DADA- Wands and Wandless Magic

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Subject: DADA- Wands and Wandless Magic Sun Jan 20 2013, 00:32

(Seems more like charms to me but I found a discussion about wandless magic under DADA and it interested me)

Wands and Wandless Magic

At the ripe age of eleven, every witch and wizard are sent a letter from a wizarding school inviting them to take lessons there to control their magical abilities. One of those schools is the well-known school Hogwarts. Some of these potential students not even knowing they had magic in them but they all end up going to the same place, the wand shop, and getting their first wand. With this wand they will be taught how to control magic and manipulate things around them. Be able to change beetles into buttons or make water into wine. There is one question though, is wands really needed in order to preform magic or can one simply preform magic without the aid of a wand?

Wandless Magic is not unheard of. Many magical folks have done this very thing. One wizard known for being able to use such magic is Albus Dumbledore. He has been known to use the Human-presence-revealing spell not only wandlessly but also without saying the words out loud. He is able to see those hidden around him without whispering the spell giving away his intentions. There are some magical folk like Tom Riddle who when he was younger, before he even knew about magic, was able to manipulate animals into doing his biding. It is known that wandless magic is able to be done, for many witches and wizards are able to magic something before they are even given a wand. One example of this is before Harry Potter knew he was a wizard, the Dursley’s gave him such a horrible haircut he had nightmares about going to school the next day. However when he woke up all his hair grew back. Normally hair does not grow that quickly, I will admit my hair has never grew an inch in just a few hours so it must have been magic to make his hair grow so quickly. Harry made his hair grow without even meaning to make it grow. Since it is known that magical folk are able to perform magic without the aid of a wand than why don’t they teach witches and wizards how to preform magic without the aid of wands making them less dependent on a stick to preform magic?

So why are wands so important to a wizard? When a magical folk goes to get their wand they are not given any old wand. Students do not just walk right in and pick a wand off of the shelves like muggles go and pick out a pair of glasses to wear. They go through a process carried on by a wandmaker until they find the wand right for them. Like Olivander said “The wand chooses the wizard.” Wands are complex and have laws they must follow just like how the Muggles have laws that gravity must follow. The fundamental law is that the wand chooses the wizard, the second law is there is a complex connection between the wizard and the wand, as one gains experience so does the other. The third law is a wizard may channel his energy through any wand but the best results come from his own wand. The last law is that a wand can be won from their owner or master so the wand will take allegiance to another owner, for example the elder wand can be won in duels for it takes allegiance to strength. There is a great bond between the master and his wand. Some wands are even known to die or wilt when their own has passed on. Some wands can be given a new core to bring them back to life but other wands like those with unicorn horn are bonded too closely to their owners and will simply die and not wilt like others.

As it can be seen, there is more to a wand than it just being a stick that a wizard waves around in his hands. A lot goes into a wand which is why there are wandmakers who go into the long process of making a wand. Not everyone can just go outside and pick up a twig and start casting spells. The wand itself has magical properties of itself. Certain types of wood and wand core are used; this is what makes every wand different. Like Ollivander stated no two wands are the same, just like no two wizards are the same. Many different types of wood is used in making a wand like pine, apple, cedar, maple, oak, yew, and willow to name a few. When wandmakers go out to find wood for a wand they look for a tree with Bowtruckles nearby. Bowtruckles are known to live in trees that possess magic and their wood is the best to use in making a wand. Wand cores are also another important part in making a wand. Dragonheart string, Veela hair and phoenix feather are a few cores that are used. Wand cores are usually taken from a magical creature or being of some sort. This is what makes a wand a wand. With all the different wand wood and wand cores it is not hard to believe that every wand is different as when one first things about it. Once a wand is created it can take on certain characteristics like thier length and rigidity. There can be short stubby wands or long and very flexible wands. These can give away the characteristics of the wand. Flexibility of a wand characterizes the willingness of the wand to bond with another wizard when ownership is won.
Wands are magical instruments in themselves and grow just as wizards grow when learning magic. As it can be thought if a wizard was to start magic without a wand it would be very difficult indeed to channel magic without some sort of help. It is noted when wizards are at a younger age they tend to use magic without knowing or even meaning to. This usually happens when their emotions escape them and magic can be released without intention of doing so. However it is noted that only skilled, powerful and disciplined wizards can use wandless magic in control circumstances. It has been noted that younger wizards might seem like they are able to have control over wandless magic like Tom Riddle did when manipulating animals but they are not trained and might easily lose control. A wizard must discipline themselves on the proper use of wandless magic just like a wizard must discipline themselves on controlling magic.
So why not start off teaching all wizards wandless magic and not even introduce a wand? This could be in fact a very dangerous method in teaching wizards how to control their magic. Someone casting a spell could be trying to heat up a cup of coffee but end up catching the desk that it is sitting on fire instead. However, isn’t all the magical schooling is doing is showing them how to control their magic? The magical abilities are in the wizards they usually show signs at an early age, they just go to school to learn how to control it and use it at their own biding. When the wizard gets his first wand both the wand and its master are inexperienced in magic. As the master learns more magic and practice spells both the wand and its master grows together as stated in the second law of wandlore stated earlier. Without the wand the caster would have issues channeling their magic. Learning how to cast magic without a wand would be a long and difficult process but one that could probably be mastered in time. The caster would learn spells at a much slower rate than one who had a wand. It is like riding a bike with training wheels. One can simply start off riding a bike without them but it would be harder to keep balance and learn how to without training wheels but it is not an impossible task.

Wandless magic is more than capable of being done. It has been shown in both the younger, inexperienced wizards and in the more powerful, disciplined wizards. Learning how to control magic without the aid of a wand is not a farfetched idea; however it would be a very time consuming one indeed. Being dependent on a wand at times will have its drawbacks but once a wizard has mastered controlling magic it would be better for them to move onto preforming wandless magic than starting off learning wandless magic from the start. The wizard has already learned the discipline of using the magic they have the next step would be to channel the magic in another way other than through a wand. In the long run it would be a much safer process to learn controlling magic by wand than wandless magic than starting off learning wandless magic from the start. The wizard would have already learned how to channel the magic, wandless magic is just finding another way of channeling that magic.

Word Count: 1511
Class based on: DADA: Wandless Magic Discussion
Sources: http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Wand
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Wandlore#
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Wandless_spell

Subject: Re: DADA- Wands and Wandless Magic Tue Feb 19 2013, 18:25

Very interesting argument that ties in a lot, and explains a lot of about young wizard outbursts, too! Since you just barely reached this word count though, I'm going to stick closer to the other grading system (sorry)

340 points! Outstanding

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