[HPforGrownups] official-secrecy question

[manawydan]

No: HPFGUIDX 88328

Meri wrote:
>Check in Sorcerer's Stone, in the "Diagon Alley" chapter when Hagrid
>is reading the Daily Prophet and tells Harry about the Ministry of
>Magic. I believe there he mentions why the WW is "best left alone".
>Hope it helps.

Sadly too late for Heather's essay, but it's worth noting that canon does
indeed have only slight references to the _reasons_ the WW keeps itself to
itself, and by virtue of that, leaves us to think carefully about the why
and the how (and indeed the when!)

It doesn't take too much thought to realise how the WW would be treated if
it went public tomorrow: what could be looted for profit would be looted for
profit, what could be used for power would be used for power, and the rest
would be trampled underfoot.

But it's also interesting to note that the "official" separation came about
at the end of the 17th century, at the time when the Muggle world was
beginning its period of "Enlightenment" and scientific curiosity, when it
began to be believed that science had the answer to everything and could
understand everything by taking it apart to see how it worked. Perhaps the
Council/Ministry could see which was the wind was blowing and decided that
now was the time to get thoroughly out of sight.

"Sandman" fans might notice an interesting parallel here!

Cheers

Ffred

O Benryn wleth hyd Luch Reon
Cymru yn unfryd gerhyd Wrion
Gwret dy Cymry yghymeiri