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So in Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, Harry gets in trouble for use his patronus. He was charged with performing underage magic inform of a Muggle. But that Muggle, Dudley, knew about magic.

Hogwarts even broke this rule when they sent hundreds of letters to Harry in the philosophers stone, and that was when Dudley knew nothing about magic.

(Just want to add I know this ended up a plot by Umbridge to get Harry kicked out of school, or killed, but the use of improper magic department wouldn’t have been in on it.)

Mithical
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Martin
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1 Answers1

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Because, the laws do not differentiate muggles as the ones who know about magic and those who don’t.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Dobby performs the levitating spell ok the cake, Harry receives a letter from the ministry saying:

Harry Potter,

We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity which risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offence, under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks’ Statute of Secrecy.

Enjoy your holidays!

This, is not much clear on the matter. However, per Pottermore:

The main law of magic in the wizarding world is the obvious one: don’t perform it in front of the Muggles! It’s sad that things came to this, but the International Statute of Secrecy is steeped in a chequered history - with events such as the Salem Witch Trials and various other hostile acts leading to this golden rule being decreed in 1692.

It doesn’t specifically says that it’s ok if the muggle knew about the magical community.

Ministry plotting against Harry

After Harry’s claim that the Dark Lord had returned at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the ministry (Umbridge, specifically) may have decided to ruin Harry’s reputation as his claim about the Dark Lord made the ministry look weak to the wizarding community.

Shreedhar
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  • There’s a quote by umbridge that says something like- action had to be taken against Potter.. I’m trying to find it. I will add it to the answer when I get it. – Shreedhar Aug 07 '19 at 07:35
  • That means that when Dumbledore came at the beginning of the sixth book to annoy the Dursleys with magic, he was breaking the law. –  Aug 08 '19 at 17:11
  • What about when Hagrid used the spell to turn Dudley into a pig in book 1? Would the Ministry not have picked up on that? – KansasMonkey Aug 28 '19 at 17:14