--- In hpmush-logs@yahoogroups.com, Tengu <julie@c...> wrote:

Title: OOC Seminar - Magic Use
What: OOC Seminar on Magic Use - Transportation, Animagi, Conjuring,
Patronus, Others
Where: Meeting Room
Who: Admins and players
When: RL date - January 2, 2003
Why: Because we love you!
Logger: Tengu

You say "Okay, let's start. :) This will be logged and posted to the
logs
list. If you want to ask something semi-anonymously, you can page
me or one
of the other Admins."

You say "This seminar is on Magic Use. Who can do what and the
limitations on
it and things like that."

You say "The first place to start is canon spells. The Lexicon
website has
helpfully catalogued all of them. They are at.."

You say "http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/spells.html"

You say "We've listed some of these in 'news magic learning' under
the year in
which you'd learn it, or be able to perform it even if it wasn't
actually
taught in class. The news entry is /not/ comprehensive. No need to
duplicate the Lexicon's work. :)"

You say "I'll mention a couple of things that lead to the most
questions."

You say "Conjuring. This is listed as an adult spell, because in the
books, we
only see adults doing it. Conjuring appears to be creating
something out of
nothing. But it's only temporary. You can only conjure something
you know
pretty well. So for instance.. furniture is pretty simple."

You say "Conjuring food would not give you lasting sustenance. And
Rowling has
said in an interview that there are laws about what you can
conjure. For
instance, conjuring money would be illegal. You'd ruin the economy
and tick
people off. Like with the fool's gold that the leprechauns at the
world cup
were playing with."

Tengu pauses if there's any questions so far. Then I'll move on to
Apparating
and Animagi. :)

You say "Apparating. Only adult wizards can do this. But
additionally, only
adult wizards with licenses. We've extrapolated this to assume
there's a
class on it. Such as driver's education for a driver's license.
Newly
graduated witches and wizards (and possibly a few older ones)
attend
classes that are mostly held in the summer. You learn how to
Apparate and
then take a test to acquire your license. We're assuming that
Apparating
requires the use of a wand. And of course you can't Apparate on or
off
Hogwarts grounds."

You say "Animagus is a complex spell that requires permission from the
Ministry to even try. You have to fill out paperwork and pass a
series of
tests. Most of these are of the psychological sort. Once you're
granted
permission to attempt it, you may not be successful. And what
animal you
become is dependent on your personality."

Echidna says "Or floo on or off Hogwarts grounds, though you can floo
within
the castle, as we've seen Lupin do canonically."

You say "Was I talking about floo? :)"

Echidna says "Nope. :)"

You say "Apparating, for those who haven't read the books, is
basically
teleporting."

You say "WE believe the range is limited. So while you can Apparate
from say..
England to Scotland.. you'd not be able to Apparate directly to
China."

Madeline says "Oh! I have a question. n_n;"

You say "Yes?"

Madeline also interrupts. x_x;; Anyway. That brings up the question
about
portkey travel for me, at least? Especially during the holidays?
Answer
that after this, though. n_n;;

You say "Alright. Let me do floo and portkey and then we'll get back
to
Animagi if there were questions there. :)"

You say "Flooing is a network of fireplaces, registered with the
Ministry. It
requires floo powder and a clearly spoken destination. Book 2 of
course
gives us the best description here. But book 4 as well. :)"

You say "You can floo within Hogwarts, as we see Lupin do in book 3.
But you
can't floo /into/ or /out of/ Hogwarts."

You say "Muggle residences won't be on the floo network. Arthur was
pulling
strings to get the Dursleys temporarily on."

You say "The floo network would be limited to the UK and Ireland."

You say "Portkeys are objects that allow underaged wizards, Squibs,
and
multiple people to travel at once. You have to buy one of these
from the
Ministry."

You say "Again the portkeys are limited in range, so if you want to
travel
very far, you'll need a series of them."

You say "Apparating allows only the wizards and his clothing and
certain
objects in his possession to travel. He cannot transport pets or
other
people that way."

You say "Fire-talking is related to floo, in that networked
fireplaces can be
used rather like a video phone."

Tengu is sorry if all of that came out a bit jumbled. Any questions on
transportation?

Lupin says "I think you need to explain portkeys a bit better, Tengu.
There
are public use portkeys, and you didn't even mention those."

Madeline says "How much does a portkey generally cost? n_n; The travel
expense, really?"

Kirin says "Sorry to keep you waiting, Madeline. That's a very good
question,
and we're consulting about it."

Delila says "You got them:)"

Phillip says "Go Madeline! Asking the tuff stuff."

Aurora high fives

Madeline touches a finger to her arm and mock-winces. "Ooh, smoking!"

Phillip dives for Madeline and cuddles up to the "hot" chick. ;)

Madeline snerks. "No worries, Kirin. Take your time."

Lark laughs.

Madeline wonders if portkeys might be set up like airports, almost.
o.o;;
...my musings are /so/ random. Also, could someone buy an actual
portkey
and then set it up to different locations depending on where they
want to
travel?

Pixie says "Let me backtrack a bit, since Tengu was kind of wandering
all over
the place and I think the transportation is really more integrated
than
that. There are 3 main magical modes of transport (not counting
the methods
where you physically move from point X to point Y by walking,
driving,
taking a broom). Apparition, Floo, Portkeys."

Pixie says "Apparition is, as Tengu said, limited in range and also
restricted
to licensed people. It's basically a less limited and less messy
floo
system. You can go where you want without getting all sooty or
worrying
about a fireplace. It's also dangerous, since you're using your
own magical
power rather than a well established ministry supported system."

Pixie says "Floo networks are enclosed networks of fireplaces where
each
fireplace can be reached by all the others on the network. It is
similar
to, but not identical to, the fire talking network. Anyone who can
talk can
use floo, so if you have a very young child, you are out of luck.
Now, just
like in the muggle world, countries want to control who enters and
exits
them in the wizarding world. So within each country the floo
network is
internal -- you can't get to a fire in China from England. While
it is
technically possible to hop across Europe via Apparition, it's a
little
dangerous to randomly pop into unfamiliar locales, and since you
have to do
it all yourself, eventually you'd probably get tired. Plus, you
can't
really carry as much stuff with you as you could with other
methods.
Apparition is just you, and perhaps your purse. Floo can take more
items,
because it's a less complex spell -- there are a limited number of
destinations, etc. So you could take your school trunk with you
that way."

Pixie says "So then there's portkeys, which are capable of going the
longest
distance but are also the most limited. A portkey goes only from
point X to
point Y, period. It will never go somewhere else. There are two
types of
portkeys -- the automatic kind, like Harry and Cedric encountered,
and the
ones that are triggered at a certain time (or possibly by a
password of
some kind). Now, the way we've pictured international travel is
like this:
Jennie floos to the portkey station for her country. There she
pays for a
ticket, which gives her the right to stand about and touch the
portkey to
the particular location she wants to go to. At the appointed time,
she'll
be transported to the portkey station in that country, where she
can go
through customs and then enter the internal floo network there and
continue
on to her destination."

Pixie says "For big public events there may be free transport
available, like
the Quidditch Cup -- it was included in the price of the tickets
for the
event. And people /can/ purchase or create portkeys for their own
personal
use, but they're regulated, and need to be registered with the
Ministry."

Pixie says "Ok. Did I manage to cover your questions, Madeline? :)"

Madeline says "Perfect. n_n Thanks, Pix!"

Pixie says "Sort of like the way muggle airline tickets work, it may
be
cheaper to buy a portkey ticket for smaller hops rather than a
direct
flight. ;) Or you may not be able to go directly from where you
are."

Maximilian says "Are Portkeys one-way only, or can they be used to
get from
Point Y to Point X, and back again?"

Pixie says "It really depends on the key. It's easier to have a
particular key
go just one way, and then make a second to go the reverse, but it
really
depends on the key, I'd say, and whether or not it travels with
you. It
seems like the public ones probably wouldn't go with you in that
fashion,
but a personal one certainly could. (The Tri Wizard cup went with
Harry and
Cedric, I think?)"

Tommy sings, "I'm leaving... On a Portkey..." And on that note, it's
time to
sleep...

Snape says "At the end of GoF, the Cup travelled with Harry and
Cedric both
ways."

Madeline says "It did. He had to grab it to get back. n_n;"

Lark nods and remembers

Madeline says "Likewise, whatever you're holding onto would be
transported
with you in a portkey, right?"

Pixie says "Thanks, Snape. :) So hm. I think Voldy's key was not
quite normal,
since it worked the moment it was touched. Possibly that behavior
was a
side-effect of how it was made."

Pixie says "Right, Madeline. :) It's better for travelling as it can
suck more
things along with it."

You say "Is that it on transportation?"

You say "I'm going to go back to animagi, cuz we had a question on
it. We
haven't worked out the OOC process to become one. But first of
all, you'd
have to be an adult. And you'd +mail plots with the request to
try. You'd
OOCly be able to choose the animal if we gave you permission to
run with
the plot. We're not going to make you be a flobberworm. :)"

Maximilian laughs.

Lark grins.

Pixie awws. We aren't?!

Pixie sulks.

Maximilian thinks all flobberworm animagi wind up as ingredients in
Snape's
classes. ;)

Madeline wants to be a flobberworm animagi. ;_; That'd be neat.

Snape shushes Max. "If you weren't in my house, boy, I'd dock points
for your
indiscretion."

Lark says "I wouldn't put it past Snape ;)"

Maximilian oopses, and shushes up like a good little Prefect
should. "Sorry,
housedaddy." ^^

Snape gives Lark The Glare. With Eyebrow. ,:| <- See?

Delila hehs

Madeline says "Housedaddy? o.o"

Lark laughs

Saifon keeps her mouth /closed/.

Snape Just STARES at Max.

Matthew snickers.

Lupin points and laughs.

You say "There are 11 canon Animagi. Not all of them named, some of
them dead.
So we're not going to approve Animagi left and right. Though more
people
will ICly /try/ than actually be successful."

Snape says "You mispronounced Mack Daddy."

Aurora shakes her head, "Housedaddy."

Saifon randomly declares, "I don't have a housedaddy! Go Flitwick!" ;D

Madeline joins Lupin. Haha.

You say "We're also not too likely to approve someone trying it
without going
through the IC Ministry hoops. You'd have to be very
convincing. :)"

Madeline says "Tengu, what would you say the age for someone trying
to an
animagi would be? Or, around when they'd be successful. I'd think
the
Ministry wouldn't let most eighteen years old give it a go, right?"

Snape idly speculates that near misses would be ICly interesting.
Maybe you'd
end up with fur in interesting places. Or claws.

Saifon shushes Snape. Don't encourage the furries. ;D J/K

Delila ewws;p

Snape acks at Saifon. Perish the thought!!!

Matthew shudders.

Madeline would find it funny if someone ended up a pig snout. XD Or a
beak.
That'd make for an interesting conversation starter. XD

Phillip attempts to steer people back on-topic... but since he can't
drive, he
just crashes into Snape.

Snape glares at Madeline. "The FIRST person making a Nose Joke will
get hexed."

You say "As long as you're a graduated adult, you can apply with the
Ministry.
But like I touched on before. You have to prove you're sane,
stable,
mentally strong, a skilled wizard/witch.. basically that you have
a good
chance of succeeding and aren't going to go on an insane killing
spree
afterward. :)"

Lark raises her hand. "What about apparating tests? Is there going to
be an
ooc system for it too?"

Maximilian thinks it'd be really difficult, but not outside the realm
of
possibility for an 18 year old. "I mean, as difficult as they make
it seem,
and despite the fact that he had help, let's not forget that Peter
managed
to do it."

Maximilian says "If he could, I'm sure anyone who worked hard enough
at it
would be able to get it right, eventually."

Snape says "As long as they didn't get it _badly_ wrong at first. If
you wound
up with an animal's mind, I imagine you'd be in Profound Poo."

Madeline says "I was considering that the Ministry might regulate an
age of
sorts, Maxxy. n_n; Not that it was impossible for people young.
n_n;"

Maximilian noddles.

Pixie says "In general, most adult wizards are going to have gotten
their
Apparating license. So as long as you don't RP that you've gotten
it until
about the August after you graduate, there's nothing you have to
do to say
you have it. If you want to do a plot where you fail your exam
somehow,
you'd want to talk to us."

You say "They're going to look at 18 year old registrants a little
more
closely probably. Just from the maturity issue. Lots of graduates
might
think to try it on a lark. (No pun intended, Lark.)"

Lark grins.

Maximilian ahs, and nods. "Maybe... although, age limits don't really
seem to
be a thing in the Wizarding World, from the books. They pretty
much seem to
treat anyone who's graduated Hogwarts as an adult."

You say "Heloise ran an Apparating class a couple weeks ago. We'll
probably
try that again next summer."

You say "Let me go over noncanon spells briefly. And then we can talk
about
any magic thing people want to talk about. Whether it's a question
about a
particular spell, or brooms or wands or whatever."

You say "There are some spells tha tplayers have invented in the
+info. '+info
spells'. The info explains how it works and what level you have to
be to
perform it. If you'd like to submit one, follow the format that's
in there
and submit it to.."

You say "+mail plots, was it, Pixie?"

Pixie says "Yeah, you should +mail plots first, so it can be
approved."

You say "We'll look at it to see if we thinks it seems to fit into
the canon.
Whether it seems too powerful, or is already covered by another
spell, or
seems to contradict an established rule. Things ilke that."

You say "Okay, I think that was briefly. :) Did anyone have anything
they
wanted to discuss? Maybe we should cover Patronus."

Maximilian says "That would be a good idea. Quick question, though.
What
should we expect the turn around on submitted spells to be? :)"

Shelley has been sitting here and logging, generally. I've noted that
there's
a very finite number of spells available to PCs, though it seems
there's
books and books of simple ones in the stories....

Shelley also lags.

Echidna says "That's what we're talking about with +info. If you have
a good
idea for a simple spell you'd like to use, let us know about it."

Rebecca says "there's a good resource for spells from the books at
http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/spells.html if that's helpful
at all."

You say "As I said before and some of you may have missed, 'news magic
learning' was never meant to be comprehensive. Since the
Lexicon /is/
comprehensive."

Maximilian says "The main problem with the Lexicon's spell
encylopedia (it's
more of a problem with the books, really) is that it lacks
incantations or
specifics on a lot of spells."

Snape says "That's because the _books_ lack incantations or specifics,
unfortunately."

You say "I prefer to be vague myself. There's no need to use a
specific
incantation. You can just vaguely pose you said something. Or say
you
murmured or whispered it."

You say "Older wizards with simpler spells don't seem to need an
incantation
anyway."

Maximilian thwaps Snape, and points to what I said in parenthesis. ;)

You say "Let me do Patronus before I forget. :)"

Pixie says "And we do like new spells. Lower level spells that are
silly hexes
are probably going to get looked at pretty quickly -- since it
seems like
the kids pick those up on the street. If it's a longer or more
powerful
spell, it may take more discussion."

Aurora says "What if a situation arises where a simple spell would be
used in
everyday RP, would get make one up using Latin and whatnot?"

Echidna says "As for turn-around, it depends on what else we've got
on our
plates at that particular moment. If we're swamped with planning
and apps,
it might take a little while. Feel free to poke us if we don't get
back to
you within a few days, though."

You say "This is an adult spell. If you're a student and you want to
know
this, you're going to have to +mail us and ask. And while it's an
adult
spell, this does /not/ mean that every adult knows it. Most would
not have
had need of it until quite recently. And even those who
might /want/ to
know it, can't necessarily do it."

Maximilian noddles.

Lark nods.

Maximilian thinks that with the current IC climate, there's probably
going to
be a lot of students who will want to give it a shot. Or maybe
even parents
insisting that it be taught?

Maximilian says "In fact, that makes me wonder. Is there anything
like a
Wizard's PTA? :)"

You say "Patronus is only effective against Dementors. It's basically
just a
charge of happy thought. Which Dementors don't like. It's not
going to be
useful against say.. werewolves. :)"

Lark says "Are there any other ways to get rid of dementors without
knowing
the Patronus spell? Since not everyone knows/can teach Patronus?"

Lupin says "Of course not. Werewolves are much cooler than that."

Snape *COUGHCOUGH*s

Lark laughs!

You say "To go back to Aurora's question. We ask that people do not
invent
spells on the fly. If it's not in the Lexicon or in the +info,
then it
needs to be submitted to plots."

Maximilian patpats Snape. "I'm sure if you give them your meanest
look, it'll
send them running."

Rebecca hrms...question on the patronus only working on dementors?
Was Draco
just scared rather than affected when Harry threw it at him? And
same with
the Bogart?

You say "I've found that sticking to the Lexicon is an interesting
mental
exercise. Like.. well, I could do a spell to unscrew the cap of
this jar,
but how else could I get it open? And then search the lexicon's
list to
find a couple that might work."

Madeline says "I would say that teaching that spell (Patronus) would
be up to
the person instructing DADA, right? Such as Harry approaching
Lupin? A
student could potentially approach the DADA professor and ask for
lessons,
I'd imagine? Or the professor could even do it as a lesson. /end
random."

Lark nodnods.

Pixie says "Well, it's a really advanced spell. It took Lupin quite a
while
one-on-one with Harry to get him to do /anything/. I'm not sure as
the DADA
teacher would have time to do that for everyone, or even an entire
year of
students."

You say "Lark's question. Ways to get rid of dementors. Well, some
people were
creative in our two attacks. Some tried fire. There are shield
spells. But
the most effective is to /escape/. Flee. Or try to hold out until
the
Ministry people show up to do their job."

You say "Rebecca's question. Draco had been standing on one of his
goons. And
they had long robes. BAsically the Patronus scared them and they
tumbled.
Then there was a bit of panic and they got tangled up in the
robes."

Lark nods.

You say "Patronus worked on the boggart because it had taken the form
of a
dementor for Harry."

Rebecca says "got it"

You say "Did that cover everyone's question?"

You say "And did anyone have questions on something else? Brooms,
wands..
hrm.. cancelling spells?"

Maximilian says "Cancelling spells is something that should probably
be
explained a little. And maybe what you can do with a wand without
actually
using an incantation or spell? Like the sparks, bubbles, and other
such
things that you get when you're testing out a wand?"

Phillip says "Can I combine magic and kung fu to make a PC that no
one wants
to play with? :)"

Lark says "I was going to ask the same thing, Max ;)"

Matthew says "So was I :D"

Maximilian grins.

You say "Some spells have a counterspell. Presumably you're taught
both at
more or less the same time."

You say "Like the loudspeaker spell. Or engorgio."

You say "There is also a more general cancellation spell which is
um.. finite
incantatum (did I get that right?)"

You say "It's much easier to do this on your /own/ spells. Only
older/more
skillful wizards can cast it on someone else's spell."

You say "Other spells are only temporary and it's just easier to wait
for them
to wear off."

Echidna says "Wands do have several incantationless effects, as
mentioned,
with the sparks and such. Other things we saw (birds,
flowers) /did/ have
an incantation associated."

You say "We believe each wizard has a sort of magical frequency. This
is why
only certain wands will do. And this is why it's difficult to
cancel
someone else's spell."

Echidna thinks Ron's wand did some funny things on its own while it
was
malfunctioning.

<Fin>
--- End forwarded message ---