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

Re: Sentient magic - Doe Patronus

[condwiramurs.livejournal.com]

I QUITE agree. Not only does the doe=Lily herself thing imho feed into a very negative notion of women just being passive mirrors of their menfolk, it also ends up being one more way of arguing that Severus has little or no inherent goodness in himself, it's all due to some external influence of Saint!Lily (whom I have no patience for and see no actual sign of in the text - I much prefer seeing Lily as an actual human being with good qualities and flaws). It does both their characters a disservice. The doe speaks much more to Severus' actual character, beneath the surface mannerisms that come from getting repeatedly kicked in the face, than it does to any actual quality inherent in a long-dead woman.

Also, RE the whole idea that it can't reflect anything of Severus himself because Harry feels safe around it: when during the first six books up until Dumbledore's death does Harry not feel *safe* around Snape? He feels disliked, insulted, etc. yes, but when does he ever *fear* Snape, feel himself physically or existentially threatened by him? He doesn't. (This is one of the very few changes made in the movie versions that I like, actually - the moment on the tower where Severus goes 'shh' and Harry obeys. It perfectly and poignantly captures for me that sense of him *trusting* that Snape is good even if he is unpleasant, right at the moment where Severus is being forced to seemingly betray that trust - which Severus of course knows.) And given that Severus' apparent betrayal and switch to the enemy's side is only on the surface, while he's actually working to support Harry and, I believe, some sense of love for him, nothing that actually comes genuinely from him is going to be in a state that would naturally cause distrust (um, awkwardly worded, I know). It would only be attaching his name to it, invoking Harry's conscious distrust of him, that could interfere there. The doe perfectly conveys how *aligned* they are in truth, beneath the deceptive surface of things. It also, imho, is a way for Severus to communicate to Harry a sense of love for him without it getting tangled up in the surface complications (which might include Severus' own struggle to be vulnerable enough to admit it, to himself or anyone else).

Harry feels safe around Severus

[terri-testing.livejournal.com]

Just to confirm that, there's also Harry's reaction to the Prince's book.

And when Harry casts Sectumsempra and does harm he hadn't expected, Harry "felt stunned; it was as though a beloved pet had turned suddenly savage..."