Magic (Harry Potter)
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In the Harry Potter books, magic is depicted as a natural force, one that can be used to override the usual laws of nature while still being approached entirely scientifically. Many magical creatures exist in the series, as do ordinary creatures which exhibit some magical properties (such as owls, which are used to deliver mail). Objects, too, can be enhanced or imbued with magical power. Humans with the ability to perform magic are referred to as witches and wizards, in contrast to the non-magical Muggles.
In humans, magic or the lack thereof is an inborn attribute. It appears to be semi-inherited, as magic is the norm in the children of magical couples and rare in those of Muggles. Exceptions do exist: those unable to do magic who are born to magical parents are known as Squibs, whereas a witch or wizard born to Muggle parents are known as a Muggle-born, or the pejorative "Mudblood". The latter form are far more common than the rare Squibs, but this may be a feature of the disparate sizes of the Muggle and wizarding populations.
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[edit] Using magic
For a person's ability to perform magic to be useful, a good deal of training is required. When 'wild,' typically with young and untrained children, it will still manifest itself subconsciously in moments of strong apprehension, fear or anger. [1] For example, Harry Potter once made his hair grow back after a bad haircut, and, in anger, made his Aunt Marge inflate enormously.
Whilst this reaction is almost always uncontrollable, Tom Marvolo Riddle was able to "make things move without touching them, ... Make animals do what he wanted without training them, ... make bad things happen to people who annoy him, ... [or make] them hurt if I want to (Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince page 271 (hardback copy)) - apparently intentionally.
Almost all magic is done with the use of a supporting tool or focus, typically a wand. On the subject of magic without the use of a wand, Rowling says:[2]
| You can do unfocused and uncontrolled magic without a wand (for instance when Harry blows up Aunt Marge) but to do really good spells, yes, you need a wand. |
Some indications exist that a wizard's powers are more powerful or focused when using their own wand, specifically the wand that "chose" them, although any one seems to do in a pinch.
Within the books, technical details of magic are obscure. Of Harry's lessons only those involving magical creatures, potions or divination are given in any detail, and none of the clearly magical lessons are shown with any structure. In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them a creature called a Chizpurfle is said to consume both magic and electricity, which may imply that magic is an electromagnetic force. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hermione Granger tells Harry and Ron that electricity does not work near Hogwarts as there is too much magic in the air, which would tend to support this idea.
[edit] The limits of magic
Regardless of how powerful a witch or wizard is, they are by no means without limits. For instance, while it is possible to conjure things out of thin air, it is far more tricky to create something that fits an exact specification rather than a general one; moreover, any objects so conjured tend not to last.
It is also impossible to resurrect the dead (their bodies are another matter – see Inferius) though much remains to be seen of the nature of death in the Harry Potter series (see text below)...
[edit] Magic, morality and emotion
Magic exists in a sharply defined moral universe, and magical ability is strongly tied to emotion: spells appear to be good or evil by nature, and the emotions and intentions of the caster affect spellcasting. For instance, according to Bellatrix Lestrange, only one who takes pleasure in the suffering of others can produce an effective Cruciatus Curse; righteous wrath will work, but only to a point. Although it is unknown if this is completely correct as a wizard such as Albus Dumbledore is said to have the powers to do such magic but is too "noble" to use them.
A witch or wizard's emotional state can affect their latent abilities. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Nymphadora Tonks temporarily lost her power as a Metamorphmagus after suffering severe emotional turmoil when Remus Lupin did not return her affections and the form of her Patronus changed to reflect her love for him. As related to Harry by Dumbledore, Merope Gaunt only demonstrated any magical ability when removed from her father's oppression, but then seemed to lose it again when her husband abandoned her. Many other examples of emotion-influenced magic appear throughout the series (Ron producing snow during an argument with Hermione being a classic example).
[edit] Magic and death
Like love, death is studied in detail in a room of the Department of Mysteries containing an enigmatic veil (this suggests some sort of portal between the worlds of the dead and the living, but the exact significance of the veil is still unclear). Sirius Black fell through this veil in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Magical techniques have been used to prolong life: the Philosopher's Stone can be used to prepare a potion that postpones death indefinitely, and Lord Voldemort is one of the few wizards to ever use Horcruxes in his long sought attempt to "conquer death", and is believed to be the only one to use multiple Horcruxes.
It should be noted that being magical can contribute to one's longevity, as there are many characters in the series who are quite long-lived.
It is revealed by Nearly Headless Nick in Book 5 that wizards have the option of becoming a ghost when they die. The alternative is not known. All Hogwarts headmasters apparently become a form of ghost in a portrait when they die.
[edit] Magic and love
Arguably the most powerful form of magic is also the most mysterious and elusive: love. Lord Voldemort, having never experienced love himself, underestimates its influence—to his detriment. It was through love that Lily Potter was able to save her son Harry from death by sacrificing her life so that he might live. The exact nature of how "love-magic" works is unknown; it is studied in-depth at the Department of Mysteries.
[edit] Spellcasting
- See the list of spells for those witnessed in books, the list of non-canonical spells for those outside them.
Spells are the every-purpose tools of a wizard or witch, short bursts of magic used to accomplish single specialised tasks such as opening locks or creating fire. Typically casting requires an incantation, most often in a modified form of Latin (see Dog Latin), and gesturing with a wand. However, these seem to be aids to the will only; wands are in most cases required, but there are indications that sufficiently advanced witches and wizards can perform spells without them. Spells can also be cast non-verbally, but with a wand. This technique is taught in the sixth year of study at Hogwarts and requires the caster to concentrate on the incantation. Some spells (e.g. Levicorpus) are apparently designed to be used non-verbally. While most magic shown in the books requires the caster to use his voice, some do not (and this may depend on the witch or wizard). Albus Dumbledore has been known to do good-sized feats of magic without speaking, such as conjuring enough squashy purple sleeping bags to accommodate the entire Gryffindor house[HP3].
It is evidently also possible to use your wand without holding it. Harry himself performs Lumos to light his wand when it is lying on the ground somewhere near him[HP5]. Additionally, Animagi and Metamorphmagi do not need wands to undergo their transformations.
Spells are divided into rough categories, such as "charms", "curses", "hexes", or "jinxes". Although offensive and potentially dangerous ones exist in number, three are considered to be usable only for great evil, which earns them the special classification of "Unforgivable Curses". The use of these spells on another human being earns a "one-way ticket to Azkaban".
[edit] The Wizarding World
- Main article: wizarding world
The wizarding society exists as a shadow society to the Muggle world and works as hard as it can to keep its existence a secret, save for all but a few Muggles, such as those who are related to witches and wizards, or important Muggles such as the Prime Minister. To most magical people the Muggle world is unknown, and their attempts to disguise themselves as Muggles often have mostly humorous results. Muggle Studies at Hogwarts is considered a soft option. Most things of magical nature are hidden or otherwise obscured from Muggles; others (such as Dementors) simply cannot be seen by them, but Muggles do feel the effects of them. There is also an office in the Ministry of Magic, for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, that deals with people charming objects typically found in a Muggle society, such as the Ford Anglia which Mr. Weasley charmed, or Caractacus Burke's rope that killed eleven people.
The Muggle Prime Minister is first alerted to the existence of the magical 'underworld' on the evening after his election, when the Minister for Magic uses the Floo network to appear in his (or her) fireplace. Thereafter, he is only visited by what the Prime Minister in book 6 called the Other Minister in the event of danger to Muggles, such as the occasion when Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. On occasions like this, the Prime Minister is given advance notice of the visit by a portrait of an ugly wizard, who tells him. The portrait can never be removed from the wall, at least not by Muggle means.
The terms "wizard" and "witch" are used in magical society more or less the same way the terms "man" and "woman" are used in the Muggle world. The technological development of the wizarding world is far behind that of the Muggle one. This is partly due to the fact that magic greatly lessens the need for it, and partly due to magic's tendency to cause interference with electrical equipment.
[edit] Magical abilities
The following is a list of special abilities that a wizard or witch in the Harry Potter universe may have.
[edit] Animagi transformation
- Main article: Animagi
An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can turn into a particular animal at will. This ability is not innate: it must be acquired by magical means. All Animagi must register at a central authority; it is illegal to obtain this ability without registering, although most animagi described in the books are unregistered.
Each animagus has a specific animal form, and cannot transform into any other animal. The animal cannot be chosen: it is uniquely suited to that individual's personality.
Animagi are explicitly differentiated from werewolves, in that Animagi have full control over their transformations and retain all mental faculty, whereas werewolves' transformations are involuntary and include severe changes in personality. (It is debatable whether or not transformed werewolves possess sentience.)
[edit] Metamorphmagi transformation
- Main article: Metamorphmagus
A Metamorphmagus is a witch or wizard born with the innate ability to change some or all of their appearance at will. The talent cannot be acquired, nor is it inherited: It is apparently the result of a genetic mutation or some other non-hereditary anomaly, and is possessed from birth.
Metamorphmagi differ from Animagi in three ways:
- They have more control over partial transformations, being able to change any portion of their appearance independently, and to the extent desired. Animagi are limited to full transformation, appearing either fully human or fully transformed.
- They are limited to human forms, whereas Animagi are restricted to animal forms.
- They can take any human form they desire; Animagi are limited to a single animal.
Nymphadora Tonks is currently the only known Metamorphmagus. She has been known to change her hair colour and style in accordance with her mood. Horace Slughorn may be a Metamorphmagus too; when Dumbledore and Harry find him at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, he has turned himself into a chair. However, this may be some form of Transfiguration.
[edit] Speaking Parseltongue
Parseltongue is the language of snakes. It is almost exclusively associated with Dark magic, and those possessing the ability to speak it ("parselmouths") are very rare. It appears to be a skill acquired not through learning, but through genetic inheritance or application of certain Dark magic. Harry Potter himself is a Parselmouth, despite the fact that he is not a Dark wizard, and it is speculated at various points in the series that his acquisition of this skill was one of the many by-products of Lord Voldemort's attempt on his life when he was a child.
Other known parselmouths include: Salazar Slytherin and his descendants, including the Gaunts (Marvolo, Morfin, Merope), Lord Voldemort, and Herpo the Foul. Albus Dumbledore seems to be able to understand Parseltongue in one instance in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when he repeats Morfin Gaunt's words "the big house over the way", which were spoken in Parseltongue. This means that either he himself is a Parselmouth or that he had previously viewed that memory with a Parselmouth who translated the conversation for him. It is unlikely to have been Morfin who did so: Dumbledore claims that, "apparently, ["He'll kill me for losing his ring"] was all he ever said again."
Ginny Weasley is not a parselmouth, despite the fact that at points in Chamber of Secrets she appeared to speak in parseltongue: she was at the time being possessed by the spirit of Tom Riddle, who was himself a parselmouth.
[edit] Legilimency and Occlumency
- See also: Legilimency and Occlumency
Legilimency is the offensive magical skill of extracting feelings and memories from another person's mind — a limited form of magical "mind-reading". It also allows one to convey visions or memories to another person, whether real or imaginary. A witch or wizard possessing this skill is called a legilimens, and can, for example, detect lies and deceit in another person, witness memories in another person's past, or "plant" false visions in another's mind. See more at Legilimency.
The corresponding defensive skill to legilimency is Occlumency, by which one can prevent a legilimens from discovering thoughts or memories which contradict one's spoken words or actions, or defend against intrusive visions. See more at Occlumency.
Lord Voldemort, Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore are all known to be quite skilled in both Legilimency and Occlumency.
The skills are first mentioned in Order of the Phoenix, wherein Snape is instructed by Dumbledore to give Harry lessons in Occlumency. Whether as a result of negligence in Snape's instruction, or poor receptivity on Harry's part, Harry never quite mastered the skill, and as a result he was lured by Voldemort through a carefully calculated vision he falsely believed to be real.
Bellatrix Lestrange, Draco Malfoy, Barty Crouch Jr and Horace Slughorn may also have some skill in Occlumency, since Bellatrix was said to have taught Draco to shield his thoughts from Snape[HP6], while Dumbledore could not use his Legilimency skills to extract a memory from Slughorn[HP6].
[edit] Apparition and Disapparition
Apparition is a magical form of teleportation, by which a witch or wizard can disappear ("disapparate") from one location and instantly reappear ("apparate") in another. It is accompanied by a distinctive cracking or popping sound, possibly caused by the abrupt movement of air as a result of the nearly instantaneous displacement of the body. The act is also accompanied by a very unpleasant squeezing sensation, as though being sent through a tight rubber tube, according to Harry.[HP6]
Apparition is an activity licensed by the Ministry of Magic when a witch or wizard reaches seventeen years of age, similarly to the way Muggle governments license individuals for their ability to drive a motor vehicle. Students attend Ministry lessons in Apparition during their sixth year, after the completion of which they have the opportunity to take their licensing examination, on or after their seventeenth birthday.
The training is difficult, and students run the risk of splinching — being physically split between the origin and destination — which during lessons requires the assistance of the Ministry's Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to undo. Splinching is quite common during lessons, and can be uncomfortable depending on the body parts splinched, but is ultimately harmless if properly reversed.
Apparition is considered unreliable over long distances, and even experienced users of the technique sometimes prefer other means of transport, such as broomsticks.
For reasons of security, the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are protected by ancient anti-Apparition and anti-Disapparation spells, which prevents anyone from Apparating or Disapparating in the school grounds. This spell does not appear to extend to house-elves, however, as both Dobby and Kreacher are able to Apparate around the school unhindered; nor does it appear to extend to Albus Dumbledore's phoenix Fawkes, as Dumbledore at one point escapes the Minister for Magic by grabbing Fawkes's tail and disappearing.[HP5]
As one might expect, it is considered quite rude to Apparate into a private area such as a residence. For this reason, as well as for reasons of security, many private residences also have anti-apparition spells protecting them from uninvited intrusions. Therefore the most reliable (and most polite) way to travel to most locations is to apparate somewhere public nearby and proceed to the final destination on foot.
It is also possible to prevent individuals from Apparating, presumably through magic similar to that used to protect large areas, but on a smaller scale. In Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore restrained a group of Death Eaters using an anti-Apparition ring, which held them until Ministry officials could take them into custody.
The books also suggest that Apparation is more difficult under circumstances where visibility in the destination is low. In Order of the Phoenix, Fred and George Weasley, fresh from their Apparition exams, Apparate from room to room in Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. At one point they Apparate into the darkened room where Ron and Harry are sleeping, accidentally sitting painfully on Ron's knee rather than on the edge of his bed. They apologise by claiming that Apparition is harder in the dark.
In the books, the words "Apparate" and "Disapparate", like many other neologisms used by Rowling, are capitalised, whereas established English words such as "jinx" and "hex" are not.
[edit] Veela charm
An ability attributed to veelas and those of veela heritage, such as Fleur Delacour. It is used to charm males, much like the Sirens in The Odyssey.
[edit] Magic resistance
This is the ability to repel hexes and spells found in powerful creatures such as trolls, dragons, and giants. Hagrid is also immune to certain spells, like the Stunning spell, due to his giant blood.
[edit] Spell-like effects
[edit] Unbreakable Vow
Main article: Unbreakable Vow
The Unbreakable Vow is a voluntary agreement made between two wizards or witches. It must be performed with a witness ("Bonder") on hand, holding their wand on the agreeing persons' linked hands to bind them with a tongue of flame. The Vow is not literally "unbreakable" as the person taking it is still able to go back on their word, but doing so will cause instant death. The Unbreakable Vow was first introduced in Half-Blood Prince, in which Severus Snape made a promise to Narcissa Malfoy to protect her son, Draco Malfoy. Another example in Half-Blood Prince is when Ron tells about how Fred and George tried to make him do an Unbreakable Vow, but they did not succeed.
[edit] Priori Incantatem
Priori Incantatem, or the Reverse Spell Effect, is caused by forcing two wands that share the source of their cores to compete. The tips of the two wands will connect with a thick golden thread, and the two wands' masters fight a battle of wills. The loser's wand will regurgitate shadows of spells that it has cast in reverse order. These shadows generally appear as thick smoky replicas.
This should not be confused with Prior Incantato, a spell that forces a wand to recall the last spell it has cast with a similar smoky effect.
The Priori Incantatem effect has only been encountered once, during the duel between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort at the end of Goblet of Fire. Their simultaneous spells triggered the threads, and as Voldemort lost the battle of wills his wand regurgitated, in reverse order, recall-shades of the spells he had cast with it- screams of pain from torturing Harry, a shadowy form of the silver hand he had just created for Wormtail, and echoes of the people his wand had murdered: Cedric Diggory; Frank Bryce; Bertha Jorkins; and James and Lily Potter. Albus Dumbledore later revealed to Harry that his and Lord Voldemort's wands both shared a tail feather given by Dumbledore's pet Phoenix, Fawkes. Harry was previously informed by Mr. Ollivander that the wand that "chose" Harry was the "brother" of the one that gave him the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, although the significance of this was not discussed at that time.
