Muggle duelling

Harry Potter disarming Draco of his wand, an example of Muggle duelling

Harry Potter: "And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

Ron Weasley: "Throw it away and punch him on the nose."

— Ronald Weasley suggests resorting to Muggle duelling as a last ditch effort in a Wizard's Duel

Muggle duelling was a wizarding term used to refer to non-magical combat — that is, fighting without the use of wands or spells. It was thus in direct contrast with a formal wizard's duel, in which combatants might only use magic against their opponent and Muggle duelling was an illegal tactic. In most cases, Muggle duelling involved the use of one's own body for attacking, such as punching, kicking, or tackling. Though usually undertaken by Muggles, who obviously couldn't perform magic, wizards had been known to engage in Muggle duelling on occasion.

In the wizarding world, Muggle duelling was seen as particularly dishonourable and unscrupulous, and as such, it was typically only done by inexperienced or impulsive wizards, or those who were in especially messy confrontations.

In extreme cases, Muggle duelling could also involve weaponry, such as knives, swords, or even firearms. One variant of Muggle duelling that was in great use during the Middle Ages was swordsmanship. Godric Gryffindor, one of the Four Founders of Hogwarts was known for his great skill in the style, as were many wizards of the era.

History

Prior to the establishment of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, wizards intermingled freely with Muggles, and many wizards were accustomed with formal Muggle duelling as well as wizard duelling, as it was considered unsporting to use magic in a duel against a Muggle. Godric Gryffindor was a noted practitioner of both varieties of duels, and carried the Sword of Gryffindor for the purpose of duelling Muggles on equal ground.

The wizard Knight Sir Cadogan used a sword during his lifetime but had limited success in wielding it.

In 1926, Jacob Kowalski punched Gnarlak in the face in order to get Pickett back.

During Gellert Grindelwald's escape in 1927, Rudolph Spielman and Abernathy tackled each other in Grindelwald's Incarceration Carriage, fighting for his blood-filled pendant.

At the walk of the Qilin in Bhutan, Jacob Kowalski knocked out several of Grindelwald's Alliance members with a replica of Newton Scamander's suitcase.

The Curse-Breaker Patricia Rakepick was also known for using physical combat. She allegedly killed a Manticore with her bare hands and supposedly ripped the tail off a Chimaera. During her time teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts in the 1988–1989 school year, she encouraged her students to incorporate physical techniques into their duelling styles.

At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Muggle duelling was against the rules along with duelling, and was furthermore considered an unacceptable activity to be caught doing. Severus Snape docked Gryffindor five house points in December 1991 for witnessing Ronald Weasley instigating a fight with Draco Malfoy by aggressively grabbing the front of his robes.

On 17 December 1992, during the first meeting of the Duelling Club in the Great Hall, Millicent Bulstrode resorted to Muggle duelling, putting Hermione Granger in a headlock. Harry Potter had to pull Millicent off Hermione.

In 1994, Hermione Granger slapped Draco Malfoy hard across the face in retaliation for cruelly mocking Rubeus Hagrid, to which Ron tried to pull her hand back weakly as she swung again. Harry and Ron made furious moves towards Malfoy, but Hermione got to him first, leaving him along with Crabbe and Goyle stunned. They did not fight back, and simply disappeared into the Dungeons.

In November 1995, Minerva McGonagall attempted to give both Harry Potter and George Weasley a week's worth of detention for simultaneously assaulting Malfoy when he insulted both their families after a Quidditch match. However, Dolores Umbridge changed this punishment to disbarring them from playing on the Gryffindor Quidditch team instead.

Despite Muggle duelling being considered as a childish and dishonourable act by most of the wizarding world, some aspects of it were used in magical duels by some wizards and witches. For example, Sirius Black incorporated some physical combat into his magical duels, such as when he rammed Antonin Dolohov with his shoulder during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries on 18 June, 1996. Muggle duelling was also exclusively used as a main mode of combat by the half-giant Rubeus Hagrid, who rarely used magic as a result of his third year expulsion from Hogwarts, with his superhuman strength and magical resistance giving him an advantage against his enemies.

In late March 1997, during a skirmish at Malfoy Manor, Harry Potter wrestled three wands from Draco Malfoy, including Draco's own, which he took with him when he escaped.

At the end of a skirmish in the dungeon of Victor Gridley's caravan in 2011, after his wand was taken by Gridley, Neville Longbottom punched him in the face and knocked him unconscious.

Behind the scenes

• In a interview with Melissa Anelli in the enhanced edition of Harry a History, J. K. Rowling said that she and her American editor Arthur had an interesting conversation during the editing of book seven - the moment when Harry takes Draco's wand: "Arthur said, God, that's the moment when the ownership of the Elder wand is actually transferred? And I said, that's right. He said, shouldn't that be a bit more dramatic? And I said, no, not at all, the reverse. I said to Arthur, I think it really puts the elaborate, grandiose plans of Dumbledore and Voldemort in their place. That actually the history of the wizarding world hinged on two teenage boys wrestling with each other. They weren't even using magic. It became an ugly little corner tussle for the possession of wands. And I really liked that - that very human moment, as opposed to these two wizards who were twitching strings and manipulating and implanting information and husbanding information and guarding information, you know? Ultimately it just came down to that, a little scuffle and fistfight in the corner and pulling a wand away."

Hermione punching Draco as opposed to slapping him

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hermione Granger punches Draco hard in the face in the Stone Circle, as opposed to slapping him in the book (inside the school) for mocking Hagrid.

Sirius Black punching Lucius Malfoy in the film adaptation

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Sirius Black punches Lucius Malfoy during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, causing him to drop the prophecy, but in the book this does not happen, as he simply rams Antonin Dolohov with his shoulder.
• As they lack a wand, Muggle characters in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 and LEGO Dimensions can do a physical attack similar to a roll to harm enemies or destroy LEGO objects.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First identified as Muggle duelling)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore - The Complete Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened