Re: Slytherin Public Relations & More Questions


"santosh" <santosh.k83@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:g6cllh$kaa$2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thom Madura wrote:

<snip>

However - I always thought that the final battle would have shown a
McGonagle that was a lot more powerful that we thought. Is it possible
that McGonagle is like Hermione - extremely well versed in magic - but
maybe not quite as powerful at it as some?

This is what I feel too.


I get the impression that powerful magic in the Potterverse is a combination of 3 things: research- knowledge-study; innate ability, a sort of natural inborn power; and practice. You can compensate for weakness in one area by working hard at the others, but that weakness still results in a plateau or barrier beyond which you can't progress.

It's a bit like many sports - you can work out in the gym, study strategy and have a good coach to improve your technique, but not having the right build or balance of stamina-v-explosive power for that particular sport or event will still limit your success. Conversely, someone may have the right build, but if their technique is poor and they don't practise, they generally don't do very well.

Hermione is obviously the first - knowledge - with a lot of the third - practice - but it seems she's not all that innately powerful, and McGonagall seems fairly similar: at the Battle of Hogwarts her approach seems to be more canny, using clever tactics rather than raw power. Transfiguration, which seems to be her speciality, appears to be more about focus and dexterity than power.

Harry appears to be fairly average in those two areas in that he doesn't study or (usually) practice anything like Hermione does, but he does have a fair bit of innate ability with some things, especially Defence against the Dark Arts skills, eg his Patronus, and resisting the Imperius curse.

On the hand Voldy, Dd, and probably Grindelnwald too, seem to be good in all three areas which is presumably why they became the outstanding wizards of their age - they studied a lot, they seem to be naturally powerful, and also practised.

DaveD


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Slytherin Public Relations & More Questions
    ... McGonagle that was a lot more powerful that we thought. ... inborn power; and practice. ... practice - but it seems she's not all that innately powerful, ... study or practice anything like Hermione does, ...
    (alt.fan.harry-potter)
  • Re: Slytherin Public Relations & More Questions
    ... McGonagle that was a lot more powerful that we thought. ... sort of natural inborn power; and practice. ... Hermione is obviously the first - knowledge - with a lot of the third - ...
    (alt.fan.harry-potter)
  • Re: Slytherin Public Relations & More Questions
    ... McGonagle that was a lot more powerful that we thought. ... sort of natural inborn power; and practice. ... Hermione is obviously the first - knowledge - with a lot of the third - ...
    (alt.fan.harry-potter)
  • Re: Slytherin Public Relations & More Questions
    ... McGonagle that was a lot more powerful that we thought. ... I get the impression that powerful magic in the Potterverse is a combination of 3 things: research- knowledge-study; innate ability, a sort of natural inborn power; and practice. ... Hermione is obviously the first - knowledge - with a lot of the third - practice - but it seems she's not all that innately powerful, and McGonagall seems fairly similar: at the Battle of Hogwarts her approach seems to be more canny, using clever tactics rather than raw power. ...
    (alt.fan.harry-potter)
  • Re: Slytherin Public Relations & More Questions
    ... McGonagle that was a lot more powerful that we thought. ... and practice. ... Hermione is obviously the first - knowledge - with a lot of the third - ... She is shown as the best student. ...
    (alt.fan.harry-potter)