My thoughts on some things.......

[vidar_fe]

No: HPFGUIDX 148344

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Adzuroth" <adzuroth at ...> 
wrote 
 
> On a side note, I was wondering a little something about book 
four.  
> What would have happened if Harry simply refused to compete in the 
> Triwizard Tournament?  Granted, he was in a magical contract of 
> sorts, but since when are minors allowed to enter legally binding 
> contracts?  If the legal system is different in the magical world, 
> and there is no age limit, then what would keep unscrupulous 
adults 
> from getting children to sign all their future earnings over to 
> them?  Here's another angle for you: Harry could've simply done 
> something to get himself disqualified, and he would be out of the 
> contract, simple as that.

vidar_fe:
I think you are confusing magically binding contracts and legally 
binding contracts. As an example of what I mean, I will use the 
Unbreakable Vow: As far as we know, Unbreakable Vows are not legally 
binding in any way. Of course we don't no much wizard law, but we 
know that the law is not the reason why you don't wanna break an 
Unbreakable Vow. The magic of the vow is a force of nature that 
operates independently of the law, and it will kill you if you don't.

I can't prove this, but I think a magically binding contract 
operates in more or less the same way. Thus, if Harry had refused to 
compete, it would have severe consequences for him, possibly even 
death. Not because the law says so, but because of the magic in the 
Goblet.

Adzuroth:
> Oh yeah, one other little detail.  In the first triwizard 
challenge, 
> why didn't Harry simply say "accio dragon egg" instead of "accio 
> firebolt"?  Any of the champions could've done it since there was 
no 
> mention of any spells preventing that.  If the dragon was holding 
> onto the egg, all one had to do was distract it long enough for 
the 
> dragon to take its claws off the egg, then nail it with the accio 
> spell.

vidar_fe
That's a very good question. Probably, he didn't think of it.

Adzuroth:
> On the fifth book, I have one little question.  If Umbridge had 
the 
> first, last, and only word on discipline at Hogwarts, why didn't 
she 
> simply expel Harry?
> 
> On that note, what happens to a budding young wizard who's 
> unfortunate enough to get expelled from Hogwarts? Can they try 
> their luck at another school like Durmstrang or Bouxbaton? 
> If their wand gets snapped in half, so what? Hagrid had no
> problems performing spells in books one and six (putting 
> the pig tail on Dudley and putting out the housefire, 
> respectively).

vidar_fe:
Well, Hagrid had his very special umbrella.... :-)