How does Harry Potter's world work?

[dualedge]

I love the books but as usual with my lack of ability to read while moving, I had to go the audiobook route which is not bad in the least, particularly if you get a good narrator. Let me just say the guy that does the Harry Potter books is one of the best in my opinion...

ANYWAY, all that said, I like the books for the storytelling and characters. The way magic functions in the world is never really explained. It just sort of works and you use really goofy sounding words to make it work like "stupefy," "expecto patronum," "confundo," or "descendo."

But I guess that's kind of the charm of it... it's like a fairy tale but the characters really do have some depth and it's not really about how the magic works but rather the story itself.

But, one of the things I like about a series of books like Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Time, the "magic" they use in that seems much better thought out and logical... well, to *ME* it does anyway even if it doesn't to anyone else. It's not so much the tinkerbell-speaking-latin type of thing (which I'm not knocking, it's just the way I see the Harry Potter concept of magic.)

 

[PHArchivist]

Now, I've only watched the movies myself. Which might explain that I don't have all the backround details as I probably should. Though, I read a lot on-line and frankly; I don't like books. The feel, the look... ugh. Anyway, I'm just asking and I'm in no way trying to poke holes into the story. I just want to know more!

Quidditch - Is this a dumb sport? The way I see it, is if a seek finds the golden snitch, it's all over. One small ball. So really... the other scores don't mean a damn thing. That's like if foot ball had 2 balls. One was really hard to find. Two teams going at it, scoring points, while you had two large guys from the teams looking in the dirt for a small ball. It just doesn't make sense.

Why take a Train - In the beginning of every movie, they always take a train to Hogwarts. ...Am I missing something? Just teleport there. Seriously. At Ron's house, they had a powder and they would walk into a fireplace and say where they wanted to go and poof, they were there. Why is Hogwarts any different?

Fighting - It seems "noble" to fight in the wizard world. Like each person gets a turn at it. What stops a Wizard from throwing a whole bunch of spells at another in order to overwhelm them? I've never seen it happen. It's more or less like two pirates fighting and one swings and then waits for the other to make his/her move.

Spells/potions - It seems so random. There is no spell to grow bones, but there are spells to make them vanish. You can't fix a car with a repair spell, but yet you can fix glasses. You can levitate some things, but you can't levitate others. You can cast a spell to make another person throw up snails, but there is no counter spell or potion to fix it. There is no spell to look like someone else, but there is a potion for it (Not a very good one, might I add. It only lasted for like 15 minutes).

I'm sure there is more, but I can't think of them at the moment. Is there any explaination for these things that aren't in the movie?

:lol

Good stuff! My family (myself included) really enjoys the movies, but this is rich! Great questions!

 

[PHArchivist]

Quidditch- There is one seeker on each team trying to catch the snitch...If one of them does catch it...that team wins....If neither catches it then it goes by the other score. The snitch is very hard to catch.

The train- Nobody but Dumbledore can aparate (teleport) in and out of Hogwarts. There are other places that are protected by spells (like Hogwarts) from letting anyone aparate in and out. You physically have to enter and some spells don't even allow that. The train is sort of a magical gateway to that world. Students dont learn to aparate until 6th year because it's very dangerous...you'll see Ron get hurt in the next movie because he screws up.

Fighting- Only one spell or curse can be used at one time...Thats why it's called dueling. If they cast them at the same time they will come together in the middle and it will depend on the wizards power from there. Did you even watch goblet of fire??

Spells/potions- Yes there is a potion to grow bones called bonegrow. Turning bones into mush is different then growing them. The spell altered what was already there... Just like not being able to produce food with magic...can't do it. Curses are different than regular spells. A curse is usually something you can't reverse because it is intended to harm. And polyjuice potion lasts for an hour I think. A lot of spells and potions are created by individual witches and wizards over the years. Some spells can be undone some stronger ones cant..Some potions or curses are similar to poisons or venom in our world. Some poisons we ingest or are exposed to we can't be cured from and some things we can.

It's all magical man!! We'll never understand all the intricacies :lol

Insightful. My wife and son have read the books, but I haven't. Good info...

 

[loosetoon]

In Goblet of Fire, the Quidditch world cup game ended when Krum caught the snitch, but his team still lost because the were so far behind in goals. That was Fred and George's wager, that Ireland would win, but Krum get's the snitch.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Skelegrow?

Viagra?

 

[PhoenixVader]

I read a lot on-line and frankly; I don't like books. The feel, the look... ugh.

Now that is just sad, very sad. IMHO, somewhere in you upbringing something was lost.

You have my pity.

thomas :rolleyes

 

[ihs]

...Nobody but Dumbledore can aparate (teleport) in and out of Hogwarts...

According to the books, even Dumledore can't. In the movie, he and Harry simply apparate from the Astronomy tower, and when asked how he can do so, Dumbledore says it's because there are certain advantages to being Headmaster. However, in the book they have to sneak out of the castle using Harry's Invisibility Cloak and then apparate out of Hogsmeade. When coming back from the cave they port back to Hogsmeade and use broomsticks to return to the school.

 

[TK-Fett]

Good one, I had forgotten that.

I have read all the books and love them. But I have also listened to several on audio tape as read by Jim Dale and they are awesome. I want the whole collection but dont want to drop the dough on it, I would suggest his versions to anyone who doesnt enjoy reading.

 

[fuelish]

But, one of the things I like about a series of books like Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Time, the "magic" they use in that seems much better thought out and logical... well, to *ME* it does anyway even if it doesn't to anyone else. It's not so much the tinkerbell-speaking-latin type of thing (which I'm not knocking, it's just the way I see the Harry Potter concept of magic.)

You might like the Dresden books. Magic is the manipulation of natural forces. For instance, you can excite air molecules enough to set something on fire or direct them in a wind to move something. The words (Dresden uses mock latin) are just a focusing tool and do not hold any power.

 

[CGClone]

Or you can eat chocolate frogs....just sayin...

 

[Gilmortar]

its just a movie/book.....FICTION....

 

[JoMamma_Smurf]

skelegrow?

doh!!!

 

[JoMamma_Smurf]

According to the books, even Dumledore can't. In the movie, he and Harry simply apparate from the Astronomy tower, and when asked how he can do so, Dumbledore says it's because there are certain advantages to being Headmaster. However, in the book they have to sneak out of the castle using Harry's Invisibility Cloak and then apparate out of Hogsmeade. When coming back from the cave they port back to Hogsmeade and use broomsticks to return to the school.

I didn't read half blood prince sadly...I do have the audio book so I'll have to give it a listen! I'm one of the few people who like the differences in the movies. I read Order of the Phoenix and I was so glad they changed the fight sequences in the end because the way it was in the book...I just couldn't take it seriously. I felt the movie version had much more impact.

 

[Goodwolf]

Although, I do remember them magically making food come out of thin air in one of the movies. I thought that was "Creating it".

I had to google it, but I thought I remembered there being something in the books about food not being able to be created from nothing.

It's called The Five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration

Hermione explains it as follows:

"It's impossible to make good food out of nothing! You can Summon it if you know where it is, you can transform it, you can increase the quantity if you've already got some --"

 

[ItsThatGuy]

So if you have a slice of bread, they are able to make multiples?

 

[ihs]

I didn't read half blood prince sadly...I do have the audio book so I'll have to give it a listen! I'm one of the few people who like the differences in the movies. I read Order of the Phoenix and I was so glad they changed the fight sequences in the end because the way it was in the book...I just couldn't take it seriously. I felt the movie version had much more impact.

I'm with you about some of the changes, the one we're discussing being the principal one. I mean come on, what's the point of being headmaster if you can't even apparate to and from the school?! I know if I was Dumbledore I would've wanted to get away from the kids and faculty once in a while, and wouldn't want to have to rely on Harry's cloak every time.

 

[ob1al]

Man, books are the best media...ever!

I love movies, but no film adaptation I have ever seen pulls you into "that world and situation" quite like a great book can.

Books have a special magic, all of their own.

 

[dualedge]

its just a movie/book.....FICTION....

Thanks for clarifying that fact for us, Gil. :lol

 

[Arwyniel]

There are still audio books. I prefer the ones read by Jim Dale. He's awesome.

I agree, they are fantastic!

 

[darthgordon]

It's all magical man!! We'll never understand all the intricacies :lol

It's just a movie/book.....FICTION....

:lol
You are talking to the same people that try to understand how the technology in Star Trek and Star Wars works. The people that wonder why holodeck technology hasn't been banned because it breaks down every time you enter the stupid thing. The people that notice and hate the fact that Anakin's saber in Episode III was different than it was in Episode IV.

I'll tell you exactly why Harry Potter's world works in scientific terms...


:confused



The answer is...


:confused



Midichlorians