Petrificus totalis?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 157306

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Michelle A. Tague" <taguem at ...>
wrote:
>
> I'm curious as to what opinions you guys might have 
> had regarding that spell and why it wasn't used in 
> more serious sticky situations that HRH have been in. 
> ...
>  
> Michelle, ...

bboyminn:

We've seen several battles now, and the selection of spell by both
sides is admittedly confusing.

Personally, I think the Stunning Spell ('Stupify') is the best
non-lethal spell to use in battle, is has a short crips incantation
and seems very effective. 

One problem with 'Petrificus Totalus' is that the victim remains
conscious and aware of what is being said and done around him.
Eventually the spell will be reversed or wear off and he will be able
to tell his comrades what he heard. 

With the Stunning Spell the person is completely unconscious, not able
to overhear, and not able to formulate plans while he is disabled. 

Logic would tell me that the best spells are those with the shortest
and easist to say incantation that render the victim as completely
disabled as possible while doing no harm.

What amazes me even more that the choice of spells, is the movie, TV,
and book age old custum of leaving the enemies weapons behind. It
would seem the most practical, safe, and effective thing if when the
good guys had disabled a bad guy, if they took and/or destroyed his
wand, thereby limiting his ability to do battle even when he recovers
from the disabling curse.

Maybe it's a matter of wizardly honor. A wizard's wand is such a deep
and personal thing, that even the worst wizard will not destroy his
enemies wand in the heat of battle. But wizardly honor or not, it
sounds like a very smart thing to do to me. 

Note, as I pointed out, in the movies/TV/books, when you run out of
bullets, you don't pick up the enemies gun, you struggle on without
one. When you knock an enemy unconscious, you don't take his weapon,
at best, you just toss it to the side. 

Life is strange, or at least, fictional life is strange.

Steve/bboyminn