How do Wizards make a living?

[noblehunter]

I'm assuming the historical examples we have are not the only symptoms. It's not so much that things are going wrong but that reality is disordered near the wizard. Ships are particularly vulnerable to disorder.

Wrecking the ship they're sailing on also seems thematically appropriate.

[Bad Alias]

I can see where you're getting that, but I strongly disagree.

Most of the examples are real world examples of ways to identify witches. The current one is just Jim's answer to "what's a good way to stop every situation from being solved with a cell phone." I don't know where the candle one comes from. (I did find which book it's from. Ghost Story).

There is no suggestion anywhere in the books or any WoJ I've seen/heard of that the effects are anything other than the stated effect for that period.

[zetadog]

Harry describes himself as a "thug" early on.
Presumably the stay-at-home wizards are much better at all kinds of wards, enchantments, illusions, veils, shape changing, astral projection, telekinesis, pyrokinesis, thaumaturgy, shapechanging, whatever.
although gold is a completely differently element than lead, precious stones like diamonds and emeralds are just common elements arranged a certain way.  maybe they can do that with magic. transmutation.

[Bad Alias]

They might even be able to transmute base metals into gold. Scientists have turned lead into gold. "Nuclear experiments have successfully transmuted lead into gold, but the expense far exceeds any gain." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_transmutation.

[Con]

Antique Rackets- Highlander Style.

Although given how many immortals there are, I assume antiques are less valued in the supernatural community.