[HPforGrownups] Re: What makes LV so powerful?

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 169144

From: houyhnhnm102 <celizwh at intergate.com>
>If magical power is inherited, it seems like it would 
>have suffered from the same kind of impairment from 
>the Gaunts' inbreeding that many of their other traits 
>obviously did.  I would be more inclined to credit 
>Voldemort's half blood status with his exceptional 
>ability, if that is what he had.  We have a lot of 
>examples of hybrid vigor in the series.

Bart:
Based on canon that there IS a genetic component to magical ability, and additional canon showing (albeit not telling) that it does not work according to the laws of genetics, the best theory I have heard (who came up with it?) was that there is a viral component to magical ability; meaning that there is a genetic component that makes one more or less susceptable to the virus, which is difficult to catch. Also meaning that there are probably a considerable number of Muggles with magical potential, who just never contracted the virus. I suspect that a combination of Muggle geneticists and magical Healers could figure out exactly what it is that determines magical power. However, a haphazard eugenics program can create defects in other genetic components; hence the Gaunts, who have powerful magical abilities, but a lack of sanity. Note that there is believed to be a genetic component in anti-social personality disorder, of which psychopathy is a subset, and it certainly afflicts the Gaunts to one degree or other. What makes Voldemort especially dangerous is that he does NOT have one of the major symptoms: he is unusually able to control his impulses in pursuit of a long-term goal. Of course, "unusally" is used here as relative to other psychopaths. 

There APPEARS to be a confidence factor in JKR's magic system. This shows up especially in Neville; in other cases, it is less certain whether confidence creates ability, or ability creates confidence. It's more than hinted at in the apparation lessons. Also Harry, who had endless trouble with accio, once he gets it, has got it in spades. And Voldemort has a huge amount of self-confidence, much of it related to his mental illness. 

Thinking this through, this may be a major part of why Voldemort wants to kill Harry, himself. His fear of Dumbledore might well be related to DD's ability to bring out little Tommy Riddle; note that while DD has no problem using the name, "Voldemort", he calls him "Tom" in the MoM; given the above theories, this could well have been a tactic to weaken Voldy. This also explains why Voldy would let someone else kill DD; DD is more than just a more powerful wizard; he also has the key to weakening Voldy. On the other hand, Voldy NEEDS to be the one to kill Harry, because his defeats at Harry's hands have hurt his self-confidence, and if someone else kills Harry, he will never be able to regain that part. 

OK, people, confirm or tear apart!
Bart