5

I had a few questions about Side-Along-Apparition:

  1. Must the thing taken along be conscious (can I Side-Along a chair or table for example)?
  2. If 1 is yes, must they be willing (can I kidnap someone with Side-Along)?

Note: this is only about wizards, not house-elves (for reasons mentioned here).

Improve this question
5
  • 2
    I think apparition with items, such as a chair or, for example, Hermione's bag, would just be apparition. They do it a lot, not to mention wearing robes and carrying wands.
    – Mac Cooper
    Commented Mar 13, 2014 at 11:47
  • @MacCooper I don't think you can apparate something not somehow connected to you without Side-Along. The examples that come to mind are all things that could be considered part of the "body" (clothes, wands, bags, suitcases[maybe even pets]).
    – ike
    Commented Mar 13, 2014 at 14:11
  • what's annoying is now I cannot think of a single example of anyone apparating with an item larger than a briefcase (the wizard who went to Morfin). Now, I'd still say that inanimate objects do not count as side-along apparition, but I have zero canonical evidence to back it up. Really, what I'm commenting to say is, it's really interesting how many tiny things there are to think about in Harry Potter once someone points it out and I guarantee I'll be looking for references to side-along with items on the next read through :)
    – Mac Cooper
    Commented Mar 13, 2014 at 18:11
  • 1
    Hermione literally carried a library with her inside that multidimensional bag of hers. So one can simply squeeze a chair and put it inside her bag. The same can be done or second point too. Just bludger someone and put inside the bag an kidnap.
    – Sp0T
    Commented Mar 14, 2014 at 9:41
  • 1
    they apparate along with their clothes so probably 1 is yes
    – user13267
    Commented Mar 14, 2014 at 10:56

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
8

1. A wizard or witch may Apparate with inanimate objects.

For instance, after Mundungus Apparates back to Little Whinging:

He was also clutching a silvery bundle that Harry recognized at once as an Invisibility Cloak.
Order of the Phoenix, p. 22

In that scenario, the cloak is not being worn, indicating the ability to carry inanimate items through Apparition (though not technically Side-Along Apparition).

Also, Hermione carries around a bag in the Deathly Hallows which contains, among many other things, a tent filled with household items including at least, as mentioned in the question, a chair, a kitchen, and a bunk bed:

The interior was exactly as Harry remembered it: a small flat, complete with bathroom and tiny kitchen. He shoved aside an old armchair and lowered Ron carefully onto the lower berth of a bunk bed.
Deathly Hallows, p. 274

While this is not technically the same as Hermione grabbing a chair and ’pulling’ it to a new place through Apparition. I see more evidence for the positive case that witches and wizards can Apparate with unconscious items than for the negative case that he/she can not.

Next, we have a scene in the Three Broomsticks (in the chapter “Silver and Opals” in Half-Blood Prince) where Harry confronts Mundungus who Apparates with a suitcase:

Gasping and spluttering, Mundungus seized his fallen case, then – CRACK – he Disapparated.
Deathly Hallows, p. 246

In an October 2000 interview with Scholastic, JKR was asked about wizards/witches Apparating into Muggle vaults and stealing the contents. She acknowledged that this was a possibility, which implies that it would indeed be possible to perform such a burglary, and we must assume that there would be no trouble in a wizard Apparating with bags of money, for instance:

Question: How does the wizarding world protect Muggle banks and vaults, etc. from wizards apparating into them and stealing the contents?

J.K. Rowling responds: Well, the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on people apparating. That’s why you have to have a license to do it, and the moment you abuse it you can find yourself in serious trouble (or Azkaban!).

Finally, if you grant that wizards or witches can apparate with inanimate objects, but only have the hurdle of weight or size to overcome (as you have asked about cars or tables), let’s look at two instances where someone Apparates with heavier loads, though they are in both cases live beings:

First, there’s Harry in Deathly Hallows, when getting out of Malfoy Manor:

… then he bent down to tug Griphook out from under the chandelier. Hoisting the groaning goblin, who still clung to the sword, over one shoulder, Harry seized Dobby’s hand and spun on the spot to Disapparate.
Deathly Hallows, p. 474

Second, there’s Hermione, again in Deathly Hallows, when escaping the collapsing Lovegood house:

‘Please, Ron! Harry, hold on tight to my hand, Ron, grab my shoulder.’ […] Hermione twisted in midair and the thundering of the collapsing house rang in Harry’s ears as she dragged him once more into darkness.
Deathly Hallows, pp. 422–423

Hermione uses Side-Along Apparition to save Harry and Ron. Because it is safe to assume that both Harry and Ron together would be a relatively heavier load for Hermione, and she executes the Apparition perfectly, it follows that it is not impossible to use Apparition for heavy loads.

Though the last two points may not directly answer your question about Apparition with unconscious objects, we can build a cumulative case to prove that it is more probable than not that a wizard or witch can Apparate with a table or a car:

  1. A witch or wizard has been shown many times to apparate with inanimate objects.
  2. A witch or wizard has also been shown at least twice to apparate with relatively heavy loads.
  3. Therefore, we can at least assume it is probable that the inanimate object being apparated with could, in fact, also be a heavy load.

2. A wizard or a witch may use Side-Along Apparition with another conscious being, even if that being is unwilling:

There is an instance of this very thing happening in Deathly Hallows as well, so we know for certain that this is possible:

‘Grab hold, and make it tight. I’ll do Potter!’ said Greyback, seizing a fistful of Harry’s hair; Harry could feel his long, yellow nails scratching his scalp. ‘On three! One – two – three –’
    They Disapparated, pulling the prisoners with them. Harry struggled, trying to throw off Greyback’s hand, but it was hopeless: Ron and Hermione were squeezed tightly against him on either side, he could not separate from the group […]
Deathly Hallows, p. 454

Improve this answer
3
  • Although if one really wants to argue, they can say that werewolves have higher magical powers ...
    – ike
    Commented Mar 13, 2014 at 15:38
  • 2
    I don't recall that werewoves have higher magical abilities and I don't think it's fair to extrapolate that in order to dismiss an answer. Just saying. Moving on, there's this in HBP: The squat, bandy-legged man with long straggly ginger hair jumped and dropped an ancient suitcase, which burst open, releasing what looked like the entire contents of a junk shop window which ends with Mundungus Disapparating with all the junk. Gasping and spluttering, Mundungus seized his fallen case, then – CRACK – he Disapparated. HBP - pages 230-231 - Bloomsbury - chapter 12, Silver and Opals.
    – Slytherincess
    Commented Mar 13, 2014 at 19:09
  • @Slytherincess This answer is a lot longer and more complete now - did you reverse your DV in the end? :-)
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Commented Feb 21, 2016 at 0:34

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.