TYPES OF MAGIC
WHAT IS MAGIC? There is no easy answer to this question. For in the worlds of Chrestomanci, magic is as individual as the person using it. And if two people use the same spell but the results are different, this may not only be due to who is doing the magic, but how they are doing the magic, and whether the magic is being used for good or evil.
Is it possible to learn magic? If no one in your family has ever shown signs of magical ability, it is very unlikely that you will be able to do magic. If, however, your great-aunt twice removed once turned herself invisible, the chances are there is magic in your family and you may well have inherited it. It is no surprise that Roger and Julia Chant can do magic in Charmed Life, for example, given that their father is Chrestomanci. Even those children from a magical family who seem to have no magic ability at all usually find there’s a logical reason why not, as magic will out!
But being born with magical ability is not enough. Magic users are not born knowing spells and charms — these have to be learnt. Spell-making and spell-using is handed down like recipes through generations in The Magicians of Caprona, where each spell-making family is a school of learning. In The Lives of Christopher Chant, Charmed Life, and Mixed Magics, alongside lessons on history, geography, and mathematics, the student has to take a series of Elementary and Advanced Magic classes. It is only when you pass the Advanced Magic classes that you become what is known as an “adept.”
So what happens in a world where magic and witchcraft are outlawed? Larwood House, the school for witch-orphans in Witch Week, is the very last place you would have magic lessons, for magic is utterly forbidden. Still, the funny thing about magic is that, lessons or no lessons, it has a habit of breaking out like measles, whether in the form of a swarm of exotic birds, a flying mop, or a running shoe disguised as a gateau. One thing is certain: although erratic, the results of untrained magic can be quite spectacular.
If you are born without magic, or don’t come from a family of magic users, it is still possible to learn magic. But having magic on the curriculum doesn’t necessarily ensure good teaching. Being taught by a hedge-wizard (a derogatory name for an inept wizard) is just as bad as not being taught at all. People who have been taught by hedge-wizards, or not taught at all, usually lack the skills to use their magic ability wisely or properly, yet another reason why Chrestomanci is needed!
What about different types of magic? There are both different types of magic and different levels of proficiency. Enchanters’ magic is ten times stronger than witches’ magic. But saying a spell, however powerful you are, is not the only way of getting things done. For true style and elegance, even Chrestomanci takes his hat off to the Casas Montana and Petrocchi in The Magicians of Caprona. With a passion that could only be Italian, their magic is not spoken but sung. Both families are spell-makers, as well as spell-users, and in the way that saying a spell incorrectly can lead to the wrong result, if you were to sing a wrong note in a Montana or Petrocchi spell, you could end up turning a member of your family green by mistake.
But it’s not just what you say or how well you sing that makes for a successful spell — it’s how you apply it. As any good magic user knows, it’s useful to have the bare essentials in the cupboard to help you apply your magic. Depending on your speciality, these essentials may include: newts’ eyes, snakes’ tongues, or bull’s-eyes; cardamom, hellebore, or mummy nitre. If you’re feeling particularly wicked (and you don’t mind breaking the law), a jar of dragon’s blood (fresh or dried) will ensure that any spell you are preparing goes off with a bang. These ingredients can all be bought (legally or illegally) from Purveyors of Exotic Supplies.
But the bare essentials can’t help you if you don’t know how to think on your feet and apply your magic skills creatively. When faced with a sticky situation, like a marauding army for example, it’s handy to be flexible. In true Italian style, Rinaldo Montana’s spell-making speciality in The Magicians of Caprona is sweet-smelling love charms, but that doesn’t mean he can’t apply his skills to conjure up a cowpat surprise when cornered by an adversary. Similarly, the gardeners in The Lives of Christopher Chant conjure giant cactus plants, ten-foot nettles, thistles, and poison ivy to repel some rather unpleasant characters — while the cook does something unspeakable with rotten steaks and mouldy soufflés.
Whatever circumstances you find yourself in, it’s important to remember that magic must be respected. Whether you are changing a person into a toad, tampering with world order, or simply tidying up a bit of homework — having the responsibility to use magic wisely is the greatest power of all.