[HPforGrownups] Re: Is Petunia magical?/Mrs. Figg

[Jordan Abel]

No: HPFGUIDX 160465

It's generally better to arrange things so each response comes after
the quote it applies to

On 10/27/06, Michael Perry <mperry at efn.org> wrote:
> Michael Perry:
> I would love to hear more. H says that there are numerous ways to hide the
> school... including being unplottable. (Sorry about the unmappable...
> unplottable would have a wider meaning.)

What do you mean? "unplottable" is a specific charm that makes it so
you can't put something on a map. What "wider meaning" would it have
than that?

> She doesn't really go into Hogwarts... and we don't get a clear clue,
> except it's very magical...

But unplottable is a specific charm, being "very magical" doesn't
cover it. I thought it was quite clear that when being unplottable was
brought up it was the _other_ schools (durmstrang and beauxbatons)
that were being discussed.

> such as not being able to port into the school...

I assume you mean apparate. Portkeys, of course, work fine.

> and the flying car loses its magic when approaching.

You're sure this wasn't more of Dobby's meddling?

> We do know that folks can may be able to use the
> flu network (or appear in fires) but apparently this is at a discretion.

That doesn't seem apparent at all, please explain further

> From this, I should assume that much of HW's security is based on the whims
> of DD... [etc]

Where do you get that from? There's no reason to think that _any_ of
the protections on Hogwarts haven't been in place for a thousand
years. And it certainly doesn't follow from anything you've said in
this discussion.

> It's hard to say what the effect of viewing the school would be. There is
> probably an anti-magic spell put on the school... so Muggles would simply
> not want to be there.

The operation of anti-muggle charms, and those on hogwarts in
particular, has been explained and there is no evidence one way or the
other that they would continue to affect someone who was past the
barrier.

> I'd assume there are stronger spells to keep magical
> folk out, though the ministry somehow finds their way in,

Why shouldn't they?

> and DD can probably "pop" out using his phoenix.

Is there actually any canon evidence that a phoenix can do this at
all? I thought it was just a fanfiction thing.

> HP certainly flies *away* from the grounds using his own means, though
> perhaps he's away from the spell in the forest.

Or maybe there's no "anti-flying ward" - just Dobby messing with the car.

> Random832:
> > Actually - the only person who actually says that is Stan Shunpike -
> > who isn't exactly the most educated person in the series.
>
> As for Stan, he's magical. Granted, he's a doof, but he's still magical.

The fact that he's magical doesn't know that he knows what he's
talking about when he says muggles don't see the knight bus due to
their own disbelief, rather than due to some sort of charm placed on
the bus.

There is a problem with relying on just anything that's said in the
books once without confirmation, when even the best of characters can
lie or simply be wrong

-- 
Random832