A Magical Theory Question

[danajsparks.livejournal.com]

In order to perform most spells, wizards and witches must speak or think a particular incantation and wave their wands, often using specific movements. Different combinations of incantations and wand movements will have different magical effects.

I've long believed that all of the incantations and wand waving involved in spell-casting are merely focusing techniques. In other words, while the words and movements help to center one's attention upon a specific spell, it is ultimately the caster's intent which produces the desired results. However, I now realize that there is at least one instance of spell-casting in canon that defies this reasoning. It is the case of Harry casting Sectumsempra upon Draco in HBP. This has undoubtedly been discussed elsewhere before, but it is a new conundrum for me.

Harry finds the incantation for Sectumsempra in the Prince's potions book at the beginning of chapter 21 of HBP.

He had just found an incantation “Sectumsempra!" scrawled in a margin above the intriguing words "For enemies," and was itching to try it out, but thought it best not to in front of Hermione. Instead, he surreptitiously folded down the corner of the page.

There are no accompanying directions for how to wave one's wand to cast the spell, nor is there any description of what the spell is supposed to do.

Harry casts Sectumsempra for the first time in response to Draco's attempted Cruciatus Curse in chapter 24.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" bellowed Harry from the floor, waving his wand wildly.

Blood spurted from Malfoy's face and chest as though he had been slashed with an invisible sword. He staggered backward and collapsed onto the waterlogged floor with a great splash, his wand falling from his limp right hand.

If Harry had ever studied Latin, he would have known that "sectum sempra" means something like "always cuts" or, as Whitehound put it, "sever forever." But he never learned Latin, and so he didn't know beforehand what the effects of the spell would be.

"I didn't mean it to happen," said Harry at once. His voice echoed in the cold, watery space. "I didn't know what that spell did."

Setting aside Harry's deplorable behavior in casting an unknown spell designed "for enemies," what does it mean magically that shouting "Sectumsempra!" produced the result of slicing Draco open, even though Harry had no specific thought behind the spell? If Harry didn't know what Sectumsempra would do, then who or what did know? Who or what processed the incantation of "Sectumsempra" and interpreted its meaning to be "sever forever," if it wasn't Harry's brain?

Was it Harry's wand? Could wands be something like magical computers that are programmed to interpret Latin commands? Or was it magic itself? Is magic somehow sentient rather than simply a form of energy?

What are you thoughts?

Comments

[oryx_leucoryx]

Another instance is Harry Levicorpusing Ron without knowing what the spell did.

[danajsparks.livejournal.com]

Ah, I thought there might be other instances. The Sectumsempra incident is just especially memorable.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Yes, it's all about the Half-blood Prince's book. Rowling needed Harry to be surprised by the effects of some of the Prince's spells so she changed rules that worked until that point.

[danajsparks.livejournal.com]

Is it possible that the Harrycrux knew the spells, and that's why Harry was able to successfully cast them?

[oryx_leucoryx]

So why did Harry have trouble with any spell at all (eg Accio, when he first learned it)? I'm sure Tom was good at casting all of them by the time the Harrycrux was formed.

[annoni-no.livejournal.com]

Well, it does seem to be implied in-text that although Harry put a *lot* of power behind it, allowing the spell to cause the damage it did, he wasn't really in control of it in terms of how it was *supposed* to work. So, it could be that your intent/self-confidence does provide that necessary lynch pin. He was stressing over a number of different things while trying to master 'Accio' in GoF, and was never very serious about his school work in the first place. By HBP he has become downright arrogant about his abilities (unwarranted though that may be) and also has implicit trust in the Prince to provide a suitably nasty and effective spell. The only thing the Harry!crux would then need to provide would enough understanding of the spell's form/effects to allow Harry's magic to mold itself properly.

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

Argh, I hate that example of accio. It should not be hard to cast any spell in HP if all it takes is waving a wand and saying the magic words, bloody hell. What makes Hermione easily pick up something but Harry stumble over it for months? Apart from it being more dramatic when he FINALLY manages it in a life-or-death situation?

[aasaylva.livejournal.com]

I always imagined the wand-waving being something like learning how to swim. When you start it, you'd swear you are moving JUST the way you were told to and still you sink like a stone. Until some day, you suddenly stay above water.