Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. In this video, we’re going to be
discussing one of our favourite female lead characters, Hermione Granger.
In the years that Hermione Granger spent at Hogwarts, she was widely considered to be
‘the brightest witch of her age’. Time and time again, she displayed lateral thinking,
quickly adjusting to her circumstances or environment and overcoming all sorts of obstacles.
Not only that, but she has an inquisitive and practical mind which allows her to constantly
challenge the status-quo, frequently introducing new approaches to conventional methods of
spell conjuring or potion making.
Before she even began attending the school, Hermione was reading up on spells and practicing
them, and that is what is most impressive about Hermione’s magical talent- she’s
the only witch in her family. That’s right, Hermione’s parents are muggles-dentists.
So, if you’re like me, then at some point or another you’ve probably asked yourself:
where and when did Hermione find out that she was magical? That she was...a witch. Was
she knowingly casting spells before Hogwarts ever took notice of her? Or did she not exhibit
any sign of magical ability until her Hogwarts letter came? In this video, we’re going
to take a closer look.
We knew that Harry grew up in similar circumstances, entirely unknowing of his magical background,
and raised by muggles. Harry had his fair share of unusual accidents before ever finding
out that he was a wizard- things like growing his hair back quickly after unwanted haircuts,
and talking to snakes. These aren’t NORMAL occurrences for a muggle boy.
So, did Hermione have similar things happen to her?
In the Philosopher’s Stone, Hermione explains that she found out that she was a ‘witch’
when she received her Hogwarts letter, and that it was quite a surprise:
“Nobody in my family’s magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter,
but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it’s the very best school of witchcraft
there is, I’ve heard – I’ve learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just
hope it will be enough – I’m Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?”
But, finding out that you are officially a witch is not the same as understanding that
you’re different, that you’re magical. Did Hermione know that she was ‘different’
before her letter came?
When we first meet her, she brags that she has tried some simple spells at home, before
starting her first year at Hogwarts. Did she do that in the time between getting the letter
and getting on the train?
If we take a look at how the quill of acceptance works, we can derive that she must have performed
SOME kind of magic at some point before attending the school.
“In a small locked tower, never visited by any student at Hogwarts, sits an ancient
book that has not been touched by human hands since the four founders placed it there on
completion of the castle. Beside the book, which is bound in peeling black dragon-hide,
stands a small silver inkpot and from this protrudes a long, faded quill. These are the
Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admittance and they constitute the only process by which
students are selected for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”
The book and quill were put in place by the founders of Hogwarts to aid with and automate
the Hogwarts selection process. One of the main parameters put in place for detecting
students is as follows:
“At the precise moment that a child first exhibits signs of magic, the Quill, which
is believed to have been taken from an Augurey, floats up out of its inkpot and attempts to
inscribe the name of that child upon the pages of the book.”
This means that as soon as a child shows any form of magic, it is immediately set in writing
that they are a magical being. No child would be able to perform magic, undetected, without
this magical book and quill taking note of it. So, if Hermione received a letter, then
it means that she must have performed some magic.
Additionally, in an interview with JK Rowling, Rowling reveals that her parents have always
been a bit ‘bemused’ by her behaviour:
“You see so much of Ron’s family so I thought that I would keep Hermione’s family,
by contrast, quite ordinary. They are dentists, as you know. They are a bit bemused by their
odd daughter but quite proud of her all the same.”
Whether this quote indicates that they are bemused by her general demeanour, or her magical
abilities, is up for us to decide. So, did she know that she was ‘magical’?
One of Hermione’s defining characteristics is her intelligence, and I am of the impression
that she knew that she was quite different. Maybe she didn’t know that she was a ‘witch’,
but I’m certain that she knew that she was magical, and was more cognizant of her capabilities
than young Harry. I bet she was on the Quill of acceptance’s list for many many years.
And that’s it for this video! If you enjoy the content, please remember to like the video
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Until next time,
YER A WIZARD ARRY