How we cite our quotes: (chapter.paragraph)
Quote #10
"Certainly," said Voldemort, and his eyes seemed to burn red. "I have experimented; I have pushed the boundaries of magic further, perhaps, than they have ever been pushed – " (20.169)
"Boundaries of magic" – now there's a phrase we could sit up all night discussing. Magic, to us, involves making anything happen or not happen. But, clearly, that is not the case. There are limits to what magic can do – it cannot, for example, bring Dumbledore back to life. This simple fact alone helps us to understand magic as not a tool wizards and witches use to become omnipotent, but rather as a tool to live and survive, just as Muggles do without it. In the world of Harry Potter, magic is defined in part by what it cannot do. So, what do we call Voldemort's work to push the boundaries of magic? Can we still call his powers magic, or are they something else entirely?