention. 
> > I don't think we have any evidence that his wand would have been 
> > broken in that instance. ...

> Ffred:
> 
> ...
> 
> As this [deleted quote] is so, it would follow that you can be an
> adult wizard (and buy a wand) even though you haven't completed 
> Hogwarts (or even been there in the first place).
> 
> I'd agree that someone who is expelled or leaves wouldn't
> necessarily lose their wand unless there was a breach of wizarding 
> law.
> 
> hwyl
> 
> Ffred

bboyminn:

I think Ffred has it right. We know from Harry encounter with the
Dementors and the Ministry in OotP that the Ministry doesn't have the
authority to expell students, that is up to the headmaster. However,
they appear to have the power to break someone's wand, but Dumbledore
presuades them to wait until the outcome of the hearing.

I think Hagrid had two actions taken against him. He was expelled by
the headmaster, and his wand was snapped by the Ministry and thereby,
in a sense, forbidding him from doing magic.

The new Headmaster (Dumbledore) knows Hagrid is innocent of all
charges, and like everyone else who knows Hagrid, he looks the other
way and at certain time even encourages Hagrid to do magic. Also note
that during the Tri-Wizards Tournement, the Ministry enlisted Hagrid
help magically growing the hedges for the maze. They did seem to mind
him performing that magic. But a year later when Dumbledore and Fudge
are at odds with each other, suddenly the Ministry if enforcing the
sanctions against Hagrid. 

So, as I have often said before, the Ministry has to take an official
action to reverse its sanctions against Hagrid. This is something I
very much want them to do, and have indeed expected in every book
since CoS. Now, with Dumbledore no longer in the picture, that doesn't
seem very likely unless Harry somehow forces the Ministry's hand. 

As far as Hagrid not going to school, I don't see that as a big
problem. To get a job, you need qualifications or at least
certification of your qualifications; that comes from OWLs and NEWTs,
but I don't think it is required for Hagrid to get a new wand. First
of all, he already has several jobs at Hogwarts, and seems content to
spend the rest of his life there, so he doesn't need his abilities
certified by government tests. 

Remember, they give wands to 11 year olds. I have always said that
Hagrid has more than enough practical experience to be a wizard with a
wand, but that can only happen if the Ministry officially reverses the
legal sanctions against him.

You heard it here first,...again.

Steve/bboyminn