Moved form Misc Ideas, because I really want to explore this thought.
What if Hermione was, at best, average in magical talent?
She's still as smart as she ever was, but for some reason or another, her practical skills in magic are average at best. She still writes long essays on the various charms and transfigurations, but has much more difficulty actually executing the spells. Sometimes even Neville can pull it off before her, though that's rare.
What effect would that have on Hermione? Would she redouble her efforts, ignoring everything around her to prove that she's just as good with magic as she is with regular schoolwork? Would she have some sort of breakdown when she loses her place as the best and brightest? Would she start to think Malfoy was right, and that she was weaker because of her muggle parents?
Just thought it might make for an interesting story.
Link to discussion
Still think it would be an interesting idea to explore Hermione's character if she wasn't amazing at schoolwork and magic. She's not incompetent at it, she does well on written tests and theory, but when it comes to practical applications, she's not that great.
Currently, until someone suggests a better metaphor, let's say that each spell is like lifting a weight. If you're not strong enough to lift it, you can't cast the spell. With enough training, you can become stronger, and become able to cast the spell once you attain enough "magical strength."
Hermione is not only the tiny freshman who can barely lift a textbook, but in the extended metaphor, suffers from a testosterone deficiency that makes her training to become stronger less efficient than the average person's. She knows all of the physics behind the body mechanics, and how best to apply her strength, but knowledge only gets you so far without the physical strength to back it up when it comes to lifting. Even if she finds a perfect technique that alllows her to lift twice as much, anyone can learn that technique, and can now lift twice as much as they could before. Now Hermione can match their 100 pound lift, but that doesn't matter because now they can lift 200 pounds.
Might have taken the metaphor a bit too far, but I think explained my perspective well enough. If not, I'll try to clear it up some more.
This is meant to be an exploratory piece on Hermione learning to deal with being average, no longer the best at schoolwork, simply because she doesn't have the magical talent others have.
New thought:
-Since her boggart in Third year was being told she failed all of her courses, would that change after essentially living that nightmare for three years? Would not being perfect at schoolwork make her have a different fear because she's adapted,, or would it only intensify it?
Snippet:
Hermione frowned at her wand, then turned her attention back to the book in front of her. She had done everything right, she was sure of it. She had practiced each of the various wand motions a dozen times before even attempting the first spell, one the book assured her that everyone was capable of casting. With another precise wave, with an equally precise recitation, Hermione tried again, but once again, the spell fizzled, tempering her confusion with frustration.
Another dozen attempts later, she tried other spells, wondering if perhaps the first was a practical joke, meant to tease Muggleborns as a way of welcoming them into the wizarding world, but each and every one of them didn't work. The best that she managed was a few sparks like when she had first gotten her wands. Hermione scowled. She was doing everything right, so why wasn't it working?
She thought back to that first day, when she first went into the magical world. The guide that escorted her and the rest of the muggleborn, along with their parents, escorted them to Diagon Alley, explaining the necessity of keeping magic a secret, and how the Ministry of Magic had strict regulations concerning the practice of underage magic.
Of course! Hermione's eyes flashed in understanding. There must be something preventing her from using magic outside of school, probably something that kept her wand from working until she could receive proper instruction. After all, children were notorious for getting into trouble (well, most of them were. She was always sure to listen and obey any and all safety regulations and instructions) so the trouble they could get into once they got magic would be unimaginable. There was sure to be something keeping her from using her newly discovered magic, she just needed someone to remove it first!
Hermione wanted to write a letter, explaining that she was more than responsible enough to practice a few spells before school started, but restrained herself. School would be starting in a few short months, and it would be rude to ask for special treatment before the school year even began. She was sure the offices were filled with letters begging to use magic before school started. The first step to proving she was capable of using it was not to act like the rest of the children. Hermione regretfully put her wand away in the special case her father had bought for her. It was only a few months until school started, then she could put her wand to good use. In the mean time, she still had plenty of reading material, and the better she knew the theory, the better she would be in practice. With that thought in her mind, she returned to her reading, putting thoughts of spellcasting out of her head for the moment.
What if Hermione was, at best, average in magical talent?
She's still as smart as she ever was, but for some reason or another, her practical skills in magic are average at best. She still writes long essays on the various charms and transfigurations, but has much more difficulty actually executing the spells. Sometimes even Neville can pull it off before her, though that's rare.
What effect would that have on Hermione? Would she redouble her efforts, ignoring everything around her to prove that she's just as good with magic as she is with regular schoolwork? Would she have some sort of breakdown when she loses her place as the best and brightest? Would she start to think Malfoy was right, and that she was weaker because of her muggle parents?
Just thought it might make for an interesting story.
Link to discussion
Still think it would be an interesting idea to explore Hermione's character if she wasn't amazing at schoolwork and magic. She's not incompetent at it, she does well on written tests and theory, but when it comes to practical applications, she's not that great.
Currently, until someone suggests a better metaphor, let's say that each spell is like lifting a weight. If you're not strong enough to lift it, you can't cast the spell. With enough training, you can become stronger, and become able to cast the spell once you attain enough "magical strength."
Hermione is not only the tiny freshman who can barely lift a textbook, but in the extended metaphor, suffers from a testosterone deficiency that makes her training to become stronger less efficient than the average person's. She knows all of the physics behind the body mechanics, and how best to apply her strength, but knowledge only gets you so far without the physical strength to back it up when it comes to lifting. Even if she finds a perfect technique that alllows her to lift twice as much, anyone can learn that technique, and can now lift twice as much as they could before. Now Hermione can match their 100 pound lift, but that doesn't matter because now they can lift 200 pounds.
Might have taken the metaphor a bit too far, but I think explained my perspective well enough. If not, I'll try to clear it up some more.
This is meant to be an exploratory piece on Hermione learning to deal with being average, no longer the best at schoolwork, simply because she doesn't have the magical talent others have.
New thought:
-Since her boggart in Third year was being told she failed all of her courses, would that change after essentially living that nightmare for three years? Would not being perfect at schoolwork make her have a different fear because she's adapted,, or would it only intensify it?
Snippet:
Hermione frowned at her wand, then turned her attention back to the book in front of her. She had done everything right, she was sure of it. She had practiced each of the various wand motions a dozen times before even attempting the first spell, one the book assured her that everyone was capable of casting. With another precise wave, with an equally precise recitation, Hermione tried again, but once again, the spell fizzled, tempering her confusion with frustration.
Another dozen attempts later, she tried other spells, wondering if perhaps the first was a practical joke, meant to tease Muggleborns as a way of welcoming them into the wizarding world, but each and every one of them didn't work. The best that she managed was a few sparks like when she had first gotten her wands. Hermione scowled. She was doing everything right, so why wasn't it working?
She thought back to that first day, when she first went into the magical world. The guide that escorted her and the rest of the muggleborn, along with their parents, escorted them to Diagon Alley, explaining the necessity of keeping magic a secret, and how the Ministry of Magic had strict regulations concerning the practice of underage magic.
Of course! Hermione's eyes flashed in understanding. There must be something preventing her from using magic outside of school, probably something that kept her wand from working until she could receive proper instruction. After all, children were notorious for getting into trouble (well, most of them were. She was always sure to listen and obey any and all safety regulations and instructions) so the trouble they could get into once they got magic would be unimaginable. There was sure to be something keeping her from using her newly discovered magic, she just needed someone to remove it first!
Hermione wanted to write a letter, explaining that she was more than responsible enough to practice a few spells before school started, but restrained herself. School would be starting in a few short months, and it would be rude to ask for special treatment before the school year even began. She was sure the offices were filled with letters begging to use magic before school started. The first step to proving she was capable of using it was not to act like the rest of the children. Hermione regretfully put her wand away in the special case her father had bought for her. It was only a few months until school started, then she could put her wand to good use. In the mean time, she still had plenty of reading material, and the better she knew the theory, the better she would be in practice. With that thought in her mind, she returned to her reading, putting thoughts of spellcasting out of her head for the moment.