Harry Potter Question

[TerriP]

I was watching Harry Potter this weekend and I have a question. How come the Weasley's don't just magically make their clothes nicer? Malfoy always teases Ron about his clothes and it's made clear that the Weasley's don't have as much money as others, so why can't they use magic to make themeselves some nicer things?

What got me wondering this was the tent they stayed in at the Quiddich Cup...it's just a tent on the outside, but a big beautiful space on the inside. Couldn't they use magic to do the same to their home and their possessions????

Terrorism, starvation, AIDS...and THIS is the BIG question of my life at the moment!!!! Pretty sad, huh???

 

[tmt martins]

I was watching Harry Potter this weekend and I have a question. How come the Weasley's don't just magically make their clothes nicer? Malfoy always teases Ron about his clothes and it's made clear that the Weasley's don't have as much money as others, so why can't they use magic to make themeselves some nicer things?

What got me wondering this was the tent they stayed in at the Quiddich Cup...it's just a tent on the outside, but a big beautiful space on the inside. Couldn't they use magic to do the same to their home and their possessions????

Terrorism, starvation, AIDS...and THIS is the BIG question of my life at the moment!!!! Pretty sad, huh???

No Magic in general Public.The tents are an On-sight event.

 

[Sirius]

I've wondered this as well. While I am not sure, I would think that using magic for material gain would be a stepping stone to the dark arts.

 

[StitchIsARedSoxFan]

According to the book, the tent was actually borrowed and not theirs.

Don't really know about the whole house, clothes thing...haven't thought about that...guess that is another one of those questions you wake up at 3 AM wondering...

 

[Disney Ella]

I have wondered that too and read an interview a few years ago with JK in which she said she would explain in a future book why some wizards had less money and why you couldn't just conjure up money and things for yourself. I've been waiting for every book to explain this, but so far nothing. I also want to know where Harry's grandparents are. I assume all four of them are dead, but what about James' siblings, 2nd cousins, great aunts, etc? You would think there would be other Potters in the wizarding world related to Harry.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

They have to buy their supplies and clothes. I am trying to think about the magic... I am trying to recall any magic that made something out of nothing...

Nope...even the "magic food" was prepared by the house elves. Also "potions" had to have ingredients.

At the very least they could have used what they have to "rework it", I suppose. I do see that as a possibility.
Lazy parenting from Mrs. Weasley...geesh!

 

[icebrat001]

Because it's wrong! (okay, I didn't have a better explanation than that, I just know that it's wrong)

 

[Daxx]

I also want to know where Harry's grandparents are. I assume all four of them are dead, but what about James' siblings, 2nd cousins, great aunts, etc? You would think there would be other Potters in the wizarding world related to Harry.

If I'm not mistaken, James was an only child. I believe that I read in a JKR interview that all Potters were deceased. His parents could have been only children ... thus no aunts and uncles for Harry.

As far as great-aunts/uncles ... maybe the Potters come from a long line of only-children, as do their spouses?! Just a guess!

 

[Maleficent13]

They have to buy their supplies and clothes. I am trying to think about the magic... I am trying to recall any magic that made something out of nothing

Nope...even the "magic food" was prepared by the house elves. Also "potions" had to have ingredients

Actually, I seem to remember Mrs Weasley cooking something where cream or something came out of the end of her wand...I think it may have been the beginning of book 4...it always struck me because I thought if she could do that then why not other things.

 

[golfgal]

I have wondered that too and read an interview a few years ago with JK in which she said she would explain in a future book why some wizards had less money and why you couldn't just conjure up money and things for yourself. I've been waiting for every book to explain this, but so far nothing. I also want to know where Harry's grandparents are. I assume all four of them are dead, but what about James' siblings, 2nd cousins, great aunts, etc? You would think there would be other Potters in the wizarding world related to Harry.

Ok, did you read anything about the family tree that was auctioned off a month or two ago? Apparently there were a lot of connections on that family tree and the Potter name is on there. When the photos of the tree first appeared on sites like the Leaky Cauldron, the Potter name was there but JKR asked people to blot out some of the names so it wouldn't spoil the last book. We are going to find out more about Harry's Family, the Potter side especially, in the last book. JKR has been pretty careful saying that Petunia is Lily's only remaining relative, but not saying anything about remaining Potter relatives. Besides, she HAS said in OotP that all the Pure Blood families are interrelated. She has said that James was an only child.

As for families not being able to conjure up new clothing, etc. she addressed this in an interview long, long ago and basically said that there were ethics involved and that you couldn't just "make" money, etc.

 

[va32h]

Well there are two reasons.

The reason within the Harry Potter world is that items that are conjured up out of thin air are merely temporary.

Dumbledore conjures up a bunch of sleeping bags for the students in Prisoner of Azkaban, for example, but they would vanish again by morning.

The reasons "outside" the Harry Potter world are several:

1) It sets up a conflict between Harry and his best friend (Harry has money, Ron does not). This conflict plays a part in plot and character development throughout the series.

2) The poor-but-loving Weasley family is a contrast to the rich-but-nasty Malfoys. The Weasleys and Malfoys will come to represent the two opposite aspects of the wizarding world, and their finances are the first and most obvious sign of how they are different. Part of that "money can't buy happiness" cliche.

3) JK Rowlings books are infused with all sorts of social commentary. One of her themes explores the way people will always find a way to exclude others, to create inequality when there is none, to elevate themselves at the expense of others. Magic is, in many ways, a great equalizer. Physical strength, for example, is irrelevant if you can hex your enemy, instead of having to beat him up! And yet among these "equals" wizards will still try to make class distinctions; who has pure blood, who has money, job status, etc.


Just another way the Harry Potter books are a step above the usual children's literature.