Magic In The Details

Chapter 12

SPOILER ALERT: There are spoilers for the Harry Potter series ahead!

Welcome, readers. I’m guessing you’ve read the title and are curious about what this chapter, Magic In The Details, is about. Let me explain. I was feeling particularly nostalgic one day as I absent-mindedly flipped through Half-Blood Prince, and I decided that it would be lovely to write about the little things that make Harry Potter so memorable for me. So, join me today as I share some of the characters details, magic, and quirks that stuck out to me!

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My Favourites

1. Unbreakable Vows 
I’m not sure what it is about Unbreakable Vows, but I love and am confused by it all at once. On one hand, it’s so magical and serene, especially when we see one being formed between Narcissa and Snape in Half-Blood Prince. On the other hand, is it a promise that kills you if it isn’t kept? It makes me think about how ridiculous magic works in the wizarding world.

Stay with me here, because I might go on a little long (I just have many opinions). I’ve always thought that the three Unforgivables aren’t enough Unforgivables. There are so many spells that can cause just as much damage, if not more, than the Unforgivables, including causing the death of another person. If anything, Avada Kedavra is a much more humane and forgiving way of killing someone when compared to other Dark Spells, which may bring forth much more pain and suffering before eventual death.

Anyway, I’m getting a little off topic. My point is, Unbreakable Vows seem like they can be made a little too easily. I mean, we heard how Ron almost got tricked into one by Fred and George, and there is no way to reverse it. It might be mutual, but you might not know what you’re signing up for when you decide to make an Unbreakable Vow for life. Still, an eternal-pinky-promise-that-kills-you-if-broken still sounds quite wondrous to me.

2. The Weasley Clock
The Weasleys are a very fun family, and the entirety of their home is so warm and familial, to be honest. Their clock just stood out to me when I first read about it. Complete rubbish when you want to know the time, but it works wonders to find your kids. Kind of like a tracking app you can only use when you’re at home. It’s perfect.

Also, it appears more than you think. We can see Fred, George, and Ron come home during Harry’s first time at the burrow, and see them all in “mortal peril” on the clock during the Second Wizarding War. As Harry said, it’s quite useless for telling time, but otherwise informative.

3. Wizarding Photographs
I absolutely adore the way photographs look in the Wizarding World. It adds so much life to the Daily Prophet and, of course, one of my favourite pictures ever—Sirius Black’s mugshot. Plus, every time I see cameras in the movies I just love, love, love the visuals that are produced. Harry’s hazy and far-off stare in OotP, the Weasleys in Egypt—it’s just such a perfect addition. It’s truly a wizard's version of a live photo, and it couldn’t have been executed better.

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Character Details

1. Voldemort’s Name
So many of the names in Harry Potter are incredibly clever (honourable mentions to Sirius “Dog Star” and Regulus “Heart of the Lion” Black), but Voldemort really stood out to me. I love how Tom Marvolo Riddle is an anagram for “I am Lord Voldemort” (or maybe I just love anagrams). Not to mention, Voldemort translates to the flight of death in French, which is a spot-on representation of his character and being.

There are also many other parts about Voldemort’s character that I admire. There’s still much to get through, but I’d like to mention one more—his progression of becoming less and less human throughout the series. The way that the act of creating Horcruxes is so inhumane that you can literally see it in his physical appearance is such an impressive detail.

2. Frank and Alice Longbottom
Neville’s backstory is just so tragic, and I’m upset that not much thought was paid towards the stories of Frank and Alice Longbottom. If you need a refresher as to why Neville was only raised by his gran, it was because his parents (who were Aurors) were tortured to insanity by Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange.

I have so much empathy in my heart for his character, because Neville suffered much more than any young child should. To lose your parents at a young age is one thing, but to have physically healthy parents reduced to nothing but a life in St. Mungos, unable to recognise their own son's face, makes my heart crack a little. For such a brave, hard working person, Neville is greatly underappreciated.

3. Hagrid’s Umbrella Wand
Hagrid’s backstory isn’t thought of enough, which I think is just ridiculous. He was framed for murder and expelled from magic school by a man who went on to be one of the largest dictators of the wizarding world. That’s… insane. I would be fueled by anger if I were him, but Hagrid sadly has nothing but the most caring personality and a big heart. He was very obviously targeted due to being the only Half-Giant to attend Hogwarts at the time, and the Ministry was far too quick to throw him out. 

Anyways, I’m not sure everyone remembers Hagrid’s “magical” umbrella, so let me remind you of what it is, because I just love it. When wizards are expelled from school or forbidden from practicing magic, their wands are taken and snapped. When Hagrid was expelled, this happened to him. However, Dumbledore managed to salvage parts of it and place it in his umbrella handle, which we can see him use to cast minor spells. I’m so glad that magic wasn’t completely ripped away from him, because Hagrid is such a huge comfort character, and 100% deserved to become a great wizard-giant.

4. Harry and Voldemort Connections
Harry Potter himself, being the seventh Horcrux, was the plot twist of a lifetime for 11-year-old me. However,  I should’ve known it sooner because of all of the ways the two are connected. This isn’t one specific thing I like exactly, but more about the traits that Harry shared with Voldemort that made him a clear contender to be the seventh horcrux. He was a Parseltongue, not to mention the only other known Parseltongue besides Voldemort and Salazar Slytherin (in the books, at least). He was nearly sorted into Slytherin, and that was long before he started to grasp the stronger mental connection they had with each other. The anger issues, shared emotions, glimpses of memories through each other's eyes… It’s all quite scary if you think about it. And, of course, one of my favourite details: their wand cores coming from the same phoenix.

All of this does nothing but make me question how Harry lived after Voldemort’s end. How did he know who he was when his whole life, a part of him was someone else? His life must have changed drastically, and I, for one, wish we had gotten to see more of it.

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Spells & Magic

1. Howlers
I used to think Howlers were so incredibly hilarious that the only thing I ever wanted was to send one myself. They stood out to me as the most dramatic way of sending someone a message when it comes to magical communication, and come in perfectly handy for giving someone a quick shouting at when long distance. Embarrassing? Extremely. But let’s not forget how entertaining it would be to witness someone receiving one.

2. Muggle-Repelling Spells
Whoever said wizards weren’t clever? I think Muggle-repelling spells are incredibly clever, and here's why. First of all, they go way above an invisible barrier or just a simple “you can’t enter” rule. Instead, they make Muggles feel weirdly uncomfortable or give them a sudden urge to leave, like making them think they left their oven on. It’s not brute-force magic, but more of a subtle, psychological misdirection, which makes it much more believable and immersive.

Moreover, the hidden locations still have that aspect of realism, and are disguised under layers of enchantments (just like how Hogwarts looks like ruins to Muggles). The wizarding world creatively hides itself, distracting and misleading Muggles away, and I certainly admire these effective techniques.

3. Black Quill
Oh, OK. So, this one definitely isn’t a part of the good magic found in Harry Potter, but nonetheless, it kept my attention. If you haven’t got any clue what the Black Quill is, you may otherwise know it as the Blood Quill, specifically the one we see Umbridge possess in OotP. To be completely honest, the thought of inducing torture with such a seemingly innocent object feels extremely cruel, especially when we consider the context it was used under. Poor Harry did not need that woman making his life ten times harder :(

4. Secret Keepers
Ah, well, this one definitely doesn’t sound as sad as it should. The thought of secret keepers, for me,  just makes me think of one of the biggest reasons the story of Harry Potter began—because James and Lily picked the wrong one. Had Peter Pettigrew not betrayed them, who knows what could’ve happened?

Either way, I still love the idea of secret keepers. You can definitely see a pattern with these and Unbreakable Vows—the wizarding world takes keeping secrets and promises very seriously.

5. Accidental Magic
In my opinion, accidental magic shouldn’t be so overlooked. It’s such a fun way for little ones to discover the magic within them, especially for Muggle-borns. The connection to emotion is something I also love the detail in, because a burst of anger or overwhelming happiness could produce something unexpected. I see it as a coming-of-age sign, showcasing the raw magical energy you have before you learn to control that instinct.

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That was quite a list, but if you managed to read it through, thank you. There were many others I would have liked to mention as well, but I fear writing any more would have driven me mad. Once more, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapter. Goodbye!

Written by Daphne Clarke. 
Edited by Hazel Antler. 
Proofread by Alannah V.