Meta Monday: Magical Cores

[sassy_cat]

What do we know about magical cores? Fanon certainly explores the issue, but is there anything within canon that addresses just what makes a witch or wizard stronger than their peers? Canon implies that the most powerful wizards are half-bloods, but is there a genuine argument for that beyond a huge series of coincidences

Comments

[shyfoxling]

Work is absolutely kicking my butt this week so I'll have to come back to this later, but I just wanted to say in passing that the whole idea of a "magical core" that we see in a lot of fanfic has always sat oddly with me because there doesn't seem to be quite that concept in canon. (When I read the title of this post I first assumed you were going to be talking about wand cores!) Wizards are more or less powerful than one another, but it's not this... thing inside them that is larger or smaller, yanno?

[mary_j_59]

I agree with shyfoxling. When I read about "magical cores", all I think of is unicorn hair, dragon heartstring, and phoenix feather. I do not believe people have magical cores. However, it is true that magic seems tied to emotion, and I do read Snape as completely driven by emotion. I think this is one reason he reacts so negatively to Neville and the boy's magical outbursts. He - Snape - had to learn control, and he has little use for those (like Harry and Neville) who cannot or will not do the same.