[HPforGrownups] Magical objects vs Magic WAS Dumbledore and other leaders

[AnitaKH]

No: HPFGUIDX 181908



                               
 Lee asked:
 > Hagrid riding a flying motorcycle. That's not magical activity?
 Mooody's packing a six-er of polyjuice. That's not magical activity?  

...Thestrals and flying broomsticks aren't magical activity? 
 
 
 Carol answered:

 I don't think those two [Hagrid and Polyjuice] count. Neither do the brooms or the Thestrals.  The charms on the motorcycle (and the brooms) were performed long  before, and carrying and drinking a potion of any kind probably isn't detectable. It's only spells that can be detected, as I understand it.
 
As for Thestrals and broomsticks, no, I don't think that's detectable magical activity, unlike Apparation, which requires a wand.
 
Lee added: 
 > Or does Moody really just mean wand use? But that doesn't work
 either, because they detected Dobby's wandless magic.
 
 Carol responded:
 More like charms and other spells, which require wands for Wizards but
 can be performed wandlessly by a House-Elf. It's still a hover charm,
 regardless of whether a House-Elf or a Wizard performed it.


akh jumps in:
I think COS supports Carol's position that it's the spell that's detectable, not the object or creature.  The very fact that Harry was accused of performing magic outside of Hogwarts implies that the MOM had no idea Dobby was in the house.  Dobby's PRESENCE didn't set off any alarms, just his use of magic. We also have no  evidence that the flying Ford Anglia was detected until it was seen later by Muggles in London.  If it were detectable at 4 Privet Drive, it most certainly would have been when Fred, George and Ron came to rescue Harry. 

Likewise, the presence of a magical creature would have been detected when the Dementors appeared in Little Whinging in OOP, if magical presence were enough to set off the alarms.  Fudge may have been in on Umbridge's nefarious plot (although I doubt it), but we know there were honest judges at the trial, too.   JKR may have some inconsistencies in the DH  scene, but I don't think this particular instance is one of them.

akh,  who hopes she attributed the right incidents to the proper books, since she's writing this from work (and of course I always hope I make sense!)







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