It seems to me that Potterverse magic comes in two distinct kinds. There are dueling charms that require line-of-sight, and this is what we actually see being cast. And then there are big area-effect magics like the ones affecting Hogwarts, and we don’t really know anything about those—we never see them being cast. But we do see that such things are rare, and mostly old. This suggests to me that there’s no area-effect combat spells, to be laid on in five minutes before you enter the enemy’s house. Rather there are point-and-shoots, and Epic Ritual Magic, possibly lost to modern wizardkind.
Touching Dumbledore’s magic against the Death Eaters, note that he doesn’t use it until they are defeated and presumably unconscious. This seems to indicate that it’s an ordinary point-and-shoot, perhaps even a slow, easily-dodged one that’s useless on an active target. A point-and-shoot anti-Apparation jinx is useless to Voldemort; if he can jinx you that way he might as well use the AK.
It seems to me that Potterverse magic comes in two distinct kinds. There are dueling charms that require line-of-sight, and this is what we actually see being cast. And then there are big area-effect magics like the ones affecting Hogwarts, and we don’t really know anything about those—we never see them being cast. But we do see that such things are rare, and mostly old. This suggests to me that there’s no area-effect combat spells, to be laid on in five minutes before you enter the enemy’s house. Rather there are point-and-shoots, and Epic Ritual Magic, possibly lost to modern wizardkind.
The original canon didn’t really have the Lost Golden Age elements of MoR. We don’t see a lot of area-affecting spells actually being cast, but we do have stuff like Fred and George turning part of Hogwarts castle into a swamp, in a manner such that Professor Umbridge couldn’t turn it back. In the original canon, it seems more like spells of this sort simply require some know how and competence that might be beyond the average coasted-through-school-and-forgot-everything-they-didn’t-need wizard, but isn’t beyond clever and mischievous upper year students.
I think the reason this kind of magic appears so little on screen is that Rowling simply couldn’t be arsed to come up with rules for how her magic worked beyond the “point and say words” type, so she mostly kept anything with more complicated mechanics offstage.
If we’re talking about canon, I want to point out that they cast an Anti-Disapparation jinx over Hogsmeade in Deathly Hallows, when it was perfectly possible to apparate before. So at the very least we know the ability to cast it on an area isn’t lost to wizardkind.
And to address the more general idea, you may well want to cast a Muffliato or Repello Muggletum over someone’s house before you break in, to avoid attracting attention.
note that he doesn’t use it until they are defeated and presumably unconscious. This seems to indicate that it’s an ordinary point-and-shoot
Or it may also indicate it takes ten seconds to cast.
It seems to me that Potterverse magic comes in two distinct kinds. There are dueling charms that require line-of-sight, and this is what we actually see being cast. And then there are big area-effect magics like the ones affecting Hogwarts, and we don’t really know anything about those—we never see them being cast. But we do see that such things are rare, and mostly old. This suggests to me that there’s no area-effect combat spells, to be laid on in five minutes before you enter the enemy’s house. Rather there are point-and-shoots, and Epic Ritual Magic, possibly lost to modern wizardkind.
Touching Dumbledore’s magic against the Death Eaters, note that he doesn’t use it until they are defeated and presumably unconscious. This seems to indicate that it’s an ordinary point-and-shoot, perhaps even a slow, easily-dodged one that’s useless on an active target. A point-and-shoot anti-Apparation jinx is useless to Voldemort; if he can jinx you that way he might as well use the AK.
The original canon didn’t really have the Lost Golden Age elements of MoR. We don’t see a lot of area-affecting spells actually being cast, but we do have stuff like Fred and George turning part of Hogwarts castle into a swamp, in a manner such that Professor Umbridge couldn’t turn it back. In the original canon, it seems more like spells of this sort simply require some know how and competence that might be beyond the average coasted-through-school-and-forgot-everything-they-didn’t-need wizard, but isn’t beyond clever and mischievous upper year students.
I think the reason this kind of magic appears so little on screen is that Rowling simply couldn’t be arsed to come up with rules for how her magic worked beyond the “point and say words” type, so she mostly kept anything with more complicated mechanics offstage.
Such as canon!Harry Potter.
If we’re talking about canon, I want to point out that they cast an Anti-Disapparation jinx over Hogsmeade in Deathly Hallows, when it was perfectly possible to apparate before. So at the very least we know the ability to cast it on an area isn’t lost to wizardkind.
And to address the more general idea, you may well want to cast a Muffliato or Repello Muggletum over someone’s house before you break in, to avoid attracting attention.
Or it may also indicate it takes ten seconds to cast.