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Spells in Silence (Harry Potter)

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I wonder if she's capable of replicating elf magic. At the very least she can probably learn from it.
 
I continue to love this story. Hazel is wonderful, and I really like the way her journey only partially intersects with canon characters and events, emphasizing that she remains on her own trajectory. At the same time, this chapter was a reminder that all of the canon issues are still present, even if altered. The pain in the scar across her throat was a distillation of that, conveying a different sort of danger and pain than the generic-seeming headaches that Harry suffered. Hazel's situation feels more frightening and dangerous, just from the scar being in a different place.

Her relationship with the hags remains my favorite so far, but she's also created ties with werewolves and met a variety of spirits. I look forward to seeing how she relates to the house elves going forward, and I'm glad that she has Sally Anne to start building friendships among the wand wavers. (I am also very intrigued by the sorting hat from the last chapter and hope it features again before too long.)

I also continue to be very invested in Hazel's search for the supposed druids of the past. You've done an excellent job of building up her desire to learn more about them, and I can't wait to see what she uncovers next.

As for the discussion about disapparition, in this story Diagon Alley had the same spirit-plane lockout warding system that Hazel encountered at the haunted tower, and I would expect Hogwarts to utilize the same basic strategy. Elves being able to travel in a way that bypasses the wizard-restricting protections is expected from canon, and I'm interested to see how their method fits into (or contrasts with) what Hazel has learned so far.
 
FictionPack said:
I'm guessing this means Hazel can't get in by herself, she probably could with the Ravenclaw or Gryffindor rooms because they have eyes to see her answers, but a barrel isn't going to be reading her answer.
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kingofcreativity said:
isn't apparition impossible at hogwarts? if that's the case i assume hazel will figure that out quickly when she attempts it. she seems to prefer being able to teleport away from any sort of danger. so i'm sure she'll try(and likely succeed) to copy the elves teleportation(possibly by just asking them how they do it and go from there). after she learns that, there will be no stopping her or trapping her.
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She's going to learn 'Elf-Popping' not to escape danger, but to enter her common room! :p
 
Silently Watches said:
She reached out and laid her hand flat against the lid on one of the barrels, specifically the barrel that sat in the middle of the second row from the bottom. "I'm letting all the house inside."

Something that sounded big and heavy clicked behind the barrels, followed by many more just like the first. The barrel lid beneath her hand spun around until it was upside down, then the loudest click yet made itself heard. Both that barrel and the one beneath it fell quickly downwards and out of sight, and from Hazel's position at the edge of the crowd she could see darkness that was suddenly replaced by flagstones that appeared without preamble. There was no transition, just one moment there was shadow and the next stone.

"Everyone head on in," Aurelia said, moving to the side so they could see a tunnel with a brightly lit room at the other end. "To get into our common room, all you have to do is say why you are trying to enter. If you tell the truth, you get to pass. If you lie… Let's just say there are consequences. People from other houses have to have a valid reason to enter as well, such as if one of us invites them. And when they don't…" She trailed off, her meaning clear.
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Yeah, I think they may need a new way to get in for Hazel. She can't exactly tell the common room to open up. Something for Sprout to figure out I suppose.

kingofcreativity said:
isn't apparition impossible at hogwarts? i
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Elves can do it. But for Wizards it is impossible I believe.
 
Silently Watches said:
She pressed her back against the second wall she had found and slid down until her rear pressed against the thick carpet. For all the fluff of the carpet, she could still feel the floor beneath it, and that was what she really wanted. Hazel rested the side of her head against the first wall and closed her eyes. Her belly was still uncomfortable, but it was not so distracting now that she was upright, and she did not feel afloat and suffocating now.

Other people might disagree with her, but she did not care. This was so much better.
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Hazel is going to win the Oddest Hufflepuff award isn't she? And that is saying something.
 
kingofcreativity said:
i wonder if that is what the elves call the "Room of Hidden Things".
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Sivantic said:
It is the Room of Requirements, Mipsy used the same name Dobby used for it, "The Come and Go Room."
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@Sivantic is correct. Here's the exact quote from book 5:

"Dobby knows the perfect place, sir!" he said happily. "Dobby heard tell of it from the other house-elves when he came to Hogwarts, sir. It is known by us as the Come and Go Room, sir, or else as the Room of Requirement!"
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LostArchivist said:
A "anti-DISapparation" charm... so no one can teleport out but can teleport in? That seems the opposite of secure. I'm not sure if that's another nail in the coffin of wizard stupidity or if it works differently in practice. But how does the spell work if wizards apparently apparate by shrinking and then... what? Wormholes? How does one block that?
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While it is called an "anti-Disapparation" charm, in reality it blocks teleportation both in and out. As for the exact mechanics, it blocks the creation of the tunnel through the spirit realm through which wizards (and one baby druid) shoot through. As @ccstat mentioned, Hazel believes at the moment that it is an anti-spirit defense, something she logic-ed out (incorrectly) in Diagon Alley back in chapter 28.
Helot said:
I like the idea that every year at Hogwarts is crazy, so people don't think anything is wrong when the events of the book start up.
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The best part? 1991 is an oddity in that the professors are responsible in any way for the situation. This was my brain trying to explain why so many events in Hogwarts are ignored or downplayed. Yes, Harry Potter is a YA series where it's expected that kids will save the day, but that doesn't excuse it from following SOME degree of real world rules. Except wait, this is a school with a bunch of magical teenagers. Throw together enough emotional and hormonal kids able to distort reality, and eventually you're going to hit critical mass.

Hogwarts runs on YA novel logic because in-universe, that many magical teenagers in one place TURNS IT INTO the setting of a YA novel.
ccstat said:
The pain in the scar across her throat was a distillation of that, conveying a different sort of danger and pain than the generic-seeming headaches that Harry suffered.
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Number 1, I'm glad to hear that the threats Harry/Hazel face hit harder in this story. :)

Number 2, I just wanted to point out something VERY important about this scar pain scene that Hazel didn't (can't!) bring to your attention. Harry knew something was wrong instantly because his scar hurt when it never had before. Sure, he attributed it to Snape instead of Quirrell, but his suspicion was raised. Hazel legit thinks her pain was from choking on food and did not connect it to any of the staff.

This may or may not be important in the future. ;)
ShyGuy said:
Yeah, I think they may need a new way to get in for Hazel. She can't exactly tell the common room to open up. Something for Sprout to figure out I suppose.
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To be fair to the Hogwarts staff, ALL of the passwords in canon work on verbal triggers. The Ravenclaws' knocker asks questions and waits for a reply. The Slytherins' wall responds to a password. The Gryffindors' entrance is protected by a painting, yes, but Harry and co. get inside while invisible at least once, and I THINK I remember a mention that the Marauders doing the same as well? So yeah, you need to talk to get into any of the common rooms. You've got that, the stairs that are definitely NOT set up for wheelchairs, stairs and doors that aren't in the same place every day; Hogwarts really isn't handicap-accessible, is it?

Actually now that I think about it, back in book 1 Harry, Ron, and Hermione get "locked out" because the Pink Lady went out on a walk after curfew. Does anyone remember from canon whether anyone ever tried to get into the common room using the password WITHOUT the Pink Lady there? Because it would be hilarious if you don't even need her present in order to get inside.
 
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Silently Watches said:
Actually now that I think about it, back in book 1 Harry, Ron, and Hermione get "locked out" because the Pink Lady went out on a walk after curfew. Does anyone remember from canon whether anyone ever tried to get into the common room using the password WITHOUT the Pink Lady there? Because it would be hilarious if you don't even need her present in order to get inside.
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Given that they needed to replace the Fat Lady with Sir Cadogan in book three, there's probably a need for an intelligent guardian. The painting doesn't open itself, possibly because it isn't smart enough to know how without an occupant. Funny enough, I think Rowling said somewhere that the Hufflepuff common rooms just take a secret (and rather easily guessed) knock to get in, and not one that changes. Just a simple tap code on a particular barrel.
 
Silently Watches said:
Does anyone remember from canon whether anyone ever tried to get into the common room using the password WITHOUT the Pink Lady there?
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If I recall correctly it is necessary for the pink lady to be there because in book three when black tried to get in despite having Neville's list of passwords and she when denied entry, he tore up the portrait and the teachers had teleport the Gryffindors in and out till it was fixed.
 
Silently Watches said:
Hogwarts runs on YA novel logic because in-universe, that many magical teenagers in one place TURNS IT INTO the setting of a YA novel.
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YA fantasy novels are probably forbidden literature in Hogwarts on par with curse books and subject to immediate incineration if found. After all, wouldn't want the student body to get ideas, or make the staff start crying from remembering past episodes.
 
Silently Watches said:
You've got that, the stairs that are definitely NOT set up for wheelchairs, stairs and doors that aren't in the same place every day; Hogwarts really isn't handicap-accessible, is it?
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Excuse me, Mr. Dumbledore? I'm with the Department of Health. I'm afraid that we received reports that your school is not in compliance fo the health and safety rules authorized by Parliament. I'm afraid we'll have to do a full audit.
 
Silently Watches said:
While it is called an "anti-Disapparation" charm, in reality it blocks teleportation both in and out. As for the exact mechanics, it blocks the creation of the tunnel through the spirit realm through which wizards (and one baby druid) shoot through. As @ccstat mentioned, Hazel believes at the moment that it is an anti-spirit defense, something she logic-ed out (incorrectly) in Diagon Alley back in chapter 28.
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So wait, House Elves don't tunnel through the spirit shadow realm? Hm...
Silently Watches said:
The house elf snapped her fingers, and through Hazel's fairy lens she saw the space behind Mipsy explode outward. In less than the span of a blink, Mipsy was replaced with a wisp of smoke that diffused into nothing.
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...They use subspace bubbles. I don't care what the actual explanation is. That's what they do now.
 
The anti-Disapparation charm (which seems to work more like a ward than anything else) seems to be a more offensive piece of magic.
As seen at the Weasley wedding, it's used when assaulting a location and the caster wants to prevent escape.

Edit: I define ward as a wide area static emplacement magic
 
Rockman1159 said:
The anti-Disapparation charm (which seems to work more like a ward than anything else) seems to be a more offensive piece of magic.
As seen at the Weasley wedding, it's used when assaulting a location and the caster wants to prevent escape.

Edit: I define ward as a wide area static emplacement magic
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Eh. I would say it can be used in both offensive or defensive methods. Sure it can be used to keep people from leaving, but it can also be used to keep people from getting into spots you don't want them or, perhaps more strategically valuable, to force them to move through dangerous traps or defenses that they would rather avoid.

Really, which way it leans depends on whether it is possible – either during the casting or through the use of runes/other means – to create exceptions where some people can Apparate and everyone else cannot. If such a thing is possible, it becomes a powerful tool for anyone who wants to create a "homefield advantage".
 
Book 6, in order to take apparition lessons, they have to specifically remove the defenses from the hall/classroom to make it possible for the students. Also in book 6, Dumbledore tells Harry that as headmaster he can basically bypass those defenses. How he actually does that is never mentioned.
With that in mind, whatever the house elves do is different enough that the defenses don't stop them.
 
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