Keeping up appearances [Reply SML]

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 13024

Sister Mary Lunatic:"All this talk about education of the muggle-
borns... it appears from remarks by Hermione, when she is choosing 
her electives ("it could affect our whole  future") that she intends 
to remain living and working in the wizard world."

"I've always wondered how people like Hermione's parents handle the 
questions about their daughter's education.  If Hermy was doing 
exceptionally well in her elementary school, there would be 
expectations for her from other relatives about her education and 
career.  Does she spend the rest of her life lying to her old 
schoolfriends and her relatives?  And if she and all the others tell 
the truth, it seems that there are SO many muggles with wizardly 
relatives that word must leak out all over the place."

To me this is a huge question. How do the muggle-borns handle it? 
Talk about living a lie! Russian spies have it easier.  Like spies, 
muggle-born wizards need a "legend" to explain themselves in the non-
magical world, and I can visualize one of the larger Ministry of 
Magic departments [is there any end to them?] devoted to this. Not 
everbody might approve of the story they're provided "What do you 
mean, I dropped out of school and lived in a commune for seven years, 
and now I make beads to sell on the street?"

Speaking of that, how did they persuade Hermione's parents to let her 
go in the first place? 

"Did you see the post, dear? Hermione's been accepted at a school for 
witchcraft!" 

"Oh, jolly good, dear! I suppose she'll have to go live in this, 
what's the word, coven? Well, we'll just have to let her nip off to 
the store to get the supplies on this list."