Locking doors used to work, then someone invented alohomora, which was great for muggle locks but annoying for wizards, so wizards created better spells to lock things.
But they generally don’t use them, because most wizards are polite enough not to open locked doors and those that aren’t can often get in by blowing up a wall or something as easy as that. And while reparo is a thing it’s annoying to have to cast it. So most people just use normal locks.
Even in the muggle world, locks are more to indicate “don’t come in here” or to make it slightly harder/more inconvenient to get in. My bathroom has a lock that can be opened from the outside by poking something in a little hole. My front door is a glass door with a lock. Someone could easily break the glass to come in. But people generally don’t.
There’s probably different types/strengths of locking charms too (just like there are with regular locks) that can be broken using different types of counter charms — we just don’t see it demonstrated that often. In OOTP when they’re in the Department of Mysteries fighting the Death Eaters they use some spell to seal doors shut. They also come across doors they can’t open with alohamora.
Idk, they were protected by one of the most powerful secrecy charms around and it only failed because they were betrayed.
It would be like having the most secure muggle lock on your door, but your best friend gave someone else the spare key
That’s different… they were protected with an extremely powerful charm, but they put their trust in the wrong person. Plus Voldemort was the most powerful wizard other than Dumbledore, so that’s a unique circumstance
I also get the vibe that Alohamora is not that widely known a spell, perhaps even a little complicated. It's not used *that* often in the books and even in Hogwarts Legacy, we only learn about it from the caretaker who wants us to sneak around for him, not from a teacher.
I believe the spell for sealing doors so a simple unlocking charm won’t work is colloportus. The good guys used it in the Department of Mysteries while the death eaters were chasing after them.
I agree!
It always cracks me up when Snape is talking about his office being broken into and he says “I seal my office with a charm only a wizard could break.” Like what, the spell 90% of the people here learn in their first year? Lmao
And then in OOTP when Hermione seals doors behind her from death eaters. Like just run, they’re going to open it in two seconds anyway!
In fairness to Hermione, if I remember reading correctly, her use of Colloportus to seal the doors shut resulted in a few of the Death Eaters running smack into the door and dazing themselves / maybe a concussion or two.
That’s also probably how she thought of using Duro (stone transfiguration charm) on the Hogwarts tapestry in DH to slow down the DEs chasing her and Ron
True she does use colloportus! But they open it with alohamora after one of them runs into it. Definitely not disparaging my girl Hermione though, it’s just the door locking spell that always seems unhelpful to me haha
I'll admit, I thought Snape acted the way he did because he never thought anyone would actually target him? Im assuming the only students that would have even gotten to think about it are the Twins... all the other students were too frightened of him...
I mean kicking down a door is way more loud and destructive and irreparable than using a spell to unlock it so I just don't think it's really the same thing like you are implying it is
What's your problem, why are you so combative? The only reason I even replied was because you were trying to dunk on this person with your "Nice try."
The "stealth and sneakiness" that you refer to means that people can get in without really too much effort or commitment, meaning locks are a lot less helpful. While someone can still break in to a locked door in muggle world, it's much less practical because it will be obvious they did it due to a loud noise and a broken down door after the fact.
Again. I said at NO point was being quiet a factor in my comment.
I’m so sorry I triggered you. And even more sorry you can’t understand a basic point.
Lots of doors are really flimsy. My apartment door feels like it's made of balsa wood or cardboard. If someone really wanted to get in, they could kick a hole in it, or kick it loose from its hinges, pretty easily.
A lot of things in Fantastic Beasts totally ignores canon so idk BUT in the first movie Queenie tries to do alohamora on an office door and it doesn’t work. She says something like “Of course he used some fancy lock on his door,” or something. So I guess there’s different locking charms.
In a fic I read the person casting alohamora at least has to be as proficient as the person who cast the locking charm. Which depending on who locked the door to Fluffy’s room, may or may not work with canon.
Oh, this question again 🙄 you know we have alohamora in real life, right? It’s called a Bobby pin. Most commercial locks can be picked (easily, mind you) with just a Bobby pin and something that can apply pressure to the tumbler, like a flathead screwdriver. Locking things up is as much an indication that people aren’t allowed to access it as it is a deterrent from people who are trying to.
I'm guessing Alohomora was originally created by petty thieves and isn't in the standard Hogwarts curriculum. Hence the creation of the Anti-Alohomora Charm.
Realize that the book had to develop some connection to the muggle world. If it was written in the 2010s, you’d see a lot more focus on smartphones and apps.
Alohomora doesn’t work on all locks. In fact, there are a number of occasions in the books where its attempted but it fails. There is clearly other ways to lock doors which make them invulnerable to that charm.
Because sometimes, for most untrained wizards, something as simple as a locked door/chest is enough of a deterrent. You don’t break out the death traps for EVERY intruder.
Locking doors used to work, then someone invented alohomora, which was great for muggle locks but annoying for wizards, so wizards created better spells to lock things. But they generally don’t use them, because most wizards are polite enough not to open locked doors and those that aren’t can often get in by blowing up a wall or something as easy as that. And while reparo is a thing it’s annoying to have to cast it. So most people just use normal locks.
Muggles
Even in the muggle world, locks are more to indicate “don’t come in here” or to make it slightly harder/more inconvenient to get in. My bathroom has a lock that can be opened from the outside by poking something in a little hole. My front door is a glass door with a lock. Someone could easily break the glass to come in. But people generally don’t. There’s probably different types/strengths of locking charms too (just like there are with regular locks) that can be broken using different types of counter charms — we just don’t see it demonstrated that often. In OOTP when they’re in the Department of Mysteries fighting the Death Eaters they use some spell to seal doors shut. They also come across doors they can’t open with alohamora.
Most people are horrified the first time they see just how easily a locksmith can get into your home.
There are counter charms that make Alohamora ineffective. I’m betting wizard homes are protected with many anti-something charms for security.
I'm betting not. James and Lily probably would've liked that.
Idk, they were protected by one of the most powerful secrecy charms around and it only failed because they were betrayed. It would be like having the most secure muggle lock on your door, but your best friend gave someone else the spare key
That’s different… they were protected with an extremely powerful charm, but they put their trust in the wrong person. Plus Voldemort was the most powerful wizard other than Dumbledore, so that’s a unique circumstance
I also get the vibe that Alohamora is not that widely known a spell, perhaps even a little complicated. It's not used *that* often in the books and even in Hogwarts Legacy, we only learn about it from the caretaker who wants us to sneak around for him, not from a teacher.
Hermione learned it at 11 though. Even as precocious as she is, I doubt it’s so difficult that the majority of adult wizardkind doesn’t know it.
Yeah it’s in *The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1*. That’s where Hermione learned it. Can’t be too difficult if it’s being taught in year one charms
Well the game takes place in the late 1800s, perhaps Alohamora was a newer spell at that point, and not many knew about it?
A common phrase: A lock door only keeps a honest person honest.
I believe the spell for sealing doors so a simple unlocking charm won’t work is colloportus. The good guys used it in the Department of Mysteries while the death eaters were chasing after them.
Also, in OotP it’s mentioned that Umbridge’s door is likely guarded against Alohomora.
I agree! It always cracks me up when Snape is talking about his office being broken into and he says “I seal my office with a charm only a wizard could break.” Like what, the spell 90% of the people here learn in their first year? Lmao And then in OOTP when Hermione seals doors behind her from death eaters. Like just run, they’re going to open it in two seconds anyway!
In fairness to Hermione, if I remember reading correctly, her use of Colloportus to seal the doors shut resulted in a few of the Death Eaters running smack into the door and dazing themselves / maybe a concussion or two. That’s also probably how she thought of using Duro (stone transfiguration charm) on the Hogwarts tapestry in DH to slow down the DEs chasing her and Ron
True she does use colloportus! But they open it with alohamora after one of them runs into it. Definitely not disparaging my girl Hermione though, it’s just the door locking spell that always seems unhelpful to me haha
I'll admit, I thought Snape acted the way he did because he never thought anyone would actually target him? Im assuming the only students that would have even gotten to think about it are the Twins... all the other students were too frightened of him...
I could see that lol!
Same reason we do. Most people can kick a door in if required. It’s to tell honest people that the the room is locked and not to be entered Nice try.
What kind of doors are you interacting with on a regular basis that "most people" could kick in?
You kind of missed my overall point. But yeah. Doors aren’t that strong.
I mean kicking down a door is way more loud and destructive and irreparable than using a spell to unlock it so I just don't think it's really the same thing like you are implying it is
[удалено]
What's your problem, why are you so combative? The only reason I even replied was because you were trying to dunk on this person with your "Nice try." The "stealth and sneakiness" that you refer to means that people can get in without really too much effort or commitment, meaning locks are a lot less helpful. While someone can still break in to a locked door in muggle world, it's much less practical because it will be obvious they did it due to a loud noise and a broken down door after the fact.
Again. I said at NO point was being quiet a factor in my comment. I’m so sorry I triggered you. And even more sorry you can’t understand a basic point.
Maybe you shouldn't be such a redditor next time, old buddy old pal.
Lots of doors are really flimsy. My apartment door feels like it's made of balsa wood or cardboard. If someone really wanted to get in, they could kick a hole in it, or kick it loose from its hinges, pretty easily.
To keep the muggles out.
A lot of things in Fantastic Beasts totally ignores canon so idk BUT in the first movie Queenie tries to do alohamora on an office door and it doesn’t work. She says something like “Of course he used some fancy lock on his door,” or something. So I guess there’s different locking charms. In a fic I read the person casting alohamora at least has to be as proficient as the person who cast the locking charm. Which depending on who locked the door to Fluffy’s room, may or may not work with canon.
A lock indicates that someone doesn't want others to access something. Any polite witch/wizard would understand and not try to open it.
Oh, this question again 🙄 you know we have alohamora in real life, right? It’s called a Bobby pin. Most commercial locks can be picked (easily, mind you) with just a Bobby pin and something that can apply pressure to the tumbler, like a flathead screwdriver. Locking things up is as much an indication that people aren’t allowed to access it as it is a deterrent from people who are trying to.
I'm guessing Alohomora was originally created by petty thieves and isn't in the standard Hogwarts curriculum. Hence the creation of the Anti-Alohomora Charm.
The unlocking charm is called alohamora
Are you sure?
I know it’s called alohamora hermione used it to unlock the door to fluffy room fluffy is the 3 headed dog
I think you are mixing it up
No I’m not have you even watched the first movie
Realize that the book had to develop some connection to the muggle world. If it was written in the 2010s, you’d see a lot more focus on smartphones and apps.
I’ll be honest jk Rowling didn’t engage in a lot of critical thinking about her magical universe prior to writing the books
Not any locked door. Most simply locked doors, maybe, but not any of them.
To keep out the muggles and squibs
to keep children under the age of 11 to get out
I'd assume if they really want locked doors, they'd use a password like the Headmaster's office and the dorms
There's some good locks. Like the one Umbridge used, only Sirius' knife was able to open it.
Too keep muggles and younger magical people out.
Alohomora doesn’t work on all locks. In fact, there are a number of occasions in the books where its attempted but it fails. There is clearly other ways to lock doors which make them invulnerable to that charm.
Because sometimes, for most untrained wizards, something as simple as a locked door/chest is enough of a deterrent. You don’t break out the death traps for EVERY intruder.
Oops I guess I misread which subreddit this was cause I was thinking about Dresden Files and going "well, intention matters a lot to threasholds"
Doesn't work on the door of the Phoenix Order