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I was wondering how come Harry was able to do Lumos without touching his wand in OotP. I remember that he tried to do magic without his wand before (or afterwards), and he couldn't.

Sorry if this is a repeat question. I couldn't find the answer anywhere.

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    The first bit of magic he ever does is without a wand (at the zoo).
    – phantom42
    Jun 26, 2015 at 16:52
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    Are you AJL's sister?
    – phantom42
    Jun 26, 2015 at 16:53
  • @phantom42 It's the first bit of magic we read/see. Not the first one he has ever done. Once ended up on the school roof etc.
    – Don_Biglia
    Jun 29, 2015 at 7:07
  • I am AJL's sister...
    – Gracelyn Rioux
    Jul 21, 2015 at 20:01

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He knew the spell, he had the intention and he said the incantation. The wand was just inches from his hand and it worked.

He had quite a strong connection with his wand by this point and they are described as "quasi-sentient." His wand also defends Harry pretty much by itself when Voldemort attacks him with Lucius Malfoy's wand because it recognised the enemy and the need.

Also the spell is quite simple, so I think that helps. Could he have conjured a patronus or transfigured something in that same situation? I think that would be completely different.

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    Additionally, Harry was in quite a bit of emotional stress at the time (the possibility of getting your soul sucked out of you will very likely do that to you), and as you said, Lumos is not a particularly strong spell. I doubt too he could have conjured the patronus wandless, too, but basically asking the wand to ping its location could work under the special circumstances. When Draco pinned him down on the train in HBP, he tried again, but most likely couldn't do it, because it was not life & death, just the chance of humiliation.
    – BMWurm
    Jun 27, 2015 at 7:42
  • Good point about the other instance - I agree with your analysis.
    – ThruGog
    Jun 27, 2015 at 8:02
  • Also recall that wizards are born with the inherit ability to do magic without a wand. Harry, and pretty much everyone else, inadvertently did magic before they even knew they were wizards, had a wand, or attended Hogwarts. Making the glass of the boa constrictor cage disappear at age 10(?) was arguably more advanced than Lumos.
    – craigpatik
    Jun 27, 2015 at 16:53

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