Here's a question: before he gets his wand, Harry (and Neville) can do unconcious magic. And wands work even when they're broken. So why can't wizards and witches do magic without a wand? Potions and charmed items will work without them... hmmm
I wonder if their training is so focused on using the wand as a focus/magnifier of power that they become so dependent on it that their non-wand-using magical skills atrophy.
I was quite wondering this myself, in point of fact. I'm re-reading the series, yet again, and in Book One Snape goes on about 'foolish-wand waving' and yet still relies on his to clean up the children's messes. You've got children getting dropped on their heads, regrowing their hair overnight, and all sorts of things with nary a wand in sight. Is a wand simply a channel for power that's already present?
Also, while on the subject of children getting *marked* by their power, has anybody come up with a plausible explaination as to why no Muggles have happened to fall through the barrier at 9 3/4 yet? I mean surely not everybody is that blind?
Are wizarding children genetically different and as such the barrier 'scans' them? Is magic genetic? If so then how do the children of Muggles become magical?
Oh dear, sorry to spam your journal, just terribly curious at this point.
Re: wands
I wonder if their training is so focused on using the wand as a focus/magnifier of power that they become so dependent on it that their non-wand-using magical skills atrophy.
I was quite wondering this myself, in point of fact. I'm re-reading the series, yet again, and in Book One Snape goes on about 'foolish-wand waving' and yet still relies on his to clean up the children's messes. You've got children getting dropped on their heads, regrowing their hair overnight, and all sorts of things with nary a wand in sight. Is a wand simply a channel for power that's already present?
Also, while on the subject of children getting *marked* by their power, has anybody come up with a plausible explaination as to why no Muggles have happened to fall through the barrier at 9 3/4 yet? I mean surely not everybody is that blind?
Are wizarding children genetically different and as such the barrier 'scans' them? Is magic genetic? If so then how do the children of Muggles become magical?
Oh dear, sorry to spam your journal, just terribly curious at this point.