Wizard Persecution (was: The Falling-Out of the Hogwarts Four)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 126050


>>Valky:
>But JKR has pointed this out to be relatively laughable a situation 
in Harrys History of Magic essay on Witch burning.<

>>Lindsay: 
<snip>
>How are children, or any witch or wizard of the time, who have not 
been educated, able to know the Charm to keep them from burning at 
the stake?<
<snip>

>>Alla:
>I agree with Valky, because for now that is the only canon we 
have...<
<snip>

Betsy:
Except that it's not.  Actually, canon points overwhelmingly to 
Wizard persecution being a very real threat.

"They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for 
it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches 
and wizards suffered much persecution." (CoS scholastic paperback 
ed. p. 150)

"Muggle persecution of wizards at this time was reaching a pitch 
hitherto unknown [...] It is not the aim of this work to discuss the 
dark days that preceded the wizards' retreat into hiding." (FB&WtFT 
scholastic ed. p. xv)

"The right to carry a wand at all times was established by the 
International Confederation of Wizards in 1692, when Muggle 
persecution was at its height and the wizards were planning their 
retreat into hiding."  (QTtA scholastic ed. footnote 1. p. 28)

The first quote is from Professor Binns, the second from Newt 
Scamander and the third from Kennilworthy Whisp.  All three 
gentlemen are presented by JKR as scholars; two of them are 
historians outright.  To dismiss their wording and the implications 
of their statements would be, IMO, a mistake.

Of course we also know that wizards and witches are hard to kill, 
and I'm sure it wasn't a complete bloodbath, but to dismiss their 
persecution as a mere annoyance is to overlook history. And yes, 
Harry's third year textbook suggests that is *was* a mere annoyance, 
but history is often watered down for children, especially if it's 
politically dangerous history.  And in the current climate of the 
WW, Muggle/Wizard relations are a political time bomb.  It would be 
very unwise to instill either an unhealthy fear or an unhealthy 
hatred of Muggles into wizarding children.  Better to whitewash the 
history for now.

Since we have one source in canon being contradicted by three other 
sources in canon, I think it's safe to say Harry's textbook is not 
telling the full tale.

Betsy