The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers

If magic has to obey the laws of physics, how does shapeshifting work?

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Dagroth:
In various places in the books, Harry claimed that the magic has to follow the laws of physics (last time I saw it was in "Changes", that I'm currently reading) - we have seen examples too, like in "White Night", where he took the heat from the lake, created an enormous fire, and as a result, froze the lake's water (on the surface, anyway).

So, if that's the case, during the Listens-to-Wind's shapeshifting duel with Shagnasty, where did he either get the extra matter/mass from (when changing into a "bear the size of a minibus"), or where did it go to (when he changed into a raven, turtle, or a squirrel) ?

I suppose for the former, he could draw/create the matter from Never Never or something? But what about turning into all those small animals?

nadia.skylark:
I think during Skin Game Harry realizes that the way you shapeshift into a larger form is by drawing matter from the Nevernever, and I think there's a WoJ that the way you shapeshift into something smaller is by sending some of your mass to the Nevernever.

Bad Alias:
This is correct.

Mr. Death:
The same explanation is offered in the RPG books as well, with the addendum that if you're shifting into something significantly smaller, you may also have to store some of your mind in the Nevernever otherwise it won't fit in your now-mouse-sized brain.

The game advises glossing over this for the most part.

Yuillegan:
Interestingly, this is partly because of what Harry BELIEVES. There is a WOJ about how magic essentially is Will combined with Power, and with enough of both you could reshape reality completely. Which is essentially what any magic user does, they are subverting their Will over the natural world, and using their Power to fund the change.

As their is a whole thing about how magic is what you believe, I think Harry is rather limited by his own beliefs, and could accomplish far more if he understood that. He might not have the Power to back it up, but he might still be able to achieve more unusual results.

Essentially the WOJ is anytime he can't figure a good enough explanation for why magic works with physics, he has the Nevernever as his cheat card.

I also believe this is why you go mad/have to be mad to mess with time, kill with magic etc. You have to believe in complete violations of the Laws of Reality.

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