Hogwarts letters Re: Choosing sides

[ginnysthe1]

No: HPFGUIDX 119122


Del wrote:
In GoF, Hermione cut short her summer holidays with her parents by 
two weeks, to attend the QWC. Then she didn't go back home for the
Christmas holidays (Yule Ball). I don't remember about the Easter
holiday, but I don't think she went back home either. Then comes OoP.
Apparently she went to GP very early in July, and remained there all
summer. Then, for the Christmas holidays, she had plans to go skiing
with her parents, but she came straight to GP instead. It doesn't seem
to me that there's anyone or anything she misses really badly in the
MW. And we almost never see her writing to her parents or to any
Muggle friends or family. We never hear her talking about them either.

<snip>

Kim responds:
Cut short or not, she did spend at least part of her holidays with 
her muggle parents.  And I still think we don't know enough about 
Hermione's life outside Hogwarts or her relationship with her parents 
or other family to know what she'll do in the long run to reconcile 
the two worlds she's part of (and she *is* part of two worlds, like 
it or not).  I think JKR has left out most of the details of the 
muggle side of Hermione's life on purpose, also like it or not, 
because JKR is focusing the story on her hero, Harry.  Anyhow, as you 
describe, Hermione may be eager these days to get back to Hogwarts as 
soon as possible because, being a teenage girl, she's got a desperate 
crush on....  Uh oh, better steer clear of "ships" on this list ;-)  
Anyway, my point is, she's a kid now, but what will she do if/when 
she marries someone? (granted, if/when that day comes, he's bound to 
be a wizard, not a Muggle).  She may well have a baby or two one day, 
and I doubt that she'll just cut her Muggle mom and dad out of the 
equation then because they don't fit into the WW.  But you're right, 
if I interpret your ideas correctly, Hermione does seem to view the 
WW as far more important to her at this time in her life.  Also 
though, I do recall Hermione talking about her parents in passing on 
several occasions, and they've come to Diagon Alley with her and 
picked her up at the train station, so they are significant to her, 
but they're just not written about in detail.

Kim wrote:
As far as Muggleborns hiding their magic, they only have to lock 
their wands away in a trunk when they visit the Muggle world in order 
to keep themselves from inadvertantly practicing magic in front of 
unsuspecting Muggles who might not understand....

Del replied:
What about when Muggle people visit them? How do they hide all the
magical artefacts, the highly suspicious books, the cloaks and robes
and so on?  And when they visit Muggle people with their children, 
how do they prevent those children from talking about magic? And what 
do they discuss with the Muggles (unless they keep tabs on what 
happens in both worlds, like DD, but that's a lot of work)?  I'm not 
saying it's impossible, I'm just saying it's very complicated.

Kim replies:
I agree, it's complicated.  Well, here's a stab at a kind of answer.  
Suppose Hermione decides to *live* in the WW once she graduates 
Hogwarts (provided she doesn't get killed in the coming battles... 
sniff).  I admit she's likely to live in the WW and not the Muggle 
world.  But she'll go as often as she likes to the MW to visit her 
parents, bringing her boyfriend, husband, significant other, kids, 
etc. to visit mom and pop, just like out-of-town families do in the 
real world.  She might bring along her wand and a few magical items 
just in case (in case of what, you might ask?  I don't know!)  The 
point of visiting Muggleland and the main draw for Hermione would be 
her loved ones, and she'll have plenty to talk to them about, and 
nothing to hide since they know about and accept magic.  And I don't 
suppose the Muggle neighbors would be likely invites to a semi-annual 
Granger family gathering, would you?  But then again, aren't there 
other Muggles like Hermione's parents out there, who either have 
wizarding children of their own or would be very open-minded on the 
subject?  No need to be entirely paranoid about muggle attitudes 
towards magical people (no, I'm not saying you're paranoid at all, 
I'm just conjecturing).

Kim wrote:
But, hey, what about all us Muggles out here who would be delighted
to know there was a witch or wizard in our midst... ;-)?

Del replied:
Forbidden by the Statute of Secrecy if I remember well :-)

Kim replies:
They've just got to revamp their system of laws IMO... ;-)

<snip>

Del asked:
<snip> By the way: do we know that Moody is wizard-born? Because he 
seems quite at ease in the MW too, so I'm wondering if he couldn't be
Muggleborn. Not that it matters anyway, I'm just wondering.

Kim replies:
Never thought about that, but that's an interesting question.  Moody 
is such an odd guy that it never occurred to me to wonder about his 
family background.  I keep getting distracted by that whirling eye of 
his.
 
Del wrote:
Then my son is going to be a fountain of wisdom :-D  He's barely 2, 
and he's learning 3 languages at once, plus 2 additional ones waiting 
in line.

Kim now:
That's great!  But then I'm a bit partial to language learning 
myself :-)  Seriously, I think it can broaden a person's outlook like 
few things can.

Kim wrote:
It seems to me too that deep down, and it may never show up in the 
books, JKR may want some sort of reconciliation to occur between the 
wizard and muggle worlds.

Del replied:
I seem to remember that she said in an interview that this would never
happen, that the separation between the two worlds was too deep.

Kim asks:
If you can find that quote, please let me know.

Cheers, Kim