Ask the Harry Potter Nut

[Revenant Threshold]

Seems there's lots of questions atm, since the film's come out. So, I thought i'd organise them a bit better. If you've got any questions on the Harry Potter Universe, ask away! Feel free to also ask about more peripheral subjects, like actors/directors in the films, JK Rowling, or random stuff about the books/films/fans/whatever.

[Yumblie]

Regarding wizarding duels, and I mean real duels to the death, why don't they just throw out Avada Kedavras at each other instead of stalling with all the inhibitive curses? I'm guessing this spell takes a lot of concentration or power or something, so you'd only use it when a direct hit is a sure thing. I'm wondering if this is ever brought up.

[Revenant Threshold]

Forgot to say; this thread will most likely be full of SPOILERS.

Regarding wizarding duels, and I mean real duels to the death, why don't they just throw out Avada Kedavras at each other instead of stalling with all the inhibitive curses? I'm guessing this spell takes a lot of concentration or power or something, so you'd only use it when a direct hit is a sure thing. I'm wondering if this is ever brought up.

Well, firstly, duels to the death don't really seem to come up that often. Unlike muggle fights, magic gives a lot of pretty certain incapacitory weapons; you can tie your foe in ropes, or create a spell to stop them Apparating (think teleporting) away.

Secondly, in order to perform the Avada Kedavra curse, you need to really want to kill the other person, and enjoy that. For example, at the end of HP and the Order of the Phoenix, in a large fight with Death Eaters, Harry tries to use Avada Kedavra against an enemy who, in the past, tortured both of his friend's parents into insanity, has just killed his godfather (and as he has no parents, one of his only father figures), and is reponsible for incapacitating a lot of his friends in that battle. And yet, despite all that anger, while he can speak the incantation and fire the curse, it won't kill; as the enemy in question says, you have to really WANT to cause death, and "righteous anger" won't do that.

Thirdly, it's been pointed out (by a Death Eater, but still) that Avada Kedavra needs "a powerful bit of magic behind it". He suggests that the entire class of kids he's teaching all pull out their wands and curse him, and that all he'd get was a slight nosebleed. It's likely that most, say, 90%, of wizards just aren't up to that power level.

[Jman]

minor nitpick: I believe it was Crucio that Harry attempted to use against Bellatrix in OotP...I don't believe he's ever honestly attempted Avada Kedavra (though I assume he'll learn it in book 7)

[cmkeller]

It was Crucio that Harry attempted to use on Bellatrix LeStrange. And he must have succeeded to some degree, because that's when Bellatrix stopped treating him with condescension and started treating him as an enemy equal.

Regarding Avada Kedavra, Barty Crouch Jr. disguised as Mad-Eye Moody told Harry's class the following:

Avada Kedavra's a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it - you could all get your wands out now and point them at me and say the words and I doubt I'll get so much as a nosebleed.

What exactly that means I'm not sure, but I'd guess that Avada Kedavra is probably something that needs some degree of preparation before casting it, and during a duel, time is not a luxury the combatant has.

[Angua]

Its also the case that Avada Kedavra, and Crucio are two of the Unforgivable Curses, i.e. illegal under wizarding law.

[Fretful Porpentine]

And for that matter, Avada Kedavra is also six syllables long, which is not a desirable quality in a duelling spell. (And yeah, I know they're doing nonverbal incantations now, but presumably you've still got to concentrate on the words.)

[Revenant Threshold]

:wally Reread that section, and it is indeed Crucio that Harry uses. I think the other points still stand, though. Off to a good start, here :rolleyes: Thanks for correcting me, guys :)

Its also the case that Avada Kedavra, and Crucio are two of the Unforgivable Curses, i.e. illegal under wizarding law.

Yep, the third being Imperio, the controlling curse. If you get caught performing one of them on another wizard (and i'd hope a muggle) the punishment is being sent to the wizard prison Azkaban; I'm not sure for how long, though, but it's likely for the rest of your life. Which could be short, at Azkaban.

[Jenny Haniver]

This has probably already been discussed when the book came out, but I'd like to hear the opinion of a self-professed HP nut - since Crucio is an unforgivable curse, why does Harry receive no punishment for using it right in front of Dumbledore? He doesn't even get a stern lecture!

It bothers me both on a plothole level, and on an emotional level - I have trouble seeing him as capable of being the hero he needs to be to defeat Voldemort after that. It would be one thing if it at least bothered him that he'd done it, but it's never mentioned again.

[eleanorigby]

For that matter, why doesn't MadEye get sacked for doing the Cruciatus curse in DADA class? Because the Ministry doesn't know about it, and it was done for purposes of demonstration only.

I would imagine that Harry does not get in trouble for using the curse because he is defending his own life when he uses it. Also, he is not effective at the use of it--it lacks sting or venom or something. It does cause Bellatrix to take Harry seriously, but his curse does not have the effect of the curse's intent.

I think those are two reasons why Harry is not disciplined for using it. (plus, Dumbledore is hardly likely to send his prize pupil to Azkaban).

[Sattua]

In the sixth book, there was something about a Vanishing Cabinet, that was supposed to explain *something*.

I am re-reading all the books now, and in the middle of the fourth one. I cannot be bothered to go to the sixth and find out exactly what was said.

In the second book, though, when Harry is in Filch's office, Peeves drops a Vanishing Cabinet in the room above... am I remembering correctly?

Anyway, what on earth is the Vanishing Cabinet and what on earth did it explain? For some reason, I'm thinking Mundungus Fletcher was involved.

[Revtim]

What's it like being an occult-loving Satan worshipper? What holidays do you celebrate?


;)

[BrainGlutton]

OK, Revenant, here's some things I've never been able to figure out from the books (maybe because Rowling deliberately chose to ignore them):

How does the wizard economy work? Are there wizard farmers, or do they buy all their food from Muggles? If so, how do they work the exchange of galleons for pounds? Are there wizard factories? Do they use house-elves for sweatshop labor? Is there a wizard proletariat, or is all the shitwork done by house-elves and other enslaved beings?

What is the wizards' religion, if any? They celebrate Christmas and have a "godfather-godson" relationship, but neither of those facts necessarily mean they're Christians. Hogwarts, unlike most Muggle public schools in Britain, doesn't seem to have any chapel or religious services. OTOH, there's no indication that the wizards worship any pagan gods of their own. Are they all agnostics?

Why don't the Hogwarts students seem to study any non-magical subjects? English composition should be just as important in the wizard world as the Muggle world. So should foreign languages, and mathematics, and economics. Ditto with (Muggle) history -- wizards try to isolate themselves from the Muggle world, but there are times when you can't. I suppose the London Blitz affected them as much as Muggles; learning about why Muggles do such things is important. Then there's Muggle science -- which, from a wizard POV, is incomplete, but not incorrect; wizards are still subject to the laws of physics and chemistry except when they use magic to counteract them.

[cmkeller]

Here's a biggie I've been wondering about: why does Dumbledore keep Filch on staff? For a guy who seems to genuinely care about his students, he certainly gives a lot of authority to a genuine sadist. Maybe Dumbledore thought he'd always be able to keep Filch from doing the students any real harm, but the Umbridge experience should have shown him that was untrue, and he should have sacked Filch immediately upon his re-instatement as headmaster.

I assumed, since the second book, that having Filch work at Hogwarts is an act of mercy toward a squib, which is very much in character for Dumbledore...but surely the students must come first!

[Sailboat]

Verb tense question.

Why do I Apparate, and they Apparated, but we are learning Apparition?

Wouldn't it be "we are learning Apparation?" We say "reparations" when discussing repayment for transgressions.

Apparition is usually used as a noun meaning ghost or visible spirit -- seems like a highly functional word in the Potterverse. Why does Rowling spell Apparition (the practice of teleporting) with an "i" and increase the risk of confusion?

Question about Dumbledore's hiring practices (SPOILER)

We're re-reading Order of the Phoenix right now, and I have to ask....

How could Dumbledore have left the children alone with Dolores Umbridge, without even advice?

I know he "had to" hire her. I know she becomes worse after getting Dumbledore sacked.

But Umbridge is, from the moment we meet her, one of the most detestable characters in all of children's literature. My wife and I hate her so much it taints the entire fifth book. She eventually degenerates into actual physical torture of Harry, the kind of thing for which Muggle adults would automatically be sent to prison.

Surely at least some warning of this was evident in her personality. Of all the times Dumbledore leaves Harry and the kids in the dark, unwarned, on their own, this is surely the least explainable/forgivable. Even a few words of warning, showing Harry that Dumbledore knew Umbridge was trouble, but couldn't for whatever reason keep her out of the school, would have meant a lot.

I mean, if the good guys aren't fighting dark wizards to prevent, well, sickos from carving up the flesh of children, what good is the fight at all?

Sailboat

[633squadron]

Seems there's lots of questions atm, since the film's come out. So, I thought i'd organise them a bit better. If you've got any questions on the Harry Potter Universe, ask away! Feel free to also ask about more peripheral subjects, like actors/directors in the films, JK Rowling, or random stuff about the books/films/fans/whatever.


What the heck is butterbeer?
Don't these kids listen to music or play video games or whatever? There aren't even wizard versions of them in any of the books. Whatta bunch of nerds.
And to follow on about that, what about computers? Seems like the wizard world doesn't need them or telephones. WEIRD! It would be fun to see more of wizards confronting Muggle technology.
Not enough pr0n. I'm serious here; I started reading playboy when I was like 13... what gives?
No sports besides Quidditch? What keeps wizards from getting porked out completely?
Economy (as another post said): How did HP's parents leave him all that moohla? Is the Muggle government giving the wizards money to not make trouble?
In 6 books so far, no American wizards. Considering where Rowlings money is coming from, it's really unfair.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Voldemort finds out it's either HP or him in book 6. Seems like V. has no motivation to kill off Harry before book 1! Voldemort disappeared before HP was born, as far as I can tell. Why not wait until the whole thing has settled down and HP is a kid at Hogwarts. Much easier target. No plot, but much easier target.

[DMark]

So first I hear that book seven will be the last book.

And then I heard in a class question and answer, Rowling backtracked and said something that could imply another book could/might be written, or maybe a spin off series from the original books.

I mean, it is not like she needs the money to pay her cable bill, but just wondering...will the next book be the last of the Harry Potter series or not?

[BrainGlutton]

So first I hear that book seven will be the last book.

And then I heard in a class question and answer, Rowling backtracked and said something that could imply another book could/might be written, or maybe a spin off series from the original books.

I mean, it is not like she needs the money to pay her cable bill, but just wondering...will the next book be the last of the Harry Potter series or not?

My guess is that the current series of seven will be a complete, self-contained story arc, dealing with Harry's education and (presumably) the final defeat of Voldemort. And then Rowling might write another, separate series about the lives of Harry and friends as young adults trying to make it in the wizarding world, or something. Same world, same characters, different series.

[Millit the Frail]

In the sixth book, there was something about a Vanishing Cabinet, that was supposed to explain *something*.

I am re-reading all the books now, and in the middle of the fourth one. I cannot be bothered to go to the sixth and find out exactly what was said.

In the second book, though, when Harry is in Filch's office, Peeves drops a Vanishing Cabinet in the room above... am I remembering correctly?

Anyway, what on earth is the Vanishing Cabinet and what on earth did it explain? For some reason, I'm thinking Mundungus Fletcher was involved.

Do you mean the Vanishing Cabinet that was used to transport the Death Eaters into Hogwarts? If so...

During OotP (5), a boy called Montague was shut into a broken VC and trapped there. He heard voices from inside the Dark Arts shop Borgin and Burkes. When he was released, he told this to Draco Malfoy. Malfoy, being one insufferable but still smart cookie, figured that if he could repair the VC in Hogwarts, it could teleport in someone from B&B (or vice versa).

Therefore, Draco spends most of HBP (6) trying to figure out how to repair the Hogwarts VC so that Death Eaters can break into the otherwise mighty fortress that is Hogwarts. Seems to me that someone should have thought about this loophole a long time ago. (I'm surprised the Weasley twins didn't!)

[FatBaldGuy]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Voldemort finds out it's either HP or him in book 6. Seems like V. has no motivation to kill off Harry before book 1! Voldemort disappeared before HP was born, as far as I can tell. Why not wait until the whole thing has settled down and HP is a kid at Hogwarts. Much easier target. No plot, but much easier target.
No, Voldemort did not disappear before HP was born. When Harry was a baby Voldemort killed Harry's parents and tried to kill Harry, but the curse backfired onto Voldemort, causing him to lose his powers and most of his physical being. Up until the time HP enters Hogwarts he has been living in the forests in the bodies of animals and trying by one means or another to re-create himself.

[Millit the Frail]

What the heck is butterbeer?
Don't these kids listen to music or play video games or whatever? There aren't even wizard versions of them in any of the books. Whatta bunch of nerds.
And to follow on about that, what about computers? Seems like the wizard world doesn't need them or telephones. WEIRD! It would be fun to see more of wizards confronting Muggle technology.
Not enough pr0n. I'm serious here; I started reading playboy when I was like 13... what gives?
No sports besides Quidditch? What keeps wizards from getting porked out completely?
Economy (as another post said): How did HP's parents leave him all that moohla? Is the Muggle government giving the wizards money to not make trouble?
In 6 books so far, no American wizards. Considering where Rowlings money is coming from, it's really unfair.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Voldemort finds out it's either HP or him in book 6. Seems like V. has no motivation to kill off Harry before book 1! Voldemort disappeared before HP was born, as far as I can tell. Why not wait until the whole thing has settled down and HP is a kid at Hogwarts. Much easier target. No plot, but much easier target.


1. Butterbeer is a butterscotchy drink that gets house elves drunk but not humans. Weird, no? I think JKR made up that last part because she didn't want the parents to complain...I always envisioned it with a very low alcohol content that only gave the kids a slight buzz.

2. They can listen to music on the Wizarding Wireless. They play music sometimes, and there is at least one wizarding rock group. They also play magical games like Exploding Snap. Who needs video games when you can entertain yourself with your own magic?

3. Wizards don't understand that sort of thing. I imagine they have the same sort of aversion to it that I have to text-messaging. (I'm just a little too old to have gotten in on that, and it's totally weird and unnecessary to me.)

4. I think it's there, we just don't hear about it. :D

5. This...I don't know. Never really thought about it either!

6. I think there's something we don't yet know about the Potters that made them really wealthy. JKR has hinted as such. We don't even know what they did for a living, at this point. Another good question: why isn't Harry curious about what they did? Surely he'd have asked by now....

7. So it goes. I guess American wizards are xenophobic?

8. No, Voldemort disappeared when Harry was one year old. V. knew bits of the prophecy at that point, but not the whole thing. He tried to kill Harry when he was just a wee baby, but the curse rebounded and left Voldemort a shadow of his former self. Vapormort, if you will.

Sorry if I'm answering your questions, Revenant Threshold; I'm just another HP nut with a little extra time on my hands! :cool:

[asterion]

6. I think there's something we don't yet know about the Potters that made them really wealthy. JKR has hinted as such. We don't even know what they did for a living, at this point. Another good question: why isn't Harry curious about what they did? Surely he'd have asked by now....
I just figured that they took out a good life insurance policy that would pay out as a trust fund for Harry. Of course, the question is who would issue life insurance when Voldie's running around or whether or not the wizarding world has insurance. (See my questions about credit and interest.)

[Millit the Frail]

I just figured that they took out a good life insurance policy that would pay out as a trust fund for Harry. Of course, the question is who would issue life insurance when Voldie's running around or whether or not the wizarding world has insurance. (See my questions about credit and interest.)

I've also wondered if maybe they were Aurors. Maybe there's a fund that pays out money to the families of Aurors killed in service. (Maybe Neville's due for a bunch of money when his parents kick it!) That's a lot of maybes, but I'm going to go crazy waiting for Book 7 if I don't come up with all sorts of lines of wild speculation.

[Bricker]

With all due respect to the OP, posting this thread here is very much like my popping into the Supreme Court and announcing, "Hey - any of you guys need legal advice?"


We seem to have a fair number of HP experts about. :)

[BrainGlutton]

Economy (as another post said): How did HP's parents leave him all that moohla? Is the Muggle government giving the wizards money to not make trouble?

And why is it kept in the form of gold coins in the equivalent of a safe-deposit box, rather than as a notional balance in an interest-bearing account? Have wizards, or the gnomes of Gringott's Bank, never caught on to the concept of fractional reserve lending?

[Revenant Threshold]

With all due respect to the OP, posting this thread here is very much like my popping into the Supreme Court and announcing, "Hey - any of you guys need legal advice?"


We seem to have a fair number of HP experts about. :)

True. And a lot of people have already answered most of the questions so far; that's fine! If you know the answer, don't wait for me to post it, feel free to answer it yourself :)

Why do I Apparate, and they Apparated, but we are learning Apparition?

Wouldn't it be "we are learning Apparation?" We say "reparations" when discussing repayment for transgressions.

Apparition is usually used as a noun meaning ghost or visible spirit -- seems like a highly functional word in the Potterverse. Why does Rowling spell Apparition (the practice of teleporting) with an "i" and increase the risk of confusion?

I imagine JKR thinks it's a better word? I can answer questions, but sadly I can't read her mind :p

How could Dumbledore have left the children alone with Dolores Umbridge, without even advice?

Dumbledore's pretty busy at this point; if you've got a) evil wizard on the loose, causing mayhem and killing people all over the place, recruiting giants and dementors, and b) evil teacher who may injure children, but will stop short of killinng them, I know which i'd choose to put my priorities on.

As for advice, same thing. He's away most of the time that year. And it does seem as though he's warned the other teachers that she could be trouble.

As for why he doesn't tell Harry....Dumbledore is trying very hard that year NOT to talk, or even look at, Harry, because he fears that (and is proved correct) that Voldemort may try to posess Harry through the link they share. He felt that if he were to be around Harry much, it would be all too tempting for Voldemort to posess Harry, kill Dumbledore as him (because Dumbledore can't kill Harry, both emotionally and factually, according to the prophecy). Indeed, the times when Harry is with Dumbledore he feels as though "a snake is welling up inside of him" and he "longs to sink his teeth into his neck".

Also, Umbridge also only poses a threat to Harry, really, because she punishes anyone who claims Dumbledore is back. Hermione and Ron et al are all smart enough to not say anything in front of her; Harry's too angry and full of a sense of justice to say nothing, but I think Dumbledore expects him to be a bit smarter than this.

I mean, it is not like she needs the money to pay her cable bill, but just wondering...will the next book be the last of the Harry Potter series or not?
JK's said that if she does write another book, it would probably be along the lines of an encylopedia of the HP Universe. But hey, we can always live in hope she'll write more, eh? :p

How does the wizard economy work? Are there wizard farmers, or do they buy all their food from Muggles?

It's unlikely there are wizard farmers for food; they can conjure it. There may, and it's likely that, there are farmers for potion ingredients.

If so, how do they work the exchange of galleons for pounds?
1 Galleon is composed of 17 sickles, which in turn is composed of 29 knuts.
Here's a Muggle/Wizard currency converter. (http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/galleons.html)

Are there wizard factories? Do they use house-elves for sweatshop labor?

What would wizards need factories for? Household appliances can be bought in muggle shops, but most of what they do can be done by magic. Clothes can be bought in wizard or muggle shops. House-elves are forced (sort of magical slavery, except they enjoy it- they're quite odd) to work for a family in their home, so it's unlikely they're used for production.

Is there a wizard proletariat, or is all the shitwork done by house-elves and other enslaved beings?

Shitwork in old families is done by house-elves, and in Hogwarts too, yes. Filch is a janitor, really, and he's a squib, but it's safe to assume some magic users do work in these jobs. Also, cleaning spells are very easy to do; no one needs cleaning staff unless you have too large a building to walk around cleaning.

What is the wizards' religion, if any? They celebrate Christmas and have a "godfather-godson" relationship, but neither of those facts necessarily mean they're Christians. Hogwarts, unlike most Muggle public schools in Britain, doesn't seem to have any chapel or religious services. OTOH, there's no indication that the wizards worship any pagan gods of their own. Are they all agnostics?

It's never come up in the books. I personally would imagine that it's the same as reality - among muggle borns, there may be a higher percentage of agnostics, but it depends on how they were raised. Pure-bloods are probably mostly agnostic.

Why don't the Hogwarts students seem to study any non-magical subjects?

Hogwarts begins at age 11; muggle borns go to muggle schools before that (seeing as how normally they don't know they're magic). People from magic families are taught at home by their parents. So the basics are covered.

More complex stuff just isn't needed; you don't need science, most of it has no impact on wizards, who can circumvent most laws of nature.

Muggle history likely is studied, in the subject of....Muggle Studies! It's considered to be a "soft option" at Hogwarts, much like David Beckham studies, or Video Game Studies, would be here. Some of it must be of use, though, and it's people who take this subject that often work in the few muggle relations jobs.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Voldemort finds out it's either HP or him in book 6. Seems like V. has no motivation to kill off Harry before book 1! Voldemort disappeared before HP was born, as far as I can tell. Why not wait until the whole thing has settled down and HP is a kid at Hogwarts. Much easier target. No plot, but much easier target.

To expand on previous answers, during the times of Voldemort's first takeover bid, a prophecy was made (to Dumbledore) that a child would be born that would have the power to stop Voldemort. The two wizard children this could have applied to (Harry and Neville) were therefore dealt with; Voldemort went to kill Harry now, while he was young, and (uncertain) sent the lestranges to kill neville. The lestranges definetly tortured neville's parents into insanity, possibly due to this. However, Voldemort's spy did not hear part of the prophecy; the child would have "power he knows not". Voldemort breaks in, kills Harry's dad, and approaches Harry's crib. He tells Harry's mother to get out of the way; she refuses. Voldemort kills her, and then tries to kill Harry. However, Harry's mother sacrificing herself in order to protect her child is an ancient form of magic (that Harry's mother didn't know of, btw, and Voldemort knew of but discounted because love is something he feels is weak) and the curse rebounds off of Harry and hits Voldemort. Voldemort is...sort of killed, and flees. So in the books, he's trying to get back at Harry because a) harry caused him pain and annoyance, and b) it makes him look weak if he doesn't do anything to Harry.

And why is it kept in the form of gold coins in the equivalent of a safe-deposit box, rather than as a notional balance in an interest-bearing account? Have wizards, or the gnomes of Gringott's Bank, never caught on to the concept of fractional reserve lending?

Who says they haven't? It's not mentioned, but why shouldn't the magic anking community do this too? It's just good economics! :p

As to why they need a physical currency, think about it; how easy would it be to conjure up money? To hex a paper or computer with your account on, so you're always in the red? Wizard money is physical so that anti-copying and so charms can be placed on them, and so you have a complex enough item of currency that forgeries can't be made. Same as if paper money in reality had no watermarks or holograms or whatever.

[Revenant Threshold]

Bah. In that last post, the last paragraph should read banking and always in the black.

[BrainGlutton]

It's unlikely there are wizard farmers for food; they can conjure it.

I always assumed that -- until I learned (forget which book) that the meals that magically appear in the Hogwarts dining hall are not created by magic, but prepared by house-elves working in the basement kitchen. If magic can't cook food, it probably can't create it either.

1 Galleon is composed of 17 sickles, which in turn is composed of 29 knuts.
Here's a Muggle/Wizard currency converter. (http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/galleons.html)

But what use is that? I mean, how would you exchange wizard currency for Muggle currency while still keeping the existence of the wizarding world a secret?

[Scupper]

Why is whatever spell Wormtongue used to wipe out a whole street not listed as an "unforgivable curse?" What spell was it, anyway?
Why in the world would even a somewhat shifty school like Durmstrang openly hire a known Death Eater who only got off by turning State's Evidence, as their headmaster?
Why did Harry not mention to McGonagall that Umbridge was subjecting him to outright torture during his detentions?
Why does the wizard world make a concerted effort to conceal its existence?
Why does the wizard world make a concerted effort to conceal the existence of magical creatures?
How is it even remotely possible that they are able to conceal the existence of dragons and giants, both of which are said in the books to live in the wild?
Whatever happened to Sirius's flying motorcycle?
How could Dumbledore and others possibly have believed that Sirius, rather than Wormtail, was the traitor? Didn't Sirius even attempt to defend himself?
When did Lupin get bitten and infected by the werewolf?
Are there pick-up quiddich games at Hogwarts? How do young people get good at quiddich if they're not allowed to use magic outside of the school?
Who chooses the Minister of Magic? Is he elected?
Why is there even a Slytherin house in Hogwarts, considering it is effectively a terrorist spawning ground?
Has anything good ever come out of Slytherin?
What house was Tom Riddle in?

[Chronos]

There are American wizards; they just don't do much in the story owing to it being set in Britain. At the World Cup camp, there's a contingent of witches from Salem, and Quidditch Through the Ages has a bit about a peculiar sport played by American wizards.

And there is some mention of computers: Harry tells of Dudley throwing his Playstation (a sort of computer one uses to play games) out a window. We're not told to what extent a wizard would have a clue what he was talking about, though.

As for interest-bearing bank accounts, it's quite possible the goblins are familiar with the concept, but as long as their clients aren't, they don't have to offer it. Besides, they have rather a monopoly on the wizarding banking industry, and even if you don't get interest, you need someplace to keep your galleons secure. I somehow get the impression that a startup competitor would find things a bit... difficult.

[Chronos]

And then Scupper has to come in with a whole bevy more questions.

Wormtail's curse: We know of other "blasting"-type spells (Reducto, for instance). Presumably, these are allowed, since they have other, legitimate purposes. But Avada Kedavra is purely for killing.

Harry and Umbridge's quill: He felt that to ask anyone else for help (even his fellow students) would be to give in to the torture, and he refused to do that. Hermione was able to figure out something was up, but he didn't tell her outright.

Secrecy: Hagrid says in the first book, that if Muggles by and large knew of wizards, that we'd always be pestering them to solve our problems. Historically, there's also been a fair amount of (attempted) persecution of wizards by Muggles.

Sirius' innocence: He went on a guilt-trip, and convinced himself that it was his fault that Wormtail (not tongue) was chosen as secret-keeper. Since nobody else knew, nobody was able to talk sense into him.

Lupin's bite: He was bitten shortly before he started at Hogwarts. He and his parents were afraid that that would disqualify him, but Dumbledore was more accepting. We eventually meet the werewolf who infected Lupin, a very evil sort, and he enjoys biting them young, as a way of "recruiting".

Quidditch training: There are certainly pick-up Quiddich games outside of school; the Weasleys play some at the Burrow. Wizarding children are allowed to use magic outside of school, so long as they're not seen by Muggles; they're just not allowed to do magic.

Slytherin House: Slytherin was one of the Founders, and the others probably don't have the authority to remove his house. Even if they did, they wouldn't want to, on the principle of keeping your enemies closer. The only folks we know were from Slytherin are bad, but there's plenty of folks whose house we don't know; I suspect that Ollivander (the wand-maker), for instance, was a Slytherin alumnus. And yes, Riddle was in Slytherin.

[Fretful Porpentine]

What is the wizards' religion, if any? They celebrate Christmas and have a "godfather-godson" relationship, but neither of those facts necessarily mean they're Christians. Hogwarts, unlike most Muggle public schools in Britain, doesn't seem to have any chapel or religious services. OTOH, there's no indication that the wizards worship any pagan gods of their own. Are they all agnostics?
I'd say the indications are pretty clear that wizarding Britain is a majority-Christian society, historically and culturally, though it may be a largely secular one in practice. There are a few references to wizards singing religious-themed Christmas carols like "O Come All Ye Faithful," the main magical hospital is named after a saint, JKR says on her web site that Harry had a christening, etc. (We don't actually know that they DON'T have chapel services at Hogwarts, just that they aren't significant to the plot. We never hear anything about Harry brushing his teeth either.)
Are there pick-up quiddich games at Hogwarts? How do young people get good at quiddich if they're not allowed to use magic outside of the school?
Flying a broomstick outside of school is allowed (the Weasley kids play pickup Quidditch in the orchard, and there are a couple of little toddler wizards zipping around on toy broomsticks at the Quidditch World Cup). The restrictions on underage sorcery seem to apply only to casting spells, not using magical objects.
Why is there even a Slytherin house in Hogwarts, considering it is effectively a terrorist spawning ground?[/quote
Rowling dealt with this one in the fantastic Leaky Cauldron / Mugglenet interview (http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/extras/aa-jointerview1.html), which answers a lot of the picky little questions about the Potterverse. Basically, she said that while most of the Slytherins who have registered on Harry's radar are nasty little pieces of work, it doesn't mean that they're all like that -- the Junior Death Eater squad is a very vocal minority within the house.
[quote]Has anything good ever come out of Slytherin?
Well, even if you think Snape is genuinely evil (which I'd consider a highly debatable proposition at this point), both Regulus and Andromeda Black seem to have turned out OK in the end, and Slughorn isn't really a bad sort.

[eleanorigby]

[list=1]
Why is whatever spell Wormtongue used to wipe out a whole street not listed as an "unforgivable curse?" What spell was it, anyway?

I don't recall offhand, and that's a very good question!
Why in the world would even a somewhat shifty school like Durmstrang openly hire a known Death Eater who only got off by turning State's Evidence, as their headmaster?
Perhaps the folk of Durmstrang value strength and success over ethics and justice. Or perhaps they just can't get good help in the cold frozen north.

Why did Harry not mention to McGonagall that Umbridge was subjecting him to outright torture during his detentions?
It says in the book that Harry decides that this is a private battle between himself and Umbridge. He doesn't want teacher involvement--Ron pleads with him to tell someone and he refuses.

Why does the wizard world make a concerted effort to conceal its existence?
As has been stated elsewhere, it is hidden to prevent Muggles from abusing magic and making wizards do Muggle's work.

Why does the wizard world make a concerted effort to conceal the existence of magical creatures?
Not all magical creatures are hidden, unless you mean from Muggles. But afterall, we have all heard legends of mermaids, unicorns and the like, so they aren't all that hidden....

How is it even remotely possible that they are able to conceal the existence of dragons and giants, both of which are said in the books to live in the wild?
IMO, this is Rowling harkening back to those bits of old maps that say, "from here on, land unknown" or some such. Og knows just what is in remote regions of the world. Some people think that Noah's Ark is located on Mt Ararat (sp?)--so why not dragons etc?
Whatever happened to Sirius's flying motorcycle?
Excellent question, and I want to know this, too. I bet it shows up in book 7--the visual of Harry riding it is too good to pass up-also, it will help him feel closer to Sirius, and it is now Harry's, afterall.

How could Dumbledore and others possibly have believed that Sirius, rather than Wormtail, was the traitor? Didn't Sirius even attempt to defend himself?
Circumstantial evidence and an almost perfect set up by Voldemort. What else were they to believe?
When did Lupin get bitten and infected by the werewolf?
As a child--age unknown.

Are there pick-up quiddich games at Hogwarts? How do young people get good at quiddich if they're not allowed to use magic outside of the school?
Ron mentions (as does Ginny or Hermione in reference to Ginny) the pick up games in the Weasley's back yard or nearby field. I have a feeling that the ban on magic applies only to Muggle-borns.(there are probably restrictions on wizard kids as well--St Mungo's features a small child with wings or some such in GOF. Parents can't stop their lil wizards and witches from all magic.)

Who chooses the Minister of Magic? Is he elected? Looks to me like he is appointed, but I dunno. There is another thread around that covers this much better.
Why is there even a Slytherin house in Hogwarts, considering it is effectively a terrorist spawning ground?
IMO, all 4 Houses represent aspects of character (loosely). Slytherin's are not always bad or evil or immoral--they seek power and are opportunists. That said, I do think that they are almost caracitures at times.
Has anything good ever come out of Slytherin?
We don't know enough of the history of that house to say. I am sure that not all Slytherins were horrible. Phineas Nigellus (the portrait in AB's office and Sirius' great great grandfather-wasn't he a Slytherin?) and that new DADA guy-forget his name.
What house was Tom Riddle in? A home question, but I believe Slytherin.

[Quartz]

But Umbridge is, from the moment we meet her, one of the most detestable characters in all of children's literature. My wife and I hate her so much it taints the entire fifth book. She eventually degenerates into actual physical torture of Harry, the kind of thing for which Muggle adults would automatically be sent to prison.
I read Umbridge as a deliciously evil mixture of Whackford Squeers from Nicholas Nickleby and Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmations and a metaphor for government interference in the education system to boot.

[Revenant Threshold]

[
Why is whatever spell Wormtongue used to wipe out a whole street not listed as an "unforgivable curse?" What spell was it, anyway?

The explanation that was used as a cover for muggles was that there was a gas explosion; it's possible Wormtail used a "fire" spell of some sort on a petrol station, or on a gas pipe underground.

Why in the world would even a somewhat shifty school like Durmstrang openly hire a known Death Eater who only got off by turning State's Evidence, as their headmaster?

Being an Ex-Death Eater, he must have known a good deal of dark magic, which Durmstrang does not just teach defense against, but the actual using of. Plus, he can't go back to Voldemort; he betrayed him, and if Voldemort came back, he'd kill him (which, indeed, he does do once he's returned).

Why did Harry not mention to McGonagall that Umbridge was subjecting him to outright torture during his detentions?

Harry was too proud; he wanted to deal with this by himself, so he didn't tell anyone, not even his best friends. I believe Ron and Hermione only found out about it when one of them noticed the scars on his hand, something he'd tried to keep hidden. He refused point blank to go to another teacher.

Why does the wizard world make a concerted effort to conceal its existence?

Because magic can do so many things, what motivation would muggles have to work? It's possible that magic-users could become a second-class race, expected to solve all problems while muggles sit back and relax.


Why does the wizard world make a concerted effort to conceal the existence of magical creatures?

Imagine vampires, dragons, evil giants, etc exist. Now imagine you can't do anything about that, and you have no defence against them. Muggles could be scared out of their minds if they knew such things existed, and that only magic users had a chance of defending against them.

How is it even remotely possible that they are able to conceal the existence of dragons and giants, both of which are said in the books to live in the wild?

Reservations are set out, in the case of dangerous endangered creatures like dragons, or rare creatures like mooncalves, which have anti-muggle charms and similar things on them - much like the Quidditch World Cup Stadium was. These reservations could be huge areas, or as small as a forest. Of those creatures which possess a human-like mind, some go out of their way to avoid muggles; Centaurs prefer to keep to themselves, not even seeing wizards that much, while Merpeople have shown to be a bit friendlier to wizards. As regards Vampires, we've seen one which appears to be somewhat house-trained. It's also possible they prefer to feed on wizards. Ghosts can only be of magic-users, and thus mostly often haunt their own homes, or a battlefield; and plenty of people believe in them, anyway. Werewolves are human most of the time, and are mistrusted by the magic community as a whole, but a recent potion invention can allow them to keep their own minds during their transformation. Think of that more like horrible, horrible period pains once a month :p . Feral werewolves are a problem; Lupin's biter is somewhat of a leader, and is a very evil person. We don't know how they're controlled.

Whatever happened to Sirius's flying motorcycle?

No idea, but as Sirius left Harry everything in his will, it belongs to Harry now.

How could Dumbledore and others possibly have believed that Sirius, rather than Wormtail, was the traitor? Didn't Sirius even attempt to defend himself?

The Potters were protected by a Fidelius Charm; this means that the secret is hidden in one person's soul; in this case the potter's location, and that secret can only be found if that person chooses to divulge it. For example, Dumbledore was the secret-keeper for the location of the HQ of the Order of the Phoenix, and without him telling you (or seeing the secret in his writing) the house could not even be seen - and i'm not talking about leaving a blank space, either.

The secret-keeper for the Potters was going to be Sirius, but he persuaded them to change to Peter in the belief that no-one would suspect him of being it. The change was made "at the last moment", so most people did not know of it. A street full of people believed they saw Sirius kill all those people. Wormtail's finger was found at the scene. Most people would agree that the Potters would choose Sirius, Harry's Dad's best friend, as the keeper. A very elaborate frame-up.

When did Lupin get bitten and infected by the werewolf?

As a child, by Fenrir Greyback, who makes it his mission to convert as many people as possible to werewolves. He has a policy of biting children, so that he can raise them away from their parents and teach them to hate wizards. Lupin's father had offended him in some way, and he lay in wait outside their house before the change (the potion of keeping his mind not having been invented yet) so that he could bite him.

Are there pick-up quiddich games at Hogwarts? How do young people get good at quiddich if they're not allowed to use magic outside of the school?

There's practice for teams and pick-up games at Hogwarts. Children can use broomsticks at home, as long as they aren't seen; their parents are depended on to keep them in check.

Who chooses the Minister of Magic? Is he elected?

No idea. It would seem he's selected, rather than voted for by the wizard public.

Why is there even a Slytherin house in Hogwarts, considering it is effectively a terrorist spawning ground?

Because not all Slytherins are bad - we only see the bad ones. And Slytherin house represents ambition, cunning, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed. These qualities all make up a person, in whatever amount, and so they're just as important as the others.

Has anything good ever come out of Slytherin?

There's been a few people in Slytherin who weren't evil that we know of - but again, we only get told about the evil people, because they're more interesting!

What house was Tom Riddle in?

He was the Heir of Slytherin, so it'd be a fair guess that he was in Slytherin.

[rocking chair]

as for harry's money. james potter was the only child of oldish parents from an old wizard family. he got the money the old fashioned way, inheritance. i had the feeling that there was a wizard patent (s) that kept the money going.

harry also has inherited his godfather's old family estate as well.

the "poor little rich boy" thing, has everything but family and love.

[hazel-rah]

Why is whatever spell Wormtongue used to wipe out a whole street not listed as an "unforgivable curse?"

Presumably within the Wizarding legal code there are some hitherto unmentioned gradations between legal and unforgivable for curses. Maybe the curse Wormtail used is merely unconscionable which while not as bad as unforgivable is worse than, say, unseemly or inexcusable curses.

As for the possibility of books about the post-Hogwarts lives of the main characters, I can't wait for Harry Potter and the Acrimonious Divorce.