Muggle-born wizards

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 73774

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Sarah Munch <vlngrrl at y...> wrote:
> Hello all,
>  
> ...  I was thinking about the International Statute of Wizarding
Secrecy, which, unless I am misunderstanding the law, is intended to
keep muggles from knowing about wizards.  Obviously, complete secrecy
is not entirely possible because the parents and family's of
muggle-born wizards and witches know it exists.  How does the ministry
of magic deal with this problem?  Any ideas?
>  
> -Sarah

bboy_mn:

There has been much discussion around this subject as with just about
every other subject, but we never let that stop us from discussing it
again.

The Wizarding World is a limted secret, and the Stature of Wizarding
Sercecy is designed to keep unauthorized and unwanted muggles from
finding out about the wizard world.

The Minister of Magic consults with the Prime Minister of Britain in a
couple of the books, so obviously he knows, as I would suspect, do all
the previous priministers. It's a safe bet that Maragret Thatcher knows. 

Mr. & Mrs. Dursley and Dudley know about the wizard world and the
wizard world knows that they know. Hermione's parent know, and not
only that, they have been to Diagon Alley.

The subject of the parents of muggle born witches and wizards has been
discussed before in the context of how are they contacted by Hogwarts,
how do the get into Diagon Alley, and what happens if someone very
Dursley-like has a muggle born wizard in the family. 

Some have speculated the parents of muggle born are not contacted the
same way Harry was. What muggle parent in ther right mind would take a
letter delivered by an owl inviting their kid to a witch and wizard
school seriously? Very few I think. 

So the speculation is that a representative of the wizard world comes
to the house to deliver the letter in person and explain the situation
to the parent assuring them that Hogwarts is indeed a real school and
that their children will be safe (ok, that last part is an exageration
but that's OK).

After along talk with the parent and child, they are given a certain
amount of time to think about it. If they decide against it, they are
given a memory charm to make them forget, and they continue on with
their normal lives as muggles.

I know that's not quite what you asked, but it does illustrate my
point. The Statue of Secrecy is not about absolute sercrecy, it's
about keeping the general muggle population that has no 'need to know'
in the dark about the wizard world. 

Another good muggle example to illustrate this same point is UFO's. On
the assumption that it is true, there is an elite group of government
and civilian personel that do have direct knowledge of the exitance of
UFO's and aliens from outerspace, but the knowledge is kept from the
general public. In the same sense, the wizard world is kept from the
knowledge of the general public, but again those with a 'need to know'
are allowed to know.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn