Wizard and Muggle Interactions

[blpurdom]

No: HPFGUIDX 32548

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Etha Williams <nonconformist594 at y...> 
wrote:
> I suppose that wizards could continually be putting memory charms 
> on the muggles parenting/marrying a magical person, but not only 
> would this be highly impractical, but it would also probably be 
> considered unethical -- after all, being so unaware of one's 
> spouse or child can't make for a good relationship.

I wouldn't suppose anything of the sort.  We know for a certainty 
that the Grangers were in Diagon Alley with Hermione, because Harry 
sees them in Gringott's exchanging Muggle money for wizarding gold.  
Harry was taken shopping by Hagrid, but they used his own money.  
Harry is somewhat unique among first year Hogwarts students in that 
he seems to be independently wealthy (or at least, he has a source 
of funds that doesn't depend on the good will of the Dursleys).  
Most students who are Muggle born would HAVE to have parents who 
accepted the situation, or they wouldn't be able to attend.

OTOH, if a student received a Hogwarts letter and the family refused 
to let him or her go or if the family refused to pay for it, I don't 
know what would happen.  There are two alternatives, neither one 
particularly desirable.  Either the student would not study magic 
and the family would have memory charms put on them (and then you 
have a person who could be performing accidental magic quite a lot 
and wreaking havoc in the Muggle world); or it's possible that the 
student could be taken into custody by the Ministry of Magic and 
made a kind of ward of the wizarding state so that they would be 
properly trained as a witch or wizard.  This kind of heavy-
handedness doesn't seem like a good idea either, though. 

So far we only know of Tom Riddle, Sr. reacting poorly to finding 
out his wife is a witch and the Dursleys reacting negatively to Lily 
and Harry.  Everyone else whose child, sibling or spouse turns out 
to be magical is fine with it.  It would be interesting to see 
whether JKR will ever introduce some sort of secret society of 
Muggles (they have to worry about being memory-charmed) who are 
aware of and dislike magic (the Dursleys could find out about it and 
join) and who are actively but covertly plotting to bring back witch 
hunts...

--Barb

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