Ginny surely didn't know Parseltongue. It was a dark and rare skill.  Talking about Riddle's diary, it was merely hypnotizing Ginny.  But, how exactly did Ginny control Basilisk without knowing Parseltongue?
124155
Tom Riddle used Ginny Weasley to open the Chamber of Secrets, which requires the ability to speak Parseltongue.   Ginny must have spoken Parseltongue to open the chamber -- does this qualify Ginny as a Parselmouth?
45919
In HP and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry, Ron, and Hermione  by brewing Polyjuice Potion and drugging and impersonating other students, just in order to get into the Slytherin common room and probe Malfoy for information about the Chamber of Secrets.  Is this little adventure ever discovered by Those in Charge (teachers)? Or even by Malfoy?  If so, did they ever get punished? I can't see how they could fairly have avoided it (other than they're the Golden Trio and always do). In the end they don't actually get any useful information, except that Malfoy isn't the culprit. This escapade doesn't help them at all in their eventual discovery of the culprit and destruction of the Basilisk. It was just motivated by their suspicion of Malfoy, which was essentially based on "he's Slytherin and we don't like him" and turned out to be unfounded.  If not, how could it remain undetected? Hermione's skill with Polyjuice Potion is eventually common knowledge ... more importantly, why didn't Crabbe and Goyle run to tell someone when they woke up and found they'd been drugged? Did the topic never come up between Malfoy and the pair of them, with Malfoy realising he'd been talking to impostors? What did they tell Madam Pomfrey about Hermione's semifelinity after her failed attempt to Polyjuice herself into Millicent Bulstrode?
67436
‘Nice loud howl, Harry – exactly – and then, if you’ll believe it, I pounced – like this – slammed [the werewolf] to the floor – thus – with one hand, I managed to hold him down – with my other, I put my wand to his throat – I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm – he let out a piteous moan – go on, Harry – higher than that – good – the fur vanished – the fangs shrank – and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective – and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks.’   Gilderoy Lockhart - Chamber of Secrets - chapter 10 - The Rogue Bludger   Yeah, yeah. I know: consider the source! We all know Gilderoy Lockhart is a fake and a fraud in that he took credit for other heroic wizards' work. However, it occurred to me that in order to sell his books, he would have had to have written accurate and real spells and charms and potions, etc, into the books, or else everyone would have known right away that he was a turkey.   So is it possible there's an actual Homorphus Charm that will change a werewolf back into a human before the werewolf's moon cycle is over? If so, why on earth would they not have used it on Remus Lupin (for Lupin's safety) or Fenrir Greyback (for the community's safety)?
34847
Dolores Umbridge's dislike of Muggles, Muggle-born witches and wizards and half-breeds is quite obvious. In Order of the Phoenix she takes a particular dislike to Hagrid due to his giantess mother (and his allegiance to Dumbledore), as well as to the centaur Firenze who takes over as Divination teacher after Professor Trelawney is sacked. And, of course, during Deathly Hallows she is made Head of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission.  In Deathly Hallows, when Hermione (under the effects of Polyjuice potion) comments on the locket she's wearing, Umbridge says this:     "That's - that's pretty, Dolores," she said, pointing at the pendant gleaming in the ruffled folds of Umbridge's blouse.      "What?" snapped Umbridge, glancing down. "Oh yes - an old family heirloom," she said, patting the locket lying on her large bosom. "The S stands for Selwyn... I am related to the Selwyns... Indeed, there are few pure-blood families to whom I am not related. ..."   That seems a rather large and contrived lie to tell just to explain her possession of the locket, considering her blood status had never been questioned by the Ministry. I don't remember it being covered anywhere in the books (which I just recently re-read, so I'd hope I'd remember if it had been!), but I was wondering if there was any other evidence (interviews, etc) to say whether Umbridge was Pure-blood, Half-blood or Muggle-born?
17024
In the Harry Potter series, are wizards capable of creating their own spells, or are they limited to the spells that they're taught/learn?  I seem to remember something about Snape creating sectumsempra, but I'm not sure if that really is the case.
76761
Harry is a half-blood and Ginny is a pure-blood, so what does that make his children? I've been told it means they are pure-bloods but I can't be sure. What do you think?
105630
I understand that as Harry can speak and understand Parseltongue, he could hear the Basilisk's voice from through the walls.   (So, people who can't understand Parseltongue would hear it speak, as a hiss.)  But, when a basilisk is speaking, it means that people who aren't Parseltongue should hear a hissing sound?   Then, why didn't Ron and Hermione hear the hissing sound, even though when they are straining their ears to hear one?    Some points to keep in mind:   The basilisk spoke only to Harry, as it's on a mission. So, it might not have even hissed apart from the two occasions when it spoke(or inform?) to Harry through the walls/pipes. []
27378
I was wondering how come Harry was able to do Lumos without touching his wand in OotP. I remember that he tried to do magic without his wand before (or afterwards), and he couldn't.  Sorry if this is a repeat question. I couldn't find the answer anywhere.
91553
Dumbledore performed the Fidelius charm on the Potters, so he knew who the Secret-Keeper was1. That implies he knew not Sirius but Wormtail betrayed the Potters. Why didn't he prevent Sirius's conviction and suspect the explosion killing twelve Muggles was caused by Wormtail (and that Sirius cornered Wormtail instead of the other way around)?   1: Though in  it is said Dumbledore didn't know. I find it hard to believe the person casting the Fidelius charm doesn't know who the Secret-Keeper is.
48470
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets it is revealed that      Ginny is being possessed by Tom Riddle and is the one opening the Chamber of Secrets.   The book seems relatively without holes in this regard.  However in the movie when Harry discovers Justin Flinch-Fletchley we see moments prior to this      Ginny is studying in a room full of people.   This implies that the person opening the chamber of secrets couldn't have been in the chamber when the second attack occurs.  Is this just a goof in the movie or is there an alternate explanation for this?  Is the Basilisk acting on its own in the movie?
66602
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Hermione is in the toilets when Harry and Ron lock in the troll. She lies and says that she went looking for the troll. Why? She could have just said that she was in there because she needed the toilet (she was allowed to be, it's a girls' bathroom) and Harry and Ron came to save her.   Is there a reason she lied?
22290
, it was asked, why did Hermione whisper Levicorpus, instead of using it non-verbally. This is in the scene in The Deathly Hallows, where the trio are in the Lestrange Vault, trying to steal Helga Hufflepuff's cup. Harry couldn't reach the cup, so Hermione used the Levicorpus spell.  However, as shown when Harry first used that spell on Ron, and when James used it on Snape, that this particular spell lifts up the target by his ankle. Which would obviously cause the target to swing completely upside down if he is standing up. That's why James used it to embarrass Snape. Of course, then you'd have the difficulties of being upside down.   In the Lestrange Vault, Griphook warned the trio that Geminio and Flagrante curses had been added to everything, so the treasures would burn and multiply if touched. Ron demonstrated this by touching a cup. So subsequently, everyone avoided touching anything as far as possible. Now, Hermione knew that the effect of Levicorpus is to hoist the target up by his ankle, and at the same time, swinging him upside down. As shown in the book, Harry actually did hit something after being yanked up.  So out of all the spells, why did she use Levicorpus, and risk Harry hitting more things? She certainly could have used another spell, like Wingardium Leviosa. After all, she had mastered the spell before anyone else in their class. And it would definitely have given her more control of where Harry would move, so he wouldn't have hit anything. Why use Levicorpus and not Wingardium Leviosa?
102006
This is mostly a memory question - I'm having a hard time remembering this and I can't read the book right now.  On the first book, a snake at the zoo winks at Harry. For the sake of the question, we'll assume that snakes can in fact wink.  I have a fuzzy memory here - I think that it winked before Harry had any kind of interaction with the snake (was this before or after Harry broke the glass?)  So, why did the snake wink at Harry? Given that they had not met ever before.  I suppose that the only reason it would wink at Harry would be because it knows Harry can communicate with it. But this would imply that snakes are capable of sensing such ability on wizards - is there (other) evidence that this is true?
25994
During Goblet of Fire, Voldemort lured Harry away from Hogwarts and into a Muggle cemetery. This was done during the Triwizard tournament to make Harry’s death look like an accident.  Harry was supposed to have a Trace on him, so why couldn’t the Ministry tell an underage wizard was performing magic (Expelliarmus) in a Muggle cemetery? Or (as the Trace seems to pick up ANY magic used near a young wizard/witch) magic used by the Death Eaters?
89262
I've come across the following passage from Mina Murray's diary (from Dracula ). Mina is worried that her finance hasn't written to her for quite a long time.     No news from Jonathan. I am getting quite uneasy about him, though why I should I do not kno; but I do wish that he would write, if it were only a single line.    What will be the difference between would write and wrote in this case? I, personally, think that original sentence is entirely about the present. She wants him to to drop a few lines, and she still hopes that he'll do this. And with "wrote" it would mean sort of she wants him to have written to her. Somewhat she wants not to worry right now, but it's impossible because she got nothing from him, not a line. I've just shared my thoughts, but I'm not so sure  about them. Possibly, someone can make it clear for me.   Many thanks!
108858
Thinking about it while I was writing up my other question about Dudley's pig's tail, it occurred to me that I cannot think of a single instance in which the Dursleys -- Verrnon, Petunia, and Dudley -- had their memories modified, even though they have witnessed numerous incidents of a witch or wizard performing magic.   They witnessed Hagrid giving Dudley the pig's tail. They've witnessed numerous owl post deliveries. They've noticed that wherever they go, or Harry goes, they can always be found. They witness Dobby dropping the pudding on Mrs Mason in CoS (they think Harry did it, though) and of course there's the incident with Aunt Marge. Marge seems to be the only Dursley whose had her memory modified by the Accidential Magic Reversal Squad; meanwhile, the Ministry allows Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley to keep their memories of what happened to Marge. They're allowed to keep their memories of the Dementor attack, and when George, Fred, Ron, and Arthur come to Privet Drive to collect Harry in, I believe, GoF, and one of the twins feeds Dudley Ton-Tongue Taffy and Dudder's tongue grows about six feet long, there is no consequence from the Ministry, it seems. There are plenty of other examples.  Why doesn't the Ministry ever modify the Dursleys' memories?  &#9733; I don't prefer an answer from the HP Wikia or the Wikipedia.   ETA: I really do get what people are saying about Muggle families with witches in wizards in them, and how they cannot be Obliviated for every little thing. That makes sense now that people have explained it. But I still wonder about Dudley's piggy tail because that would have essentially been introducing a magical pig's tail into the Muggle world via a Muggle hospital, to Muggles doctors who have no familial connection to the Dursleys. Would the Ministry want that happening? It truly surprises me that no one had their memory modified as a result of the pig's tail incident.
60393
Something always bothered me with Fudge's accusations:     “Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August,” said Fudge in a   ringing voice, and Percy began taking notes at once, “into offences   committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage   Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James   Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging,   Surrey." - OotP Ch. 8 "The Hearing"   Harry cast the Patronus Charm, so he violated the Decree for Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery alright - extinuating circumstances aside - but how did he breach the Statute of Secrecy?  The only witnesses were Dudley and Mrs. Figg, both of whom already knew that Harry is a wizard. Earlier, even Hermione gets it wrong (don't tell her!):     They haven’t even reported that you broke the International Statute of   Secrecy. We thought they would,... - OotP Ch. 4 "#12"   Yes, Harry does use magic in front of a Muggle, Dudley, but even Dudley is not so thick that the fact that Harry's a wizard would come as a revelation to him. Harry cannot breach the Statute of Secrecy to someone already in the know.  Shouldn't Dumbledore point out that glaring error in the indictment sooner rather than later? Or at least mention it, at all?  Is there maybe a source that mentions the Statute of Secrecy containing a clause, that even the mere possibility of magic being witnessed by an uninitiated muggle is sufficient for its breach?? Cause if so, wouldn't even adult wizards have a really tough time doing anything, ever.  Possibly related: