Wizards vs. Muggles (was Re: In Defense of Salazar

[lucky_kari]

No: HPFGUIDX 40986

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "naamagatus" <naama_gat at h...> wrote:
> You know, the whole "wizards had been persecuted" thing has always 
> seemed FLINTy to me. I mean, we have Harry reading the amusing tale 
> of Wendolin the Weird and the flame freezing spell - which goes to 
> show that witch hunts were completely futile. On the other hand, we 
> have this vague tale of wizard persecution as what led to the 
> establishment of Hogwarts.

I absolutely agree! What makes it even more confusing for me is that 
witch-burning only began in the Late Middle Ages and reached its peak 
in the 17th century! I was reading "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find 
 Them" and the introduction seems to square with that historical fact, 
but...

FBAWTFT: Page xiv

"A Brief History of Muggle Awareness of Fantastic Beasts"

It goes on to relate a story about a Franciscan monk bitten on the 
nose by a Jarvey. After that, it goes,

"Imperfect understanding is often more dangerous than ignorance, and 
the Muggles' fear of magic was undoubtedly increased by their dread of 
what might be lurking in their herb gardens. Muggle persecutions of 
witches at this time was reaching a pitch hitherto unknown and 
sightings of such beasts as dragons and Hippogriffs was contributing 
to Muggle hysteria."

Muggle persecutions... AT WHAT TIME? The only clue is that it is 
before Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. 

"It is not the aim of this work to discuss the dark days that preceded 
the wizards' retreat into hiding"

Oh, thankyou very much.

A footnote here reads:

"Anyone interested in a full account of this particularily bloody 
period of wizarding history should consult "A History of Magic" by 
Bathilda Bagshot (Little Red Books, 1947."

Right.

The main text reads:

"The International Confederation of Wizards argued the matter out at 
their famous summit meeting of 1692."

Which as I said jives with the historical phenomenom of witch-burning.

On to PoA, which I am translating from the Spanish: (btw, my Spanish 
edition has all the original names. My mother picked it up in the 
Pyrenees.)

Page One:

"History of Magic by Aldabert Waffling"

So who really wrote it? Waffling or Bagshot?

"In the Middle Ages, the non-magical (commonly called Muggles) felt 
towards wizards an especial fear, but they were not very "duchos" in 
finding them. On the rare occasions on which they captured an actual 
witch or wizard, "la quema carecia en absoluto de efecto" (absolutely 
no effect?) The witch or the wizard performed freezing charm to cool 
the flames and then pretended to be in pain while experiencing a 
tickling feeling."

Oh yeah, that sounds like a really "bloody period of wizarding 
history."

It was a bloody period of Muggle history, whenever it was, and as a 
Medievalist in training I object to the generic Middle Ages getting 
the blame, but did the wizards hide to save Muggle lives? If so, it 
was darned decent of them, but you know, I doubt it. 

> I just don't see how a *qualified* wizard, unless taken unawares, 
can 
> not overcome just about any number of Muggles. 

Agreed. 

>Particularly 
> medieval Muggles. Just based on the spells and charms we know of 
now, 
> the wizard can:
> 1. Banish something big (rock, tree) at the advancing army
> 2. Hop on his broom and circle above, hitting the Muggles with 
> whatever curses and jinxes he wants
> 3. Cover himself with an invisibility cloak and do the same.
> 4. Disapparate from the scene of battle. 
> 5. Alternatively, Disapparate, Apparate at the Muggle leader's side, 
> kill him and Disapparate, thereby demoralizing the enemy.
> 
> Etc. There must be many, many more ways - using enchanted suits of 
> armour, for instance. Setting a dragon or two on the Muggles (bit 
> risky that, though. Dragons don't seem very malleable, do they? 
<g>). 
> OR, how about sprinkling some Swelling potion on his enemy's heads 
> while flying above? JKR's brand of magic is just too powerful and 
> diverse to make it feasible for Muggles to overcome wizards, IMO. 

Ditto!

> Which actually makes me think that maybe the persecutions we are 
told 
> about were persecutions of people who had magical abilities but were 
> not qualified wizards. Say, a child like Harry, who causes all kind 
> of weird things to happen, but who doesn't have the knowledge to 
> control and use his power. As we have seen, Harry was certainly no 
> immune to Muggle persecution. Maybe that's why it was so important 
> then to establish a school of wizardry? It's a safe haven for magic 
> children where they can learn the tools of their trade in peace. 
Once 
> they qualify, they are more than able to protect themselves from 
> Muggle persecution. 

I like this idea, but "Fantastic Beast And Where To Find Them" would 
seem to contradict it. 

However, perhaps the "Muggles are all out there going to kill us if we 
stir a finger" story is a cultural legend, propogated by people such 
as Lucius Malfoy, Tom Riddle, and Salazar Slytherin. A historical work 
like "History of Magic" might be more accurate, while Newt Scamander, 
a zooologist and bureacrat repeats the cultural legend.

Eileen, very confused