You have caught my attention, that's for sure.

 

Personally I pretty much ignore everything on Pottermore.

Wizards not getting any muggle diseases sounds rather lame. Not to mention in one book they talk about the flu spreading around Hogwarts and many people getting pepper-up to cure it.

 

I not only accept Pottermore as 100% canon, but anything on Pottermore that contradicts things in the books is right because of retcon.

Also, Merlin was in Slytherin.

 

I bet you hate freedom, too.

 

Literally Hitler.

 

The ride never ends.

 

What is the the most hilarious way someone killed Snape or one of the Malfoys in fanfiction?

 

Is there any post-Hogwarts schooling in Britain? Apparently, WoG says no, but OotP seems to imply there is.

(note: interruptions are due to Umbridge)

 

Remember that unlike in some fanfiction where aurors are mooks, in canon aurors are supposed to be the elite of the elite dark wizard catchers. There aren't post Hogwarts defense classes, there is auror training, for people who will become aurors. Because even the best 17 year old isn't what I would call the elite of the elite.

 

If Hermione was born in 19 September, 1979, does this mean she knew about Hogwarts for a whole year before actually going there?

 

It would make sense.

 

Speaking of Hermione, in "Philosopher's Stone" she says the following:

Which makes me wonder where and when exactly she practiced these spells.

I ask because recently I reread an interesting one shot by Perspicacity, "Negotiations" (which is just part of the whole "Adventures in Child Care and Other One-Shots" collection), where Hermione did try a spell at home, and it had rather unfortunate consequences for her.

 

Either MoM is not so oppressive as in this oneshot or she tried it on Diagon Alley.

 

Wow, the author of that manages to make both Hermione and Harry look like assholes.

Still, I always thought that snapping someone's wand because they practised magic outside of school is pretty blood harsh especially when dealing with children. Seeing as how easily Fudge dismissed Harry's under-age magic use in third year I suspect the actions of purebloods and to some degree halfbloods are generally swept under the rug while muggleborns are treated quite harshly. Still, Hermione probably got off because they don't hand the underage magic warning cards out until the end of the school year.

 

In my headcanon it's a two part system:

Firstly there is some sort of spell on wands sold to minors that is linked to something at the Ministry that detects magic. The spell is timed to break at seventeen.

The Second part is some sort of area based magic (I know a lot of people here hate the word wards so I'll not use it) that detects magic used within it's radius and also detects the presence of magicals that is placed around the homes of magical children.

If the charm detects magic it starts to count how many magicals are in the area. If there is more than one magical it 'decides' it can tell who did the magic and ignores the magic assuming the magic would be detected by the wand charm. If there is only one magical it assumes the magical who lives there cast the magic and informs the Ministry.

The second part of the detection system is to pick up on accidental magic and underage magicals using a untracked wand.

For example Dobby performs a levitation charm in Privet Drive, the area charm detects magic is used, does a count, finds only one magical is present because it doesn't count house elves and Harry gets an infringement letter.

Harry does accidental magic in third year, charm detects this, does a count, comes up with only one, Fudge halts the letter knowing it's a good idea for Harry to owe him a favour.

Hypothetically - Malfoy does magic in his home using his own wand, wand charm detects this, he gets a letter, Malfoy Snr asks for a personal favour from the Minister and has it expunged.

Fred and George steal their mother's wand, use it to perform magic, area detection charm decides it can't figure out who did the magic 9let alone that it was performed by an underage magical) and ignores it.

The system on the surface seems fair but in reality heavily favours those from magical homes. Honestly, I expect the Ministry is not overtly discriminatory, they wouldn't overtly discriminate.

Of course, all of this really means nothing because JKR was never very consistent about the trace.

 

The concept of "wizarding law" is an interesting one. It ties in with the idea of the magically binding contract in GoF. A hanging question is: is Ministry law itself magical in nature? The Ministry certainly seem to have extraordinary abilities to enforce their will (e.g. being able to collapse elaborate and powerful protection spells by mere command).

 

When it happened? I am not remebering anything that fits.