Is There Alternating Current in Harry's World?

tommy_m_riddle scarah at gmail.com
Mon Aug 25 01:39:20 UTC 2008


No: HPFGUIDX 184183

> Carol responds:
> I always thought that Kingsley was using "firelegs" on purpose as 
part
> of his pretense that he and Arthur aren't on intimate terms. It 
gives
> Arthur the chance to publicly correct him (in the next breath
> whispering that Molly is making meatballs and inviting Kingsley to
> dinner).

Sarah:
I kind of reckoned it might be on purpose, but I never really figured 
out his motive.  Appearing to be a pureblood if he's not seems kind 
of pointless, since a year later he's installed in an undercover 
Muggle job, which I think most of the purebloods couldn't pull off. 
Arthur doesn't know what plugs are for, let alone how to pronounce 
"eckeltricity," and Muggle artefacts has always been *his 
department.*  If anything, saying something about "firelegs" makes 
him appear even more similar to Arthur.

Carol: 
> I suspect that Kingsley, as part of the Muggle Prime Minister's
> bodyguard, knows perfectly well what firearms are. Also, he seems to
> be one of the few Wizards who can pass easily as a Muggle. Possibly
> he's Muggle-born or, more likely, Half-Blood, and, like his friend
> Dumbledore, he probably reads the Muggle papers. (Maybe he even
> watches television when he has the opportunity. 

Sarah:
I suspect this too.  It doesn't really help explain the "firelegs" 
feint any better for me though.  I guess maybe he just made it up as 
something "wizard business sounding."  He could have asked Arthur 
something about motorbikes though, since that's supposed to be 
Kingsley's assignment.  

Carol:
> As for Windows 98, it's not that difficult to learn to use a 
computer
> as an adult. I'm guessing that Kingsley is about the same age as 
Snape
> and Lupin, and I learned to use Windows 95 and Netscape and e-mail
> when I was older than they are in DH. (OMG, I hear everyone 
thinking,
> she must be OLD!!!)

Sarah:
Yes, but you're a normal adult.  :)  Magic has always seemed to 
actually make wizards somewhat stupider when it comes to mundane 
technology.  In PS/SS, Hermione admires the potion riddle because so 
many adult wizards are magically capable but fail at logic.  And what 
is a computer but a big old micro-ized bucket of logic circuits.  
Almost by definition, wizards should fail at it.  I would like to see 
Arthur try to send an email.  

Carol:
> Of course, he may very well help things along by
> magic, as Ron did in getting his Muggle driver's license.

Sarah:
I wondered about this too.  What I'm not sure about, is can you 
actually do magic *on* eckeltronics?  Can you use magic to manage 
your phone calls and email queue?  Or will that just break it?  You 
could use magic to make people think you did your work when you 
really didn't, but it seems like that would come out eventually.

Sarah





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