Underage magic?

[quigonginger]

Mecki:
> When Tom murdered his parents, he was supposed to have been 16 years 
> old, right?
> now, the ministry can detect underage magic, Harry has experienced 
> that numerous times, then why was Morfin accused of the murder? I 
> mean, I realise he confessed as soon as he was asked, but why did 
> they suspect a grown man?
> 
> Did I miss something?

Ginger:

Nope, you didn't miss anything that I know of, at least not anything 
in canon.

It seems that the MoM can detect magic.  Not necessarily underage 
magic.  Not even human magic (like Dobby's Pudding), just magic in 
general.  Maybe it's like an energy field or something.

They tell the kids that underage magic isn't allowed, but it kind of 
like telling teens that underage drinking isn't allowed.  If they get 
busted, well, then they're busted.  Otherwise they're breaking the 
law, but getting away with it.

In Harry's case, he's been told by Fudge that they moniter Privet 
Drive more than they normally would moniter somewhere else.  Who knows 
if there was an owl sent after Arthur was there in GoF, or the Order 
in OoP, or DD in HBP.  Maybe the adults made sure that they wouldn't 
be caught.  Arthur could have fixed it up with his friend at the Floo 
network, and Kingsley or Tonks could have fixed it with some of their 
order friends, and DD would have merely said, "I'm going to Harry's.  
Please don't send an owl."

On the occasions where there was an owl sent, either Dobby did it, or 
Harry did without adult consent (the Marge-enlarge and the Patronus).  
Since they were monitering him, and there is no record of magical folk 
in the 'hood, they sent owls.

Steve (bboy_mn) has had a number of great posts on TOL about this, and 
what he says makes sense to me.  The gist of it is that they can 
detect magic, but not who does it, so Fred and George can get away 
with it at the Burrow because the MoM doesn't know if it is they who 
are doing it or Molly or Arthur.  Muggleborns are at a disadvantage on 
this because they are "on the radar", so to speak, as living in non-
magical places.  If the MoM senses magic there, they are the ones to 
blame, as there are no wizards around, but in, say Hogsmead or Diagon 
Alley, there are so many people doing magic that the Mom can't tell 
who is whom.  

Kind of like a radar screen with magical blips.

That's Steve's story, and I'll stick with it.

Glad you're out of the hospital and feeling better.

Ginger, knowing she is making sense as she is not saying anything 
original.