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The fictional universe of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series comprises two separate and distinct societies: the wizarding world and the Muggle world. The Muggle world is the series' name for the real world of the reader, with the wizarding world coextensive with it, existing alongside it yet hidden from the non-magical majority. The plot of the series is set in contemporary Great Britain, but in a veiled and separate shadow society in which magic is real, and those who can use it live in enforced seclusion, hiding their talents from the real world. The term "wizarding world" refers to the global wizard community that lives hidden in parallel with the "Muggle world" (the non-magical world), the different terms refer to different communities within the same area rather than separate planets or worlds.
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Fundamentals
- See also: Magic (Harry Potter)
The society of the wizarding world is centred on two facts. The first and most obvious one is the presence and use of magic. Presented as an inborn capability to do otherwise impossible things, magic is honed through study and training into a skill. It permeates every facet of the wizarding world, both as a near-universal tool and imbued in objects, such as wands, vital amplifying/focusing devices for spells, and creatures, including dragons and phoenixes. Spells can have almost any effect, from finding lost objects and turning on lights, to healing and murder. Secondly, it is not considered possible for the Muggle world to coexist peacefully with the wizarding one. As such, a great deal of effort is expended in keeping the Muggles unaware and ignorant about magic. Enchantment of Muggle artifacts is forbidden, underage students are restricted from using magic outside of school, and any deliberate revelation of magical ability is, naturally, punishable. These laws are enforced by the Ministry of Magic, while a special arm of it, the Obliviators, has the job of making certain that Muggles who have seen magic in action will be left with no incriminating memories. Exceptions to the secrecy include wizards' Muggle relatives and the highest political leaders, such as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (first mentioned in the Prisoner of Azkaban when the Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge notifies the Muggle Prime Minister of Sirius Black's escape and first seen in Chapter 1 of Half-Blood Prince). Another exception is in the defence of one's life or the lives of others (including Muggles). Some aspects of the Wizarding world are depicted as being less-than-modern in comparison to the non-Wizarding world, sometimes even very old-fashioned or quaint. The technological development of the wizarding world is substantially behind that of its Muggle counterpart -- owls, for example, are a more cumbersome and slower way to send messages than e-Mail and simple phone calls. However, a large number of technologically complex devices do exist, and the use of magic (a clean, renewable, and easily-used energy source) hence renders some Muggle convenience technologies comparatively unnecessary. From a certain respect, it can be seen that Magic and electricity are the equivalents of each other in their respective worlds, but electronic equipment sometimes 'goes haywire' around Hogwarts, and Muggle devices used by wizards (such as cameras and radios) are able to be powered themselves on ambient magic. Such examples are rare, however; wizards rarely make use of Muggle technology nor do they have much interest in doing so, even when such technology might make their lives much easier. By the time the books take place, however (1981-1997), some level of Muggle pop culture has penetrated the wizarding world. Rock music, posters, and tabloids, are commonplace. Rebellious young wizards have learned to embrace Muggle culture full heartedly; young Sirius Black's room was filled with pictures of Muggle pinup girls, motorcycles and rock bands. Wizards and witches that are Muggle-born, or are half-bloods (of non-magical parentage or mixed parentage respectively) find it easier to integrate into Muggle society and take on Muggle trends as they are predisposed to Muggle ways growing up. Muggle-born Gryffindor student Dean Thomas has constant reference to him adorning his part of the dormitory with posters of football (Soccer) clubs.
Geography
There is no separate "magical land" in the Harry Potter universe. The wizarding world not only coexists alongside the world of Muggles, but also is embedded within it. There is only one village in Britain, the small Scottish town of Hogsmeade, that is home to an entirely magical population. The vast majority of Witches and Wizards' locations are integrated within the wider non-magical area. Wizards will often live in small communities of several families within Muggle villages such as Godric's Hollow in the West Country (home of the Dumbledores and the Potters) or Tinworth in Cornwall. The all-Wizard Weasley family, as well as the Diggory, Lovegood, and Fawcett families, live in the Muggle village of Ottery St Catchpole, presumably near the real town of Ottery St Mary, in Devon. Many wizarding houses in the Harry Potter books are depicted as being on the outskirts of towns, usually somewhat isolated from the majority of the town. The movie depiction of the Weasley’s home backs that up in Chamber of Secrets. Likewise, in other places of wizarding congregations, the Wizard emporium Diagon Alley, for instance, lies in central London, just off Charing Cross Road. The train to Hogwarts School departs from the very real King's Cross Station, albeit from Platform 9¾. These locations are hidden by a combination of Muggle-repelling charms, illusions, other magical protections (many magical locations, such as the island of Drear off the coast of Scotland, and the wizarding prison, Azkaban, are rendered Unplottable, or impossible to locate on a map) and depend on the natural tendency of everyday, non-magical people to ignore anything they cannot explain or understand. Although wizarding society lives for the most part directly amongst Muggles, few wizards are aware of basic Muggle culture (for example, as a rule, wizards do not understand Muggle clothing customs), and a sizable number are proud of their ignorance. While the series is set in Great Britain, the Wizarding world has locations throughout the globe.
Population
The terms wizard and witch are used in magical society more or less the same way the terms boy/man and girl/woman are used in the Muggle world. Mage and similar words are rare and usually only seen in titles or such. There is no completely definitive knowledge about the demography of the Wizarding world. We do know that on the year Harry Potter entered Hogwarts, there were 39 students that started school with him[HP1] - Rowling having produced a list to this effect. This seems to indicate a very low birth rate, or a very low number of witches and wizards in Great Britain and Ireland, or a combination of both. Additionally, J. K. Rowling has stated that she imagines the Wizarding population of the UK to be around 3,000. This estimate, although to Muggle eyes amazingly small, is understandable: a larger population would be far harder to hide from Muggle knowledge. Rowling has also said that there are about 1000 Hogwarts students then later changed it to 600. Neither of these numbers would fit plausibly with a UK wizarding population of around 3,000. However, the following points regarding population have been raised:
- There are a large number of governmental departments (even Arthur Weasley's Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office is staffed by two people), and Harry observes "hundreds" of witches and wizards in the Ministry's Atrium alone - although Harry is admittedly a rather poor judge of numbers (having once seen 200 Slytherin students). This would appear rather too large for such a small population.
- The Quidditch World Cup stadium could hold 100,000 and was built by a "Ministry task force of five hundred." It seems unlikely that a sixth of the entire country worked for a full year on one project. Having said that, the task might have been outsourced to the wizarding populations of other countries (which do exist; the final contenders in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup were Ireland and Bulgaria).
In addition, it could be noted that not every creature in the magical community is a witch or wizard. Below exists a list of beasts, beings and spirits - many of which co-exist and co-work with the wizarding community. Examples are Ghosts, Squibs, werewolves, Goblins and house elves. This would create more wizarding citizens to account for. For example, wizarding banks are usually staffed by Goblins, and house elves usually account for jobs involving manual labour.
Blood purity
Pure-blood
Pure-blood wizards claim to have no Muggle blood at all in their genealogical pedigree. In response to fan questions, Rowling has said that to be considered pure-blood, all of one's grandparents must have been wizards: some more severe schools of thought may require several more generations of wizards to be considered pure-blood. She has also said that true pure-blood wizards do not exist in the Harry Potter universe (if they ever did exist in the past), and that they merely erase Muggles and Squibs off their family trees.[1] Notable pure-blood families include the Black family, the Malfoy family, the Longbottom family, and the Weasley family. These and the few other remaining families are all interconnected by marriage.[2] Over the course of the series, some prominent families have died out. The Crouch and Gaunt lines have become extinct during the series, and there are very few known lines left. The Weasleys are the only known pure-blood family with more than one male heir. Some of the strongest advocates of blood purity are not pure-blood themselves. A notable example is Lord Voldemort, a half-blood whose mother was a pure-blood witch of the Gaunt family, who were descended from Hogwarts founder Salazar Slytherin. At the same time, some pure-blood wizards are not themselves advocates of blood purity: both the Weasleys and Longbottoms are old pure-blood families; all known members of these families reject notions of blood purity.[3][4][5]The Black family also seems to have produced one or two such black sheep in every generation.[2] In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix it is revealed that pure-blood families intermarry.[4] It is confirmed that at least the Blacks and the Gaunts inbred by marrying their cousins.[4][6] It is notable that, especially in the Gaunt and Black families, individual members have a certain amount of mental instability and emotional problems.[6] The Gaunts were known for their violent nature, most notably Lord Voldemort's uncle, Morfin Gaunt, and Voldemort himself. A blood traitor is a derogatory term employed by the latter group for a pure-blood who fails to maintain the proper prejudices against non-pure-bloods (i.e., people who enjoy the company of and/or help Muggles and Muggle-borns). This label has been applied to the Weasley family, Sirius Black, and Merope Gaunt. Pure-blood supremacists consider blood purity a measure of a wizard's magical ability; this is not the case, however. Hermione Granger, for example, is Muggle-born, yet she is consistently atop her class, and by all accounts a highly skilled witch. It is especially true when one considers that some of the most powerful characters are half-bloods (e.g., Voldemort and Severus Snape). The establishment and maintenance of pure-blood dominion over the wizarding world is the prime motivation for many of the series' evil characters. As critic Colleen O'Brien notes, the wizards who see themselves as superior because of their heritage, are the books' villains, while Harry Potter and his friends disagree with this ideology.[7]
Half-blood
Half-blood wizards are not Muggle-born, but their heritage includes one or more Muggle ancestors. Half-bloods are the most common kind of wizard (Rowling has stated that of the Hogwarts annual intake, 50% are half-bloods. Half-bloods include people that have one parent who is either a Muggle or a Muggle-born and have one who is a wizard/witch (i.e. a "literal" half-blood). They also include any wizards or witches with any other combination of Muggle and Wizard blood (i.e. a "technical" half-blood). Blood purity fanatics regard half-bloods as inferior wizards, though they think of half-bloods as superior to Muggle-born wizards.
Part-humans
Some half-bloods are products of unions between human wizards and magical creatures of human intelligence ("beings" in wizard parlance). Known beings with the capacity to interbreed with humans include goblins, giants and Veela. Rubeus Hagrid is half-giant; Beauxbatons Headmistress, Olympe Maxime, is also suspected to be half-giant (a suggestion which she vehemently denies, claiming she merely has "big bones"). Filius Flitwick is part-goblin, and Fleur Delacour is at least one-quarter Veela. Remus Lupin was bitten by a werewolf and therefore is known as a werewolf every full moon. Prejudiced wizards (such as Dolores Umbridge) often use the insulting term "half-breed" to describe someone of mixed-species parentage. This term is sometimes incorrectly extended to people such as werewolves, whose breeding has nothing to do with their affliction, and to creatures like merpeople and centaurs, who are pure bred within their species, not a mix between human and non-human.[HP5]
Muggle-born
Muggle-borns are witches and wizards who have Muggle (non-magical) parents or Muggle grandparents. According to Rowling, in order to be considered pure-blood, one's parents and grandparents must be wizards. Their magical abilities do not seem to be affected by their parentage. Muggle-borns will have a witch or wizard somewhere on their family tree, but in some cases, this is many, many generations back. Pure-blood fanatics use the derogatory term "Mudblood" to refer to Muggle-born wizards, which is analogous to racial and ethnic slurs found in the non-magical world. The proportion of the wizarding population that is Muggle-born seems to be on the rise as the pure-blood families shrink in size and number (according to Rowling, of the annual Hogwarts intake, 25% are Muggle-born). Notable Muggle-born characters include Hermione Granger and Harry's mother, Lily Potter (née Evans), both exceptional witches from Muggle families. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, after the Ministry's take-over by the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort, a new law is issued saying that all Muggle-born witches and wizards are to register with the Muggle-born Registration Commission, headed by Dolores Umbridge. The new doctrine of the Ministry - supposedly based on Department of Mysteries findings - was that Muggle-borns were actually Muggles who had somehow "stolen magic" and wands from true wizards. This ideology is quickly overthrown after Lord Voldemort's defeat. Under the new Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, those who were actively involved in supporting this ideology, such as Umbridge, are imprisoned for crimes against Muggle-borns.
Squibs
A Squib is a person of wizarding heritage who lacks magical ability;[8] Squibs are, in essence, the opposite of Muggle-born wizards.[8] A Squib is a very rare anomaly;[8] the only known Squibs in the series are the Hogwarts caretaker, Argus Filch; Arabella Figg, a neighbour of the Dursleys; an unnamed second cousin of Molly Weasley, who works as an accountant; and Sirius Black's great-uncle, Marius Black (who was erased from the Black family tree). Voldemort's mother, Merope Gaunt, was believed by her father to be a Squib, but Albus Dumbledore speculates that her magical abilities were compromised by the mental abuse she suffered at the hands of her father and brother. Dumbledore's sister, Ariana, was also speculated to be a Squib; however, it is revealed in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that she in fact possessed extraordinary magical abilities, but lost control of them following a brutal physical attack from three Muggle boys at the age of six. The Ministry of Magic does not keep records of Squib births. Squibs share much in common with Muggles; unlike Muggles, however, they are aware of and comprehend the wizarding world. Filch attempts to acquire some measure of magical ability through the "Kwikspell" correspondence course, although Rowling has stated that this course never worked for him.[8] Things that are hidden from Muggles with spells (rather than by the very nature of the hidden thing) seem to be visible to Squibs, for example Filch is able to work at Hogwarts, which appears only as a dangerous old ruin to Muggles; Mrs Figg, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, claims to be able to see Dementors, though this has been stated as untrue by the author[9]. However, on the basis of her experience on the night that Harry saved his cousin Dudley Dursley from two Dementors, Mrs Figg is able to describe their effect correctly, as at least one member of the Wizengamot agrees. Squibs do seem able to enjoy magical relationships with animals: Filch and Mrs Figg both have cats that appear to function as messengers. Mrs. Figg admits in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that she posted one of her cats under a car at Number Four, Privet Drive as a lookout. This cat is seen leaving when Mundungus Fletcher Disapparates and Mrs. Figg later shows up to assist Harry after his battle with the Dementors. According to Ron Weasley's Great-Aunt Muriel, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the custom with Squibs has been to send them to Muggle schools and encourage them to integrate into the Muggle world, which is "much kinder" than keeping them in the magical world, where they will always be "second-class." Muriel makes this comment in reference to Albus Dumbledore's sister Ariana, whom she incorrectly believes to have been a Squib.
History
Readers have so far learned very little about the history of the magical world. The teaching of History at Hogwarts is conducted in a distinctly lacklustre manner, causing most students to drowse during lessons; since the reader depends upon Harry (who has no interest in history at all) for information, the reader gains little knowledge of the topic. Wizarding records also seem confusingly erratic in their accuracy: Ollivander's, a local wand shop, gives a precise date of 382 BC as its inception; however, the founding of Hogwarts (a seminal event in British magical history) is given a vague date of roughly a thousand years before present events. The various Quidditch teams in the United Kingdom trace their founding to the 14th century and earlier. Floo powder, one of the mainstays of Wizard transportation, was invented in the 13th century; however, the name 'floo' would indicate a later origin (after the introduction of the flue chimney). There are many hints that wizard history has paralleled Muggle history to some extent. Dumbledore is noted for having defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, the year of the Allied victory in World War II - although, again, no other history about this supposedly relevant magical event has been mentioned. The broad swathe of Wizard history can be gleaned from the books: until the Middle Ages, Wizards and Muggles appear to have co-existed, albeit grudgingly. Hogwarts School, which was built at some point in the tenth or eleventh century, owes its isolation to its founders' fears of Muggle intrusion. During the Middle Ages, witch persecutions increased (although witches were rarely burned in Britain, this being a punishment for heretics), and in 1692, magical peoples gathered from around the world to sign the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, which permanently split off the Wizard world (as well as magical creatures such as dragons and unicorns) from the Muggle world.
Government and politics
Relations
To the Muggle world
The Muggles remain - for the most part - oblivious to the wizarding world, a situation considered eminently preferable to the alternative by wizards. Most things of magical nature are hidden or otherwise obscured from Muggles; others (such as Dementors or ghosts) simply cannot be seen by them. It is commented that Muggles generally have the ability to dismiss anything they cannot explain (sometimes referred to, though not in the books, as Sunnydale Syndrome). To most magical people, the Muggle world is also unknown. Even if they know it is there somewhere, the regular wizard and witch is oblivious of the functionality and differences of the Muggle world. Their attempts to disguise themselves as Muggles, as when they have to venture out into "normal" streets, often have humorous results. A common running gag is the mispronunciation of common Muggle terms like "telephone," "escalator," "plumber," "firearms" or "policeman," as "fellytone," "escapator," "pumble," "firelegs," and "please-men," respectively. Muggle Studies is an option of study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, while some professions require its study, to others it is often considered a "soft option." The only official relations described with the Muggle world are between the Minister for Magic and the Muggle Prime Minister of Britain. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince it is revealed that the Minister of Magic privately introduces himself to each new Prime Minister. There is a magical painting in the Prime Minister's office that notifies him of such visits, and a fire that is connected to the Floo Network. Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge advised the Prime Minister (who can be assumed by chronology to be John Major, but never identified by name) of the escape of Sirius Black in order to obtain assistance from the Muggle authorities in apprehending him. Fudge also informed the Prime Minister that several problems he was facing were, in fact, rooted in the war against Voldemort, and that his new secretary Kingsley Shacklebolt was actually an Auror. It can be presumed that Internationally the Prime Minister's counterparts also meet with the leaders of their magical communities. Operatives of Cornelius Fudge once cast a memory charm on another country's president so that Fudge and the prime minister could talk uninterrupted. The exact extent to which the secrecy and isolation of the wizarding world is maintained varies. Many references are made to the Ministry of Magic performing memory charms to preserve secrecy, however, some Muggles are shown to be aware of the wizarding world. The parents of Hermione Granger are both Muggles, but have been seen in Diagon Alley. They are fully aware that magic exists, but they forbade Hermione to use magic to fix her teeth (as dentists themselves, they felt that this was cheating). The Dursleys are also aware of the wizarding world; Petunia Dursley indicates that she learned of it when her sister, Lily, was accepted to Hogwarts. She apparently shared this information with her husband, who is shown to be contemptuous of the wizarding world even before Harry shows up at their doorstep. There is no indication that Dudley was aware of any of this until Harry himself is told about Hogwarts. In addition to the families of Muggle-born wizards, there are mixed marriages. Seamus Finnegan reports that his mother was a witch who did not inform his Muggle father until after they were married. There is also some unspecified financial relationship between the two worlds, as it is possible to exchange Muggle Money into Wizard Money, as Hermione's parents are shown doing in the second book. This book also states that there is no way to exchange the money back into Muggle money, or at least that Harry Potter believes this to be the case.
Internationally
The magical governments of the world are to some degree united in the International Confederation of Wizards. This organisation, the details of which have not been revealed in the books, plays an important role in maintaining the secrecy of the Wizarding World. It seems to be similar to the United Nations.
Internally
See also: The Death Eaters. Since a person's most important capability – magical aptitude – does not depend on sex, gender equality is highly advanced in the wizarding world, and the "battle of the sexes" never became much of an issue. Similarly, racial equality seems highly advanced in the Wizarding world, with Hogwarts students featuring a wide range of racial and ethnic backgrounds and the black Kingsley Shacklebolt appointed Minister for Magic without any comment. However, in other respects, prejudice and discrimination seem not only endemic to the Wizard world but in some cases ingrained to the level of apartheid. The most obvious example of wizard prejudice is a longstanding disdain (in some cases, genocidal hatred) for Muggles and wizards and witches of Muggle parentage (Muggle-borns, half-bloods). This has led to a eugenic philosophy among some of the older wizarding families, leading to a practice of "pure-blood" intermarriage that has exposed many of them (such as the Gaunt family) to the risks of mental instability. Another fairly obvious prejudice, which echoes the condescending attitude taken by various peoples in our world toward natives in conquered lands, is the suspicion or disregard for other species of human intelligence ("beings" in Wizard parlance). Voldemort and his allies frequently exploit these divisions to bring non-human magical creatures, particularly werewolves and giants, over to their cause. Werewolves, who for most of the days in the month can function as reasonably normal human beings (whilst spending the remainder as terrifying murderous monsters), are so hated and despised that to reveal their affliction is to end all possibility of future employment; admittedly, some of the hatred and terror of werewolves is inspired by their wolf-form. Matters have been further worsened by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback, a delusional, cannibalistic and humanly savage werewolf with a taste for children's flesh: he has made himself a name of terror in the wizarding world. Whether his attitude is in part a reaction to that of the wizarding world, or whether the attitude of the wizarding world is in part a reaction to his reputation, he has undoubtedly worsened the reputation of werewolves in the wizarding world. Centaurs, creatures of human intelligence or perhaps greater, are treated with fear and suspicion due to their fiercely proud nature and their love of their nature based traditions. Their half human nature has led to some of the wizarding community calling them 'half breeds', and due to centuries of human attempts to control and assert their dominance over them the Centaur tribes have developed a dislike for all humans, and will often kill members of the tribe who aid or serve humans as they see this as an admittance of inferiority. The tribe that resides within the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts often confronts humans who wander in, and have an on/off relationship with the Gamekeeper Hagrid. Giants, normally solitary creatures given to territorial aggression, have been rendered nearly extinct by the refusal of Wizards to allow them near habitable land, which has forced the few of their species remaining to cluster together, leading to fights among themselves and further deaths. House-elves, the brownie-like beings who inhabit houses and willingly (indeed joyfully) perform whatever tasks their wizard "masters" ask of them, have been exploited for centuries as a slave-class, often ruthlessly and thoughtlessly. The fact that most appear to like living in servitude has encouraged wizards take them for granted, to the point where some families, for instance the Black family, have made it a tradition to place the heads of their dead house-elves on their wall. A house-elf can be cast out of a family on the slightest pretext, and their word is often not accepted as valid testimony in criminal cases. The only method by which house-elves may be set free by their masters is by being offered an article of clothing (such as the sock given to Dobby in 'Chamber of Secrets'). Goblins, while they appear to have at least a grudging co-existence with the wizard world, have nonetheless experienced much discrimination from wizards, and many have led significant uprisings against them in the past. This animosity, however, is returned by Goblins as seen in Deathly Hallows. Bill Weasley explains to Harry that Goblins never consider a wizard to actually own any Goblin-made product, instead the money that was paid for it was simply "rental" money and upon the purchaser's death, the object should pass back into Goblin ownership. They also do not trust a wizard to their word. Ageism too seems endemic in the wizarding world, particularly towards the young. Their elders often ignore the opinions and thoughts of young people, and teachers at Hogwarts are allowed to bully and maltreat students in a fashion that would be considered highly inappropriate in our world today. Since wizards appear magically capable until advanced old age, there seems less prejudice toward the old.
Education
Before Hogwarts
There appears to be no official precursory education, either; apparently, wizard parents home-school their children in basic non-magical topics, such as literacy and arithmetic. Muggle-born wizards, however, clearly experience an ordinary Muggle primary education before enrolling at Hogwarts, something that could be viewed as a cognitive edge.
After Hogwarts
Following completion of a Hogwarts education, there is no standard tertiary education, and there are no wizard universities. Successful Hogwarts students are considered ready to function as adults, though some wizarding professions do require special, years-long training programs subsequent to finishing Hogwarts. These include the professions of the Auror and the Healer (the wizard physician). It is customary for young wizards to travel to world to "observe foreign witches and wizards" after graduation to complete their education. In the Deathly Hallows, Elphias Doge describes how his plans to travel the world with his friend Albus Dumbledore were disrupted by the passing of the latter's mother. Similarly, we learn that Professor Quirrel took some time off to get some first hand experience after a celebrated academic career.
Wizarding Examinations Authority
The Wizarding Examinations Authority is an organisation responsible for examining students in their fifth and seventh years taking their O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams. The head, Griselda Marchbanks, is an elderly witch who examined a school-aged Albus Dumbledore in his N.E.W.T.s.
Known foreign schools
- Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
- Durmstrang Institute
- The Salem Witches' Academy seems to be an all-girls school in the U.S. (mentioned in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).
- Bill Weasley had a pen pal at an unknown school in Brazil, who took offence when Bill couldn't afford a student exchange programme and sent him a cursed hat that made his ears shrivel up.
Economy
In the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling, a fictional system of currency is used by the wizards of the United Kingdom. The currency is bimetallic and uses only coins as the units of account. It is based on three types of coin; in order of decreasing value, the gold Galleon, the silver Sickle, and the bronze Knut. Wizarding banks provide money-changing services for those with Muggle currency. The only reference to a bank in Harry Potter is Gringotts, which is located on Diagon Alley in London and has hundreds of vaults. In these vaults, a person can keep whatever he wants (like a security vault). Hagrid indicates that wizards have "just the one" bank.
Coins
The Galleon is the largest and most valuable coin in the British wizard currency. It is gold coloured, round and larger than either of the other coins. The exact size of the Galleon is never specified. Around the rim of the Galleon is inscribed at least one serial number, which identifies the goblin who was responsible for minting the coin. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Hermione Granger enchants fake Galleons to show the time and date of the next Dumbledore's Army meeting instead of the serial number. Some analysts have speculated that the coins might actually be shaped like their namesakes, the galleon, sickle and knut respectively[10]. However, numerous references to other objects in the Harry Potter universe being "as round as galleons" [OP Ch.16] imply that the galleon, at least, is not shaped like a ship. In Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire the Muggle who owns the campsite in which the Quidditch World Cup is held talks about being paid with solid gold coins the size of hubcaps.
Exchange rate
| One Knut is | One Sickle is | One Galleon is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 | 493 | Knut. |
| 0.03448 | 1 | 17 | Sickle. |
| 0.002028 | 0.05882 | 1 | Galleon. |
J. K. Rowling sets the approximate value of a galleon at five pounds (i.e. approximately US$ 10 or € 7.5), although "the exchange rate varies".[11] In the book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, two pieces of information are given which hint at how much wizards' currency is worth in comparison to real-world money. Firstly, it is said that £174 million raised for charity is equivalent to 34,000,872 Galleons, 14 Sickles, and 7 Knuts (the figure is truncated to 34,000,000 galleons in Quidditch Through the Ages). It is also stated that the book costs £2.50 ($3.99 US), or 14 Sickles and 3 Knuts. The first piece of information suggests that 1 galleon = £5.12, but according to the second figure 1 galleon = £3.01 approximately. See also: Galleons-to-Muggle money converter from the Harry Potter Lexicon, CNN Harry Potter currency converter, DIY Harry Potter coins
Medicine
Wizard medicine is well ahead of its Muggle counterpart. While Muggle medicine largely attempts to stimulate the body's own healing and defence systems, magic can simply impose well-being. Healing is not as simple as ordinary spells, but should be able to cure minor injuries in a negligible amount of time and just about every other somatic problem (even missing or boneless limbs) given somewhat longer. Conventional ailments, save from large-scale neurological damage, appear to be very easy to fix. Of course, a number of problems in a setting like this do not qualify under conventional ailments. It is known that wizards may eat chocolate after confrontations with Dementors (in [HP3] Professor Lupin gives Harry chocolate many times, and when Lupin and Harry are in the hospital wing Madam Pomfrey asks "Have they had chocolate yet?"). Wizards have had a cure for the common cold for years: it is known as Pepper-up Potion and is characterised by the patient emitting steam from their ears. Wizards do not appear to make use of vaccinations, however: a common cause of death appears to be Dragon Pox. Wizard doctors and surgeons are known as Healers. While Madam Pomfrey runs a mean hospital wing at Hogwarts, the central establishment for this purpose is the St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Various magical diseases, such as "dragon pox" and "vanishing disease," are mentioned in the books, but little is known about them.
Lifespan
Though this is never explicitly mentioned in the books, Rowling has admitted that the potential lifespan of a witch or wizard is longer than that of a Muggle. Albus Dumbledore, old by any standards, is approximately 115 years of age at the time of his demise in the penultimate book.[12] In addition, the character Griselda Marchbanks appears in the fifth novel, stating that she once examined Dumbledore during his N.E.W.T.s. She would have to be at least a decade older than Dumbledore if this statement held true. As another example, Hagrid, who is portrayed as a relatively young adult, is actually in his sixties; he was expelled during his third year at Hogwarts, and this occurred about 50 years ago.[HP2] However, despite this claim, Rowling has not shown many long-lived wizards: indeed, the Black Family Tree shows most listed members dying at ages not even at average for Muggles. Rowling has never given a specific average lifespan for a magical person, but it is at least understandable that magic may have profound effect on prolonging a witch or wizard's life (or perhaps general exposure to magic may increase lifespan). It must also be understood, also, that (as in the case of the Blacks) magic can have a profound on shortening one's lifespan considerably.
Transportation
The Wizarding world is fragmented and disassociated in structure. It can be represented by a single small terraced house in an entirely Muggle town, or a single street in the back alleys of London. The population is small and sparsely scattered. Wizard modes of transport, therefore, embody the necessity of covering large distances very quickly.
Floo Powder
Floo Powder is a green-coloured powder that is thrown into a lit fireplace. Its immediate effect is to turn the flames green. A witch or wizard then steps into the fireplace and clearly says aloud the name of the place they wish to go. This is followed by a spinning sensation. Floo Powder is a very popular method of transportation, and there is even a Floo Network. A fireplace must be on the Floo Network for one to travel to it. How exactly the Floo Network is operated is unclear, but we do know that Ministry officials are able to monitor it.
Apparition
Apparition and Disapparition are other forms of transport for witches and wizards. This is when they are able to disappear and appear at another place almost instantly. This particular mode of transportation is difficult to master and it becomes increasingly unreliable over long distances. It requires an ability to concentrate on the destination, focus that determination on the desired destination, and a sense of deliberation to reach your goal. Normally, only Apparition-licensed wizards, over the age of seventeen, may apparate at will. There is also "Side-Along Apparition," where a wizard unable to Apparate, for whatever reason, takes hold of an arm of another wizard, who is able to Apparate; the two can then Apparate together entirely under the power of the able wizard. This can be used as a means of allowing an underaged wizard to legally Apparate: it is used in book six when Harry and Dumbledore go to Professor Slughorn's residence. Poor focus results in splinching, a term for the separation of body parts. Played mostly for laughs in the first six books, in book seven Ron suffers a serious wound because of splinching, and Rowling makes a point of contrasting the humorous sounding effect with the reality of it. Even experienced wizards hesitate when using this method to travel great distances — it is usually safer to use another method. Apparition, whilst not requiring any form of incantation, can only be performed by a wizard/witch in possession of a wand.
Broomsticks
The brooms wizards use have enchantments on them that enable them to fly. They are used to travel long distances, or for sport, particularly in the game Quidditch. Modern brooms have a Cushioning Charm (invented by Elliot Smethywick) to prevent great discomfort. For a greater knowledge of the evolution of broomsticks and of the various sports involving them, consult Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp. Some modern broomsticks include the Comet series, Cleansweep series, Nimbus series, and the Firebolt.
The Knight Bus
The Knight Bus is a magical triple-decker bus. It is described as "violently purple," with "gold lettering over the windscreen." To flag it down, all a witch or wizard must do is stick out their wand arm. The driver is Ernie Prang and the conductor was Stan Shunpike, who was imprisoned in Azkaban in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Flying creatures
A range of flying creatures is available for transport, although this appears not to be a common mode of travel among the wizarding community. It is possible to travel using Hippogriffs. In Book 3, Harry, Hermione and Sirius travelled using the Hippogriff Buckbeak. Harry Potter used thestrals to travel in Book 5. The book also mentions that Dumbledore sometimes uses a thestral when he wishes to travel in secrecy. Thestrals also pull the Hogwarts carriages that transport students from Hogsmeade station to Hogwarts castle. Thestrals are used again in evacuating Harry from Little Whinging at the beginning of Book 7. Headmistress of Beauxbatons (Book 4) travels in a carriage drawn by several winged horses; but the coach itself may also have some flying ability, since it does not hang below the horses. It is possible that the horses only provide the propulsive power, but the actual situation is not clearly described in the book. In Book 2, Harry and others are carried by Fawkes the Phoenix. The travellers hold on to his tail feathers. Dumbledore in Book 5 uses a different technique, where he grabs Fawkes's tail feathers and both vanish in a flash of fire.
Portkeys
Portkeys are ordinary objects that have been magically granted the power to transport people who touch them. Portkeys can be dangerous, as they can send unsuspecting people anywhere, and are thus illegal to operate without authorization. Either Portkeys can be set to activate at a prearranged time, or as soon as the person meets them. To prevent Muggles from accidentally touching and activating Portkeys, wizards usually choose to enchant objects that are unlikely to be noticed or interfered with by Muggles, such as old potion bottles or drinks cans.
Other methods
- Hogwarts students are transported to and from Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express.
- Students from the wizarding school Durmstrang travelled to Hogwarts on a ship. Apparently, even though it suddenly appeared from a whirlpool in the Hogwarts Lake, there is still rowing involved. This could perhaps be to promote discipline.
- Flying Carpets are a primary form of wizarding transport in Asia. Flying carpets are their equivalent to the broomstick. Flying carpets are designated as contraband in Britain, under the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Act (broomsticks are not considered Muggle Artefacts).
- Very rarely, a Centaur will allow a human to ride on his back. This is the most solemn of events, offered only to highly honoured riders.
- Wizards sometimes travel in enchanted Muggle transports. In Book 1, Hagrid took Harry to his aunt by travelling on a flying motorbike formerly owned by Sirius Black. In Book 2, it is mentioned that Arthur Weasley had enchanted a Ford Anglia, which could fly or become invisible when a button is pressed.
- In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Draco Malfoy finds a way to travel from the shop Borgin and Burkes to Hogwarts using a vanishing cabinet.
- In the seventh book, it is revealed that Lord Voldemort has discovered a magical means of flying under his own power, unaided by broom, carpet, or other conveyance. This demonstrates his advanced magical capability, as no other wizard in history has been mentioned who could fly without some kind of bewitched vehicle. Towards the end of the story, Severus Snape demonstrates the same ability, most likely taught to him by Voldemort, but it is unclear whether this discovery will outlive its inventor's death.
Communication
A variety of magical communication methods is available to the wizarding world.
Owls
By far the most popular method of communication is via owls. Owls are used for conveying packages, with multiple owls acting in concert for heavier ones; sending mail; delivering newspapers; and in general acting as a replacement for the Postal Service of the Muggle world. There is payment in some circumstances; with the owl requesting that coins be placed in a leather pouch attached to its leg, but this is inconsistent. Not only owls may be used; Sirius makes use of a tropical bird, likely a macaw, on one occasion. How the owls find the recipients of the letters they carry is not specifically stated. In some circumstance, letters have extremely explicit addresses to them (specifying particular rooms or locations inside of a building). Other times, there is no mention of an address, and the owl is simply told to whom to deliver. In addition, though owls are portrayed as flying directly to the recipient of their package, it is implied that owl traffic can be monitored and even interrupted. There are several references to "the owls being watched" and Harry uses different owls to communicate with Sirius since his snowy owl, Hedwig, would supposedly attract too much attention. On one occasion Hedwig is injured after being intercepted and searched.[13]
Floo Network
This method of travelling is also used quite frequently to communicate; sticking your head, as opposed to your entire body, into the fireplace, typically does this. However, this particular method is quite uncomfortable. This seems to be the wizarding equivalent of the telephone.
Other Methods
- There is wizarding radio; how this does not conflict with existing Muggle radio is unexplained (although it is possible that Muggles simply cannot hear the broadcasts). No mention is made of analogous television. However, this does not rule out the possibility.
- The Protean Charm allows objects to be attuned to the changes of a master object and change accordingly, thus allowing a broadcast message. Voldemort has used the charm to his advantage, as Death Eaters all share a common tattoo, and can be alerted by Lord Voldemort by his touching his own or one of the others. Hermione also used this charm on coins to inform members of the DA of meeting times.
- Memos shaped like paper airplanes are used for internal communication within the Ministry of Magic, as owls make too much mess.
- If magical portraits of an individual exist in multiple locations, the subject appears able to move between them, talking to others on each end and reporting on what is going on. Magical portraits appear generally to allow their occupants to visit each other, and to move from painting to painting. In both the book and film version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, this is shown when one of the characters in the paintings deserts her own picture when confronted by Sirius Black. Restrictions on this method are not completely clear; it is stated that individuals portrayed at Hogwarts can move from frame to frame within the portraits there, regardless of the original subject of the portrait, but that the former Headmasters (and perhaps only them) can visit some or all of the portraits of themselves in places outside of Hogwarts. This ability may not apply to reproductions of magical portraits; though it has been suggested in wizarding world fanon that Dumbledore could spy on individuals though his Chocolate Frog pictures, in Book VII no effort is made to communicate with Dumbledore's official Hogwart's portrait through his portrait in The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore.
- Magical mirrors, in pairs, can communicate by one holder speaking the name of the other holder into the mirror.
- Fawkes the phoenix is capable of giving long-range warnings via his feathers.
- In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore makes a comment that members of the order "have more reliable methods of communicating" than the Floo Network. This could refer to sending messages through means such as using the Patronus Charm. For example, in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Nymphadora Tonks sends a corporeal Patronus as a message to say that Harry is safe, after finding him under his Invisibility Cloak on the Hogwarts Express. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows this is expanded upon; a witch or wizard's Patronus will actually speak with the caster's voice.
- Howlers are letters sent in scarlet envelopes, which when opened yell at the receiver in the voice of the sender. Ron Weasley received one from his mother in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for stealing his father's car, and she severely chastised him with it for doing so. If the recipient tries to ignore the letter by leaving it unopened, it explodes and will scream even louder.
Food and beverages
The following are food and beverages unique to the wizarding world:
Magical sweets
See Magical Sweets
Butterbeer
Butterbeer is the drink of choice for younger wizards. Harry is first presented with the beverage in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Though marketed to children, it does contain alcohol: it appears to cause no noticeable drunkenness on a thirteen-year-old human (though it creates the feeling of "warmth"), but is strong enough to cause drunkenness in a house-elf; presumably, in very large amounts, the same would apply to a human. In the sixth book, Harry wonders what Ron and Hermione might do at Professor Slughorn's Christmas party "under the influence of Butterbeer", indicating that it can lower inhibitions, though presumably in very large amounts. J. K. Rowling said in her interview to Bon Appetit magazine that she imagines it "to taste a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch". Butterbeer can be served cold or hot but either way it has a warming effect.
Firewhisky
Firewhisky is a type of alcohol that wizards under the age of 17 are not allowed to drink; however, this rule is not always followed. In the sixth book Romilda Vane gives Harry a box of Chocolate Cauldrons that she states have firewhisky in them, even though they are still not of age. Ron wonders hopefully if he can get one (illegally) in the Hog's Head, but Hermione will not let him. He finally gets one in the sixth book. In addition, the Weasley family, Harry, Hermione, and some members of the Order of the Phoenix drink this in the seventh book in honour of Mad-Eye Moody.
Pumpkin juice
This beverage is served in the dining hall of Hogwarts, and seems to be rather popular with the wizard population. It is somewhat the equivalent of water to the magical community.
Creatures
Religion
Christian holidays constitute the only explicit mention of religion in the series, other than the dedication of London's Wizarding hospital to Saint Mungo’s. Christmas and Easter are celebrated amongst wizards, though the celebrations mainly cover the non-religious portions of the holidays, such as Father Christmas, Christmas trees, gift giving, and Easter eggs. However, a Hogwarts suit of armour is referred to in The Goblet of Fire as singing Oh Come, All Ye Faithful, a sacred Christmas carol. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Sirius Black chants what is evidently a wizard-carol or even an invention/improvisation of his own ("God rest ye merry Hippogriffs"). It is likely that the subject is merely avoided by the author, rather than entirely irrelevant to the wizarding world. It is known that witches and wizards bury their dead (at least in some cases in churches' graveyards), and that Harry Potter was christened and has a godfather. The existence of souls is taken as a given: an extensive discussion of souls, and the risks involved in splitting them, takes place in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Ted Tonks uses the phrase "God bless 'em" and there are churches at Godric's Hollow. Also at least two of the wizard graves shown in that same book have Biblical quotes carved on them. When Harry buries Mad-Eye Moody's eye, he marks the spot with a cross. Additionally, the existence of an afterlife is taken as a given, especially in the latter book where it forms an important part of the plot. Christianity is not the only religion alluded to. The Hogwarts students (and twins) Parvati and Padma Patil have very traditional Hindu names. They also retain some cultural influences, including wearing lehngas to the Yule Ball (as depicted in the movie adaptation of Goblet of Fire). This may or may not be canonical, as it is depicted in the film, but Rowling does in fact describe Parvati as wearing something akin to a sari in the novel. Another student, Anthony Goldstein, would by his surname be presumed to be Jewish, as it is a common German surname among Ashkenazim (German Jews), but rare amongst non-Jewish Germans.[14] His given name, however, is not typically Ashkenazi or Jewish in general.
Holidays
Wizarding holidays include Christmas and Easter; Halloween seems to be held in higher esteem by wizards than Muggles, as it is the only holiday, apart from Christmas, to have a banquet to its honour. School holidays include a Summer Vacation, and a two-week holiday at Christmas and Easter like the English schools.
See also
- Spells in Harry Potter
- Magic (Harry Potter)
- Magical creatures (Harry Potter)
- Magical objects in Harry Potter
References
- ^ http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/faq_view.cfm?id=100 JKRowling.com Retrieved on 04-24-07
- ^ a b Rowling, J. K., Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Black family tree
- ^ [HP5], chapter 23
- ^ a b c [HP5], chapter 6
- ^ [HP2], chapter 4
- ^ a b [HP6], chapter 10
- ^ http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_tol.jsp?id=1256 Tolerance.org Retrieved on 04-24-07
- ^ a b c d http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/extrastuff_view.cfm?id=19 JKRowling.com Retrieved on 04-24-07
- ^ http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/extrastuff_view.cfm?id=19 JKRowling.com Retrieved on 09-07-07
- ^ http://www.economicexpert.com/2a/Money:in:Harry:Potter.htm
- ^ J.K. Rowling, Comic Relief 2001 interview. Accessed 2006-11-30.
- ^ www.jkrowling.com accessed September 2, 2007 gives Dumbledore's life span as 1881 - 1996. However, earlier books in the series suggest that Dumbledore is about 150 years old at the start of the series.
- ^ rowling writes about owls
- ^ http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Kolomea/nameorigin.htm
