Is there anything in the HP world that bothers you?

[psychic_serpent]

No: HPFGUIDX 56500

"mongo62aa" <william.truderung at s...> wrote:

But the thing that really bothered me was the entire 'justice 
system', for lack of a better word.

"kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...> wrote:

Well, Bill walked off with my first big bother about the HP world.  

Me: Amen!

"kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...> continued:

The other thing that bothers me is that I can't believe that the 
wizard world can remain so hidden from the non-wizard world.  The UK 
has its share of screaming tabloids - do you mean to tell me that no 
one ever spilled the beans about all this magic stuff to any of 
these publishers? 

Me: 
I strongly suspect that it does, in fact, crop up in tabloids from 
time to time, but that the Ministry manages to make sure it is 
confined to disreputable publications which are not taken 
seriously.  I don't know how many rags I see in the checkout line 
that have things in them that no person in their right mind would 
believe--yet there they are.  If a story about magic appears in a 
publication that has a reputation for printing fiction, I don't 
think the Ministry is going to worry.

"kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...> wrote:
 
And that parents like the Grangers think nothing of sending their 
child off to a school of magic?  What do they tell their Muggle 
friends? Do they lie about Hogwarts and vaguely pass it off as some 
boarding school?  Do they have to continually monitor their 
conversation so that they don't let anything slip?  Is the MoM 
constantly running around making people like the Grangers shut up?  
And, if they (the Grangers) do let something slip, is there a 
contingent of MoM workers tirelessly tossing memory charms at 
Muggles to make them forget what the Grangers may have said?  How 
would the MoM even know that something had been revealed in casual 
conversation? 
 
Me:
I don't think relatives of witches and wizards are likely to let 
anything slip because they know they'd be thought insane if they 
did.  Memory charms are probably not necessary even if someone does 
experience a slip of the lip; loud laughter and a cry of, "You 
aren't taking me SERIOUSLY, are you?" would normally be enough to 
quell suspicions.  As Hagrid said, many Muggles choose not to see 
what's right before them.  Even people with ample evidence under 
their noses may opt to ignore it for their own sanity.

"kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...> wrote:

And what about those Muggles married to magical folk?  It doesn't 
seem that uncommon.  Somehow, down through the years, it strikes me 
that an awful lot of Muggles have indeed come in contact with the 
wizard world. And all of them kept mum?  That doesn't seem possible.
 
Me:

See above.  I don't think any of them are anxious to be considered 
dangerous and insane.

"kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...> wrote:

And, of course, the flip side of this is how some wizarding folk 
seem so clueless about the Muggle world.  If remaining hidden is so 
important, it would seem that a great deal of study should focus on 
how to live and work among Muggles without attracting attention, 
especially since there don't seem to be whole communities that are 
exclusively wizarding. 

Me:
This really mystifies me.  Further, as many witches and wizards are 
Muggle-born or children of mixed marriages, it doesn't make sense 
for THEM to be clueless.  And since only Hogsmeade is an all-
wizarding village, most people have to live in close proximity to 
Muggles, probably, and need to be aware of how to convincingly keep 
up appearances.  While the wizard family at the far end of town may 
be known as the local eccentrics, it would be wise for them to be 
able to talk with their neighbors without seeming downright alien.
 
 
--Barb

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