donnaimmaculata (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
donnaimmaculata) wrote2004-07-10 02:42 am
donnaimmaculata) wrote2004-07-10 02:42 am
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So what is this restriction of underage wizardry all about?
Why, I was wondering randomly, why didn't the Ministry send Harry an expulsion letter while he was performing underage wizardry while duelling with Voldemort? And why didn't they arrive to destroy his wand? I have come to assume that while underage wizardry is forbidden, it is impossible for the Ministry to tell that children from wizarding families do magic. Fred and George use spells when researching for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and Ginny hexes her brothers with the Bat-Bogey hex. Plus, the Ministry couldn't tell it was Dobby and not Harry who enchanted the pudding in CoS. The logical explanation is, the Ministry can only tell magic has been performed, but not by whom, and they have no control over underage wizards and witched doing magic within a magical environment.
But the graveyard in GoF is ordinary Muggle territory. And Harry is definitely underage there. So why?
Obviously, for plot reasons. But I quite like the idea of Ministry owls arriving with letters that tell Harry he's expelled. And enraged Ministry officials arriving a few minutes later to give poor Harry a hard time and obliviate possible Muggle witnesses.
That reminds me, I was also randomly wondering about how mixed marriages can ever take place, since the wizards' approach to Muggles seems to be to modify the memory of those who have been in contact with the magical world. Unless they're the relatives of wizards/witches.
But what would happen if a Muggle woman met a wizard under strange circumstances? If that woman, let's say Mary Lou, had crossed the path of some rampaging Death Eaters and some members of the Order, let's say Remus and Severus, happened to rescue her? What would they tell her?
Mary Lou (comes round): Where am I?
Remus: Don't be afraid. You're safe.
Mary Lou: Who are you? And where are those masked people?
Remus: We brought you away. They can't reach you here.
Mary Lou: Where is here?
Remus: Ah, that's a bit tricky. It's a safe house. We've, um, Portkeyed you here.
Mary Lou: You what me here? Let me go!
Remus: That's not possible at the moment. You wouldn't be safe out there.
Snape (appears from the shadows): Oh for heaven's sake, Lupin, just Obliviate her already and let's get on with it!
Remus: Severus, she's got to understand.
Snape: Understand what? She's a Muggle, Lupin.
Remus: My father was a Muggle.
Snape: *snorts*
Mary Lou: Excuse me, I'm a what?
Remus: A Muggle. That's what we call an, um, non-magical person.
Mary Lou: A wha- Wait a moment! That's a TV show, right? Where's the camera?
Snape: A what?
Remus: A television show.
Snape: Tele-vision? What, is this a form of Muggle spectacles?
Remus: Can be a spectacle, yes.
Mary Lou: If this is MTV Scare Tactics, let me tell you one thing: It is the most repulsive concept-
Remus: No, you're not on television. We're wizards.
Snape: *rolls eyes*
Mary Lou: I better not be! Because believe me, MTV ot not, I will sue your sorry asses...
Remus: We're wizards.
Mary Lou: ...I will not allow you to broadcast this- What do you mean, wizards?
Remus: Wizards. We do magic.
Snape: *snorts*
Mary Lou: *stares*
Remus: Here, I'll show you my wand...
Mary Lou: Don't you get anywhere near me!
Remus: But it's true. We can do magic. Severus, do tell her.
Snape: What do you expect? Shall I conjure up a rabbit or what?
Mary Lou: Can you?
Snape: *glares*
Snape: Oh, very well! *conjures up a top hat and pulls out a rabbit by its ears*
Mary Lou: How did you do that...?
Remus: I told you. We're wizards.
Mary Lou: That was a really good trick. Can I book you for my nephew's birthday?
Snape: *gapes*
Remus: No, no, no! We really are wizards. Look, I've got a broom! And we wear pointy hats! Severus, can you put on your pointy hat?
Snape: My pointy... what?!
Remus: *gives him the Look*
Snape: Oh, very well! *puts on pointy hat* That better?
Mary Lou: *edges away slowly*
Remus: See?
Mary Lou: Of course. You are wizards. Very good wizards, too, I'm sure. So now, dear wizards, can you, uh, magic me back home? With your magic wands?
Snape and Remus: *exchange exasperated looks*
Snape and Remus: Obliviate!
Remus: Why does this always happen?
Snape: Let's just dump her somewhere in a Muggle street.
Snape: Promise me one thing, Lupin: No more Muggles.
Remus: Oh, all right.
Snape: So what now?
Remus: How about you bringing Sirius back from the dead?
Snape: What, bring Black back?!
Remus: And then we could have sex with him.
Snape: *considers* Will I have to wear the pointy hat?
Remus: You won't have to wear anything, Severus.
But the graveyard in GoF is ordinary Muggle territory. And Harry is definitely underage there. So why?
Obviously, for plot reasons. But I quite like the idea of Ministry owls arriving with letters that tell Harry he's expelled. And enraged Ministry officials arriving a few minutes later to give poor Harry a hard time and obliviate possible Muggle witnesses.
That reminds me, I was also randomly wondering about how mixed marriages can ever take place, since the wizards' approach to Muggles seems to be to modify the memory of those who have been in contact with the magical world. Unless they're the relatives of wizards/witches.
But what would happen if a Muggle woman met a wizard under strange circumstances? If that woman, let's say Mary Lou, had crossed the path of some rampaging Death Eaters and some members of the Order, let's say Remus and Severus, happened to rescue her? What would they tell her?
Mary Lou (comes round): Where am I?
Remus: Don't be afraid. You're safe.
Mary Lou: Who are you? And where are those masked people?
Remus: We brought you away. They can't reach you here.
Mary Lou: Where is here?
Remus: Ah, that's a bit tricky. It's a safe house. We've, um, Portkeyed you here.
Mary Lou: You what me here? Let me go!
Remus: That's not possible at the moment. You wouldn't be safe out there.
Snape (appears from the shadows): Oh for heaven's sake, Lupin, just Obliviate her already and let's get on with it!
Remus: Severus, she's got to understand.
Snape: Understand what? She's a Muggle, Lupin.
Remus: My father was a Muggle.
Snape: *snorts*
Mary Lou: Excuse me, I'm a what?
Remus: A Muggle. That's what we call an, um, non-magical person.
Mary Lou: A wha- Wait a moment! That's a TV show, right? Where's the camera?
Snape: A what?
Remus: A television show.
Snape: Tele-vision? What, is this a form of Muggle spectacles?
Remus: Can be a spectacle, yes.
Mary Lou: If this is MTV Scare Tactics, let me tell you one thing: It is the most repulsive concept-
Remus: No, you're not on television. We're wizards.
Snape: *rolls eyes*
Mary Lou: I better not be! Because believe me, MTV ot not, I will sue your sorry asses...
Remus: We're wizards.
Mary Lou: ...I will not allow you to broadcast this- What do you mean, wizards?
Remus: Wizards. We do magic.
Snape: *snorts*
Mary Lou: *stares*
Remus: Here, I'll show you my wand...
Mary Lou: Don't you get anywhere near me!
Remus: But it's true. We can do magic. Severus, do tell her.
Snape: What do you expect? Shall I conjure up a rabbit or what?
Mary Lou: Can you?
Snape: *glares*
Snape: Oh, very well! *conjures up a top hat and pulls out a rabbit by its ears*
Mary Lou: How did you do that...?
Remus: I told you. We're wizards.
Mary Lou: That was a really good trick. Can I book you for my nephew's birthday?
Snape: *gapes*
Remus: No, no, no! We really are wizards. Look, I've got a broom! And we wear pointy hats! Severus, can you put on your pointy hat?
Snape: My pointy... what?!
Remus: *gives him the Look*
Snape: Oh, very well! *puts on pointy hat* That better?
Mary Lou: *edges away slowly*
Remus: See?
Mary Lou: Of course. You are wizards. Very good wizards, too, I'm sure. So now, dear wizards, can you, uh, magic me back home? With your magic wands?
Snape and Remus: *exchange exasperated looks*
Snape and Remus: Obliviate!
Remus: Why does this always happen?
Snape: Let's just dump her somewhere in a Muggle street.
Snape: Promise me one thing, Lupin: No more Muggles.
Remus: Oh, all right.
Snape: So what now?
Remus: How about you bringing Sirius back from the dead?
Snape: What, bring Black back?!
Remus: And then we could have sex with him.
Snape: *considers* Will I have to wear the pointy hat?
Remus: You won't have to wear anything, Severus.
no subject
Snape: *gapes*
GapingSnape...too funny. And could you imagine Snape making balloon animals? Hehe
On a similar note to this, I've always wondered what the registration process was for Hogwarts (or the other wizarding schools, for that matter). Obviously, there's some listing where children with magic abilities are made known to the school's administrators. And obviously the child is sent a letter inviting them to school. But what happens after that? Is there paperwork? Funding? I can't imagine school would be free - but is it all done through donations? And do the children or their parent's have to register? If so, then this could be part of the basis for the Ministry's ability to track underaged wizards...sort of like signing an agreement when you go to school that you will abide by the laws, etc. etc. (similar to a terms of service agreement).
There also might be provisions for whether or not magic is supervised. Like you said, the Weasley's use magic during breaks. Why aren't they charged - unless the ministry knows that their parents have agreed to be responsible for them, and that they've been in an all wizard setting.
Anyways, just a few thoughts (I'll probably pop up randomly for a while as I go and read some of your older posts...nothing to worry about, I promise)
no subject