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Chapter 178

To: hjp1980 .uk

From:

Dear Harry

What exactly does it mean to have your magic bound? I understand that it would mean that you cannot use magic anymore but what else does it do to a witch or wizard? Magic seems so much a part of you, can they just take it away like that? Does it have other effects than just being unable to cast spells? Or does it just prevent you from being able to channel magic through a wand or with your hands? I guess it could mean that you couldn't heal yourself the way you do, so if they did bind your magic, then you'd be at even more risk at the Dursleys or trying to live on your own or were placed into a bad foster home. What I'm really concerned about is whether removing your access to your magic is going to cause some sort of chemical imbalance in your brain that causes depression or makes it difficult to think clearly, or if it would affect your energy levels or immune system or make you unwell? I know that emotionally taking away something you can do would be a blow but you've been raised in the nonmagical world and you've kept up your education in that world too so losing your magic wouldn't have as much effect as it would on others if there wasn't any terrible side effects that we don't know about. But from all your other dealing with the ministry for magic and the adults you've met at Hogwarts, I can deduce that they wouldn't care if there were.

It sounds like a way to limit the number of muggleborn witches and wizards, or to prevent them from learning magic without also learning the social beliefs of the British magical society by forcing them to attend Hogwarts instead of any other school so they have the choice of staying at Hogwarts where they're not learning any nonmagical subjects or having their magic bound. I bet there are a lot of muggleborn witches and wizards who would've chosen to return to muggle schooling, or who wish that they had kept up with their non magical education who only stayed because of the threat of losing their magic.

I would assume that if there really is a problem with untrained witches and wizards not using their magic or using magic unsupervised, then there would be some sort of safeguards or monitoring system in place in every country not just in Britain. I would think that there would need to be in any case because small children couldn't be trusted not to use magic to get what they want. Not all children are brought up to be as careful as you were, because the consequences of alerting Vernon and Petunia to you using magic were so severe and even then, you told me of several episodes where your magic acted without your control or permission. So, attending nonmagical schooling and trying to teach yourself magic may not be an option even if you do manage to leave the country. Of course, if you enter in a nonmagical way, particularly by doing something like stowing away on a plane or ship, then they won't know that you're in the country to be monitored, unless you set off some sort of magical detector. Then again, nobody came to investigate the times you used magic when you were in the hideout while you were visiting. Maybe it isn't monitored except for extreme outbursts of uncontrolled magic, because nothing you did while you were here was seen by anyone except me or beyond your control.

Are there wards or something that can hide the use of magic inside a house or building so you could practice your magic every day without risking someone noticing, because you will need that if someone is able to use your magic use to find you?

The other problem if you do need to use magic every day to maintain control of it will be doing it without anyone seeing, particularly if you end up in a boarding school or foster family with limited privacy. I don't think that you can count on finding a hideout like I had in Vegas. Even it may not still be safe to use, there were posters up last time I was there announcing a new business and housing complex to be built there, shops and restaurants on the ground floor then two floors of offices then apartments for sale or long-term rent on the top. There seem to be more homeless people on the streets in LA, than in Vegas but maybe they're just more visible with their tent cities along the freeways and under bridges. After all I was pretty much out in the suburbs in Vegas, and I am in Pasadena too but if you end up in foster care there's no guarantee you'll remain in this county even though the system is state based. You still might end up a couple of hours from here if there isn't anyone closer with availability who is willing to take in a boy your age.

Portkeys sound hugely convenient but also like they could be ridiculously dangerous when you describe them like that. You're right that you couldn't trust a stranger to make one for you though a reputable supplier wouldn't be part of deliberately sending people to the wrong place, word would get around about something like that. There's also the possibility that even a portkey made by the ministry might accidentally send you to the wrong place if they had to make too many at the same time and got a few mixed up. It must be fairly easy to make a mistake if there's nothing about the portkey to advise of its destination.

Ethan contacted me today, he says that he's regretting that his family won't let him stay in college to attend the summer semester, but he's also talking about meeting up with and rejoining the band he started for fun last summer, and picking up a regular gig playing piano at a golf club and at a retirement village which he is enjoying. I know he chose Dabney house because of the piano here. Sometimes when I listen to him play, I think that he likes music more than math or science, but he says that there isn't a good living in it unless you become part of a famous band and the chances of success are too low to plan on making a career out of it unless you're already famous. I'm sure he's right, there are probably as many hopeful musicians working supermarket checkouts and waiting tables or standing on streetcorners as there are part time actors wanting to make it big.

Batman could read everything that there is to know about a subject in a fairly short space of time if he had access to the information and he's said to have a photographic memory so he can recall everything he's read but it's also been documented that he isn't a genius, which doesn't make much sense unless he's not capable of understanding and using the information he's read. But then what would be the point of being able to read and recall the information in the first place.

Your friend always

Spencer

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed followed or favourited this story for your support.