Magic in Harry Potter
This article describes magic in the fictional Harry Potter universe.
The Nature of Magic
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 some what unusual in those of Muggles. Exceptions do exist: those unable to do magic who are born to wizarding parents are known as Squibs, whereas witches and wizards born to Muggle parents are known as Muggle-borns. Muggle-borns are far more common than Squibs, but this may be a function of the disparate sizes of the Muggle and Wizarding populations.
For a person's ability to perform magic to be useful, a good deal of training is required. Without this training the ability will however still manifest itself when used subconsciously in moments of strong apprehension, fear or anger. For example, Harry Potter once made his hair grow back after a bad haircut, and made the glass front of a boa constrictor's cage disappear.
Almost all magic is done with the use of a supporting tool or focus, typically a wand. Some indications exist in the series that a wizard's powers are more powerful or focused when using a wand specifically compatible with their own temperament, although it appears any wand or focus will do in a pinch. Most actual spell-casting is done by using short incantations (most often in what sounds like a modified form of Latin; see Dog Latin) accompanied by gestures. Accomplished wizards and witches sometimes perform magic, especially simple magic, without need for an incantation. This is called N.V.M (Non-Verbal Magic). Albus Dumbledore has been known to do good-sized feats of magic without speaking, such as conjuring comfortable furniture upon which to sit.
It should be noted that within the Harry Potter books the technical details of magic are, intentionally or not, entirely 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 a molecular force. More proof of this is that 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.This would certainly be proper scientific reasoning behind magic.
It should also be noted that magic is tied in with emotion. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Nymphadora Tonks loses her power as a Metamorphmagus and the form of her Patronus changes when she suffered a severe emotional loss. Also, Merope Gaunt seemed to lose her magical ability when her husband abandoned her.
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 (except as a zombie-like Inferius, devoid of humanity) , though much remains to be seen of the nature of death in the Potter series.
The wizards of the Ministry of Magic study death in depth in the room of the Department of Mysteries which contains the enigmatic veil through which Sirius Black fell in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (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). Furthermore, magical techniques have been used to prolong life: the Philosopher's Stone (or Sorcerer's Stone in the American books) 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 the only one to use multiple horcruxes.
The Wizarding World
- Main article: wizarding world
The wizarding world exists as a shadow society to the Muggle world and works as hard as it can to keep its existence a secret to 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 also considered a soft option. Most things of magical nature are hidden or otherwise obscured from Muggles; others (such as Dementors) simply cannot be detected by them.
The Muggle Prime Minister is first alerted to the existence 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 HP6 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 cannot be removed from the wall whatever happens.
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 such, and partly due to magic's tendency to cause interference with electrical equipment.
Magical abilities
The following is a list of special abilities that a wizard or witch in the Harry Potter universe may have.
Animagus
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, perhaps through a potion or transformation. Animagi must also register at a central authority; it is illegal to obtain this ability without registering, although most animagi described in the books are unregistered. Animagi are explicitly differentiated from werewolves in that Animagi can control their transformations whereas werewolves have no choice on the matter, and experience personality changes. An Animagus cannot choose what animal to become, but becomes that animal best suited to him or her.
For more details, as well as a listing of all known characters with this ability, consult the main article on Animagi.
Parseltongue
Parseltongue is the ability to speak in the language of, and to snakes. Those who possess this talent are known as Parselmouths. Parseltongue has a nasty reputation: with a significant exception being Harry Potter himself, it was a skill usually attributed to Dark Wizards.
The only parselmouths we know of are Harry Potter himself, Salazar Slytherin and his descendants, the Gaunts (Marvolo [Voldemort's grandfather], Morfin [Voldemort's uncle], Merope [Voldemort's mother], and Lord Voldemort) and Herpo the Foul.
Legilimency and Occlumency
- See also: Legilimency and Occlumency
A Legilimens is a witch or wizard who has the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind, allowing them (for example) to detect lies. On the other hand, people skilled at Occlumency are able to counteract the act of Legilimency, by shutting down feelings and memories that contradict the words spoken. Eye contact is often essential in Legilimency. Compare telepathy.
Lord Voldemort, Severus Snape, and Albus Dumbledore are skilled in Legilimency, while Albus Dumbledore is skilled in Occlumency as well. Severus Snape is also considerably skilled in Occlumency, having been forced to hide thoughts and feelings from Voldemort himself. Dumbledore obviously recognises Snape's skills in this area as he trusts him to teach Harry Potter this subject. While Snape's Occlumency skills seem inferior because of Harry's ability to see inside his mind temporarily, it should be noted that Harry is a talented young wizard, and that it was Snape's own spell that allowed Harry to do this because he used the Shield Charm on Snape.
Bellatrix Lestrange may have some skill in Occlumency since she allegedly taught Draco Malfoy to shield his thoughts from Snape.
Metamorphmagus
A Metamorphmagus is a witch or wizard who can change their appearance at will. It is superficially similar to an animagus, the only apparent differences being its flexibility of features that may be altered and its restriction to the human species. However, the ability to metamorphose is something people must be born with - it cannot be learned. Nymphadora Tonks is currently the only known metamorphmagus.
Apparition
A form of teleportation. A wizard can disappear (disapparate) from one location , and instantly reappear (apparate) in another. Both apparating and disapparating are typically accompanied by a distinctive cracking sound, possibly caused by the abrupt motion of air due to the sudden presence or absence of a body. When Harry apparates with the help of Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it is discovered that apparition comes with a very unpleasant squeezing sensation, as though being sent through a tight rubber tube.
This ability is learned in sixth year, but the training is difficult and there is a risk of being splinched — physically split between two different locations, requiring the assistance of the Ministry of Magic's Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. Splinching seems to be quite common during apparition lessons. Oddly enough if you do end up "splinching" yourself you are completly unharmed. It seems as though the body parts are connected some how. A wizard must reach the age of 17 and pass an examination in order to be licensed to apparate. It is also considered unreliable over long distances, and even experienced users of the technique may prefer other means of transport, such as broomsticks. No one, not even Albus Dumbledore, is able to apparate to/from any place at Hogwarts due to ancient spells (although both Dobby and Kreacher seemed to apparate inside Gryffindor's common room and on the hospital wing in the fifth book), and a wizard can "bind" other wizards in magic restraints making them unable to disapparate (Dumbledore does this to several Death Eaters in the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
The books may suggest that apparating also has something to do with the wizard or witch magically peeking at their desired new position before actually displacing themselves. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Fred and George Weasley apparate from one room to another to show off and end up sitting painfully on Ron's knee instead of the edge of his bed. They apologise by saying that it is harder in the dark.
Veela charm
An ability attributed to veelas and those of veela heritage, such as Fleur Delacour. Used to charm males.
Magic resistance
This is the ability to repel hexes and spells found in powerful creatures such as trolls and giants. Hagrid is also immune to certain spells due to his giant blood.