Harry Potter Lovers/experts: How do the wizards/witches........??

Excellent question!.... Well we see magic being, preformed in it's most basic forms, by young children before the age of 11, it's usually small things (Like when, Lily makes the flower spin), and often involuntary. (such as when Harry's hair grows back after receiving a hideous haircut from Petunia) So we know for a fact that, magic is at least possible without a spell. To answer this question, we'd have to ask ourselves what prescisley do wand movements and words do to enhance the use of magic? We know the wand, is like a tool which a witch or wizard uses to, channel magic through it. The first time Harry raises his wand, he is said to feel a warmth escaping from his fingers. The core, and wood probably play a role in collecting and amplifying magic. So I suppose different wand movements would control the way that magic, is being directed at a target, if you twirl it would it shoot out in a spiral? Would flicking it, cause it to come out in a straight burst? Maybe sometimes you need to wrap magic around a target and then, shoot out a burst for the end result hence the swish and flick procedure needed for the levitating charm. Then there's the words themselves, now personally and this is just my theory I don't think the incantation is nearly as important, as whatever the wizard is visualizing and concentrating on in his own mind, I think the incantation is more of a keyword they've memorized to help focus. For instance if I say *accio* to you right now, you being a Harry Potter fan will already think of something being summoned. The reason for why they're Latin and Greek based mostly, might be because it was in ancient Greece and Rome, where the method of casting a spell, by moving a wand and uttering an incantation was first used. So witches and wizards of modern times just continued the, tradition. It would actually be convenient to base them an ancient almost forgotten languages (like Latin) since, it creates a clear difference between what's an incantation and what's conversation. Can you imagine, Bellatrix and Rudolphus having tea with, Narcissa and Lucius and all of a sudden Bella, says the word "crucio" in casual chat, instead of the words "Cruciatus curse"? They would all flinch ha! :P In short I think, a spell is a combination of wand movements, a mental visualization, and a incantation to re-enforce the caster's concentration on the visualization. Creating a spell would only be a matter of, finding the best combination, of hand movements, words, and mental imagery for the desired result. Anyone could possibly create a spell, but it would help of course to be reasonably intelligent, and to have studied magical theory and ancient languages. I suppose that's the point of ancient runes being taught at Hogwarts? Either way this is just my theory. :P

How dose Severus Fly? I suppose I'm uniquely qualified to answer that seeing as I am the who taught him *high pitch laugh* Unfortunately for all of you Lord Voldemort reveals such secrets only to those he has deemed worthy. :P I will say this however, is in not entirely like other forms of wandless magic which are accomplished by methodical practice, such as legimancey and animagi transformations....I chose to teach Severus for two reasons. The first of course to reward him for his loyalty, he has proven invaluable to me, as spy against the Order. The fact that, he is able to fool even Dumbledore deserves merit. (LOL!) Which brings me to the next reason, with Severus I knew my time would not be wasted on someone who is lacking the intellect or mental discipline to learn the technique. The fact the he is such an accomplished Occlumens made this evident to me...Severus is indeed a clever man. :P

Creating new spells is like creating new chemicals. You just have to keep practicing and changing some things and you'll get it eventually.

Flying without a broom. Well, Dumbledore said you can channel your magic through anything. Wands are made for specially for it though. Brooms are made to resist gravity. There are spells such as the Levicorpus and Wingardium Leviosa (I think that's the spelling lol) that allows you to resist gravity. I suppose there is a non-verbal spell that Snape uses that allows him to resist gravity and move through the air. Maybe, the same spell that is put on brooms if it is a spell that does that which I would think there is. I would think the spell is made only for the broom, but if you tweak it a bit, there is no doubt that you would be able to fly.

Hope this helps....

Hmmmm....

I think they might just come up with a certain action to be performed and come up with Latin/Greek words to name the spell. I would think that the words must have some kind of meaning of the action. I think it would take a lot of concentration in order to do this.

I found the wand movement interesting. If you notice at the end of the fifth movie where Bellatrix and Sirius are fighting, they're both make very weird movements with their wand. According to this video I was watching on youtube about the making of OOTP, the actors were talking about how the movement of their body 'strengthens' and contributes to the power of the spell.

How on earth DOES Snape fly without a broom??? Well, Voldemort must have taught him to fly, and Voldemort, being the next most powerful wizard, would be able to teach Snape such skills. Again, through a lot of concentration, I guess it can be done.

Okay. 1. Dumbledore. 2. Voldemort. 3. Grindelwald. 4. Moody. 5. Snape. 6. Bellatrix 7. Kingsley 8. McGonagall 9. Potters (James and Lily) 10. Longbottoms I based this list on what we know from the books and how much experience the characters have had. That's why the younger characters didn't make it onto the list. Also, 9 and 10 are rather interchangeable because I know the Longbottoms and Potters were both great duelers, being very valuable in the Order, but I don't know if either was really better than the other. I just thought they should both be on the list.

Well, I think any brilliant wizard/witch could do it, after all, somebody must've invented the other spells... I think it works a bit like this (I hope I can write my mind).

Children can do magic unintentionally, when they're scare or particularly happy and things happen (harry made the zoo window disappear, maybe evanesco although he didn't say the word) so, a wizard/witch can focus his/her intention and use a word for it, Latin is the root for our language so Latin is old and it works (I dunno any explanation other than because JK says so) and then we have Sev creating his own spells, we know he tried many words or combination of Latin words so those words canalize the intention since they define it... now, Harry used some spells without knowing what they did, so the words might bring the magic... (I'm getting confuse, I hope you're not) like when you say a random name and somebody answers back, kinda the same for the spell...

The wand is to canalize the wizard/witch's magic but we know some wizards/witches can perform spells without it, like Dumbledore, so it requires domain of the mind... and so the movement works for making the spell works better, a wrong movement creates a wrong spell, so it's not so random...

and the flying thing... let's remember when Lily floated as a child, it's (I think) the same as I told you before, a disciplined mind can perform extraordinary magic, can perform some of the magic children can't domain.

1) new spells - trial and error. Of course, an understanding of the theory behind magic is necessary, but since Rowling doesn't provide any of that theory, we can't begin to be more specific. The inventor would have to try different wording, different pronunciations and stresses of those wordings, and different wand movements. A more-or-less exhaustive evaluation of all possibilities should result in a "perfected" spell.

2) Snapy flying - just magic. They can make objects float without a broom. It's just a matter of projection - if they can make an object float, why not a body? In fact, if they can make a broom fly, why not a body? Or a car (they do!)? Or a fire hydrant? Or a carpet? (I think you're getting the idea...)

Jim

⌘ http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com/ ⌘

Well Voldy taught Severus To fly without a broom. Isn't Severus dreamy.....

And my baby is bloody brilliant, that is how he is able to make up those spells.

Actually i don't know how, i am sure you would have to just put the two words together and the reason they are in Latin is because actually, most words come from Latin or Greek!

Edit: Voldemort and Severus are the only two that can fly without brooms...it takes incredible magical skills, and of course my sweet bumpkins has that!

Experiments And Time is how they create new spells. Hermione has the capability to make new spells.

I Have Wondered that about snape aswell. maybe someone will answer that question for both you and me.

I've always wondered that! I guess they just use Latin stems and then get lucky. Something like that.

Idk. All it says is that "Snape was taught to fly by his master". If you think about it, it's built on the same principles of Apparition.

I think that is like a normal invention, they think about it, form a general idea and then name it, try if the incantation works and if it doesn't then they try to improve it.

Well that's what I think at least.

I think that Flying is a very advanced magic, probably Lord Voldemort was the one who discovered it, because he was the only one who could do it. Then he taught Snape how to do it. I'm actually shocked that Dumbledore doesn't know how to do it !

^_^