Harry and the Young Sorcerer’s Question
By Zach L. Fall 2005


One snowy day in Gryffindor tower, Harry Potter was studying from his intro to psychology book. Much like the snow outside during this dreadfully depressing time of year, a question was starting to build up in the back of Harry’s mind. As he continued to read on in the section about how we value our education, Harry found it harder and harder to concentrate. He had to know the answer to his question before he could possibly continue any farther. So, he turned to his most trusted friend, Ron.


Harry: Hey Ron, you doing anything right now?

Ron: Nope, what’s up Harry?

Harry: I was just thinking, how do you know when you have an education?

Ron: Mum and Dad would tell you that only you know that answer. I bet if you ask Hermoine though, she could help you. She always knows what Mum and Dad mean when they say stuff like that.

Harry: Do you know where she went? I haven’t seen her today yet.

Ron: Probably in the library, she spends all of her other free time with her nose buried in the books there.

After his conversation with Ron, Harry journeys down to the library. He returns Hogwarts: A History, a book he read last week, and starts his search for Hermoine. After about ten minutes, Harry finally spots her hunched over a book in the back corner of the library. Engrossed in her book, entitled Creepy Creatures Common in Caves by G. Lockhart, she does not even notice someone has walked up.


Harry: Hey Hermoine.

Hermoine: AAAHH!!

Harry: Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.

Hermoine: It’s ok, I just didn’t see you there. What do you want?

Harry: I was just reading for psychology and started wondering how you know when you have an education? Ron didn’t know and told me to ask you.

Hermoine: Well Harry, I suppose you'll be able to put to use everything we've been taught here at Hogwarts, and accept the consequences of your actions. That's when you know when you have an education.

Harry: Oh, thanks. I didn’t really think it could have been that simple. See you later.

Hermoine: The simplest things in life are usually the right ones! Bye!


Still not satisfied with Hermione’s answer, Harry seeks out the one person left who he thinks can help him, Dumbledore. Harry finds Dumbledore as he is entering his office. Professor Dumbledore invites Harry to his office, where he finishes reading over some very old scrolls.

Harry: Professor Dumbledore, how do you know when you have an education? Hermoine thinks that when I can use what I've learned here, I'll know I have an education.

Dumbledore: Ah, Miss Granger is an exceptional student, Harry. However, no one can tell you when you have acquired an education. The will to learn is a gift, Harry, use it to the best of your ability.

Harry: But how do I know when I have completed it if I don’t know what it is?
Dumbledore: Well, let us search for that answer together, Harry. Tell me, what do you think education is?

Harry: I think it is when you are smart about a lot of things, and when you know what the right thing to do is.

Dumbledore: Well then, seems you already have a pretty good idea of what education is. Would you say then, based on your belief of what education is, that people who do the right thing all the time are well educated?

Harry: Yes, I suppose that would be a good assumption.

Dumbledore: But then would you say that misters Fred and George Weasley are educated? Are they not top in their class and use their abilities originally? I would think that they are very well educated.

Harry: Well, Professor, I guess I would have to agree with that too.
Dumbledore: Now think of Voldemort. He was said to be one of the most powerful wizards ever. He was a very well educated man as well was he not? But he didn’t always do the right thing did he?
Harry: Voldemort killed my parents.
Dumbledore: Yes Harry, it was a tragedy, what happened to Lily and James. But, we can conclude that to be educated does not necessarily mean you do the right thing all the time. So education is just the amount of knowledge you possess.

Harry: I guess so... but Professor Dumbledore, how do we know when we can be called educated?

Dumbledore: Well what do you think is enough?

Harry: Well what about OWLs? If you get "outstanding" on the exams does that mean you're educated?

Dumbledore: Grades are susceptible to outside influences. Even Hermione could have a bad day and get an "exceeds expectations" on an OWL. Would you be willing to say that she isn't educated?

Harry: That is true, so I guess you can't really base it on how many "outstanding" OWLs or NEWTs you get.

Dumbledore: Well then, Harry, how can anyone devise a way to test if you are educated in a subject without using a grading system?

Harry: I don’t know... there can't be a way...

Dumbledore: Well then we are right where we started. How do you know when you are educated?

Harry: I don't think... maybe it cannot be measured?

Dumbledore: How do you mean, young Harry?

Harry: I think, Professor, that maybe, well, maybe the only way to know we are educated is to know our selves. A person can't tell you if you are educated, because they do not know what you are capable of. And it can't be tested, because everyone is different! You can't compare two people and know if they are educated, because you don't know what they know, what they are capable of doing, unless you are inside their minds. But I will know! I will know when I'm educated, and only I will be able to tell.

Dumbledore: Exactly right my boy. Only you can know when you are educated. It is something you find inside yourself. Only you know when you have satisfied your quest for knowledge. And now, Harry, you had better get to bed. I daresay you'll need your sleep if you plan on winning the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor this year. Would you like a Chocolate Frog, Harry?

Harry: Yes, thank you Professor Dumbledore. Good night.



Bibliography
Plato. Meno. 2nd ed. Indianapolis, Ind.: Hackett Publishing Co., Inc, 1981.
Rowling, J. R. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1999.
Rowling, J. R. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic Inc, 2003.
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1997.
Rowling, J. R. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1999.

Can Wands Hear?
by Lance V.

Summary: It is a snowy day at Hogwarts with Harry, Ron and Hermione are sitting around the Common Rooms fireplace finishing up on some Defense against the Dark Arts homework. Ron is having trouble with the assignment dealing with nonverbal spells. Hermione is there helping him understand how spells work verbally and nonverbally. She then helps him realize the importance of nonverbal spells.

“Do you think with all this homework that we’ll have time for Quidditch practice?” asked Ron.

“I don’t think it’s time we have to worry about, I just hope my fingers don’t freeze off.” Harry said with a smile.

Ron looked over at Hermione with desperation on his face. “How is it possible that these nonverbal spells work? Why are we learning them anyway? “

“How do spells normally work?” asked Hermione.

Ron said, “You say them out loud,” putting extra emphasis on out loud.

“Right, so why does it work when you say it out loud?”

“Well, my wand knows exactly what to do because it heard me.”

“Would your wand work the same if it was in somebody else’s hand?”

“I don’t know. I’d have to try that out to see if it worked.”

“Okay, well let’s try it then shall we?” said Hermione. “Give me your wand and stand over there and say Lumos.”

“Ok,” Ron said while walking over to Hermione to give his wand to her. He then walked over by the chair Harry was sitting in and said, “Lumos!” Nothing happened. “It didn’t work.”

“Why do you think that?”

“It’s because you’re holding it.”

“So, me holding it has an affect on its ability to listen to you.”

“Yeah, maybe,” said Ron

“Well does it listen to me or just listen to you or to anybody?”

“I don’t know. See if it listens to you since you’re holding it.”

“Alright then --- Lumos!” A bright light erupted from the tip of the wand. “So, what did we learn here?” said Hermione.

“It listens to whoever is holding it.”

“Well, if the person holding it has magic capabilities, yes. So it’s as much of a part of me as it’s a part of you while holding it then?”

“Yeah that seems like that would be true.”

“Same thing goes for anybody holding it then?”

“Yeah I suppose.”

“How would holding a wand make it a part of me?” asked Hermione.

“Well it’s touching your skin that’s the only way.” said Ron.

“Is that the only way? Could it be connected to me magically so that it is a part of me? Since wands can do magic, Ron, is it possible that the wand induces some kind of magical connection to a person while being held?”

“Yes I suppose that it could.”

“So could magical connection make it seem like it was actually connected to the mind through touch of the hand such as every other part of my body is connected to the mind in some way?”

“Yes.”

“So when you say a spell you have to think about what spell you’re going to do right?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you have to think about moving?”

“Yes.”

“So what can you deduce from this?”

“Well since the wand is connected magically to the person and that it is also connected to the mind so that it can hear you say the spell out loud.”

“Wands can actually hear? Can they hear while not being touched by anybody? I can hear you while you’re not touching me. Does the wand listen to anybody while it’s not being held?”

“Well let’s find out then, put the wand down and let’s see.” said Ron.

“Alright don’t get pushy,” Hermione put the wand down in the middle of them and walked back to where she had been. “Try saying a spell.”

“Lumos,” a bright light erupted from the tip of the wand. “HA! Look at that Harry,” said Ron excitedly.

“Yeah, great job Ron.” said Harry. “Lumos!” Another blast of bright light shot out of the tip of the wand.

“So since its not touching anybody, does it act on verbal spells?” asked Hermione.

“It appears so.”

“Well, how about nonverbal spells?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t tried.”

“Well let’s try now then. Try using Lumos without speaking.”

“Okay.” Ron started to stare with his eyes squinted in concentration. His face started getting red then exhaled heavily. “I can’t do it,” he said at last.

“So what does that prove?”

“That it doesn’t listen to nonverbal spells while not being held.”

“So now pick your wand up to see if it’ll work while holding it.”

“Okay,” Ron walked over and picked up his wand and looked at it with concentration. A few seconds later the tip exploded in a bright light. “Bloody hell! Wasn’t expecting that.” He was trying to block the light with his other hand.

“So what does that mean? That it worked without chanting the spell?”

“Well yeah! The wand is connected to me magically so it can cast a spell with just thinking the spell in my head like I would think about walking.”

“Yes!”

“Yeah but why are we learning how to do this?”

“Didn’t you just figure that out yourself?”

“Oh right, I suppose it would be a perfect surprise for the person that I was casting the spell against wouldn’t it?

“Yes, yes it would.”



The method that Hermione was using to help Ron with understanding the homework was called the Socratic Method. Where the teacher asks questions for the student to answer that leads to the answer that he/she is looking for. Ron finally understands the homework thanks to Hermione.