What Do Parents of Muggleborns Tell the Government? - Harry Potter Theory

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. When Muggleborn students are sent off to Hogwarts school, how do you think their parents explain their absence to the rest of the Muggle world? What do their parents tell the government? What do they tell their friends? To those with NO knowledge of the Wizarding World: What HAPPENS to their children?
Today we’re going to be exploring all of that AND MORE as we discuss the Muggle-Born students being sent to Hogwarts.
First things first I have to give credit where credit is due. This video was actually the MOST requested topic from my recent community tab post. There, a user by the name of davidkennedy8929, asked the following:
“I still want to see a video on how the muggle parents who sent their kids off to school spoke to their friends regarding the magical world, Hermione’s parents come to mind!”
So, what is a MUGGLEBORN and why is this such an intriguing topic?
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[@HarryPotterTheory]

More Harry Potter Documentaries! kzbin.info/aero/PLB5djWCQq2_e0UCOmVbhRP8HkxetpzXUV

[@banthatracks_gaffisticks]

What do they do before they turn eleven years old?

[@Donnirononon]

Can you plese like use other music for your vids? i feel like you use this one very very ofthen and it just makes the tone of the videos overly sad and dramatic.

[@Kaede-Sasaki]

I have a bit of an issue calling the head of the magic the minister of magic. The pm doesn't appoint him so he'd be more akin to a commissioner or independent agency director. Could always call him the governor of magic (akin to the independent agency of the bank of England). Further, the minister of magic doesn't sit in cabinet meetings which would make it harder to consider him a minister.

[@daijutsi]

the theory that hogwarts is registered as a regular private boarding school, makes most sense.

[@Gravedigger933]

Yes. It would be easy for them to do with magic.

[@johnshaffer3405]

@@Gravedigger933 they most likely won't even need the magic if they have a couple of muggle borns or the parents of muggle borns on staff to help navigate the bureaucracy.

[@PsychoMantisss]

I mean I have the same question regarding Charmed and Magic School honestly, because how are these people supposed to find a job afterwards since Magic School is supposed to be a secret? Do they get a homeschooling diploma? How do they go on to college? Though to be fair Magic School was Charmed's way of staying relevant with Harry Potter being a thing.

[@AlexM-WI]

Hogwarts doesn’t seem to teach math, reading, writing etc; it would never get a license…

[@Joreel]

​@@AlexM-WIthey do teach that stuff, it's just not what the books and movies are focused on. If they didn't, the kids wouldn't be able to do anything more than basic math and have 4th grade reading/writing level education which the books and movies show they have much more advanced reading/writing/math skills than 4th grade.

[@RobertLydonReviews]

I think now i understand why Salazar wanted magical learning to stay within only magical families. To much paper work 😅

[@techywill]

Secretly Salazar didn't hate muggles, just muggle paperwork. He was just misunderstood when he grumbled to himself about hating muggles 😂

[@cathallynch8269]

Oh wanted to keep it in the family, alright 😂

[@nhansen197]

Is Salazar Slytherin's day few muggles went to school.

[@EmelyPhan]

@@nhansen197 Also, his bloodline eventually wasn't even pure (at least for the one that we know of since we don't know if he had more than 1 kid, grandkid or siblings)

[@shadowagent6051]

@@cathallynch8269 ,Yeah,and I heard his favorite song is Sweet Home Alabama 😂

[@Bsmith806]

I always assumed they’d be some kind of cover school, officially registered as the school they go to. The prime minister is aware of Hogwarts so it’s safe to assume the government would be on board with the plan

[@Gofex1337]

Exactly! Somehow it seems like people forget that part. Might be cause it isn't in the movies?

[@Septimus_ii]

The PM is, but not anyone else in the Muggle government as far as we know. I imagine magic would be used to help avoid too many questions.

[@maryevens4261]

I like the idea of the cover school, and I would think there was a whole sub-section of the Ministry of Magic that would handle the necessary paperwork to validate the school. I also think that if there were a human Education Ministry official who decides to inspect the school, a school car would be sent for them, and they would experience a pleasant ride to someplace in Wales, and tour a modern facility with lovely grounds, an excellent staff and happy children getting their education. But, of course this would all be in the inspector's mind, thanks to a several strong memory spells implanting this experience into their minds.

[@Kaede-Sasaki]

I have a bit of an issue calling the head of the magic the minister of magic. The pm doesn't appoint him so he'd be more akin to a commissioner or independent agency director. Could always call him the governor of magic (akin to the independent agency of the bank of England). Further, the minister of magic doesn't sit in cabinet meetings which would make it harder to consider him a minister.

[@propogandalf]

​@@Kaede-SasakiI don't understand your logic at all. Why would they need to be appointed by the PM or sit in cabinet meetings? They are head of a completely separate but equivalent system. The Minister of Magic is at the same level as the PM. Did you read the books?

[@ironman000elas]

I love how kingsley shacklebolt being the secretary of the british prime minister does his job so smoothly and perfectly, when Fudge mentionned needing a bodyguard, then kingsley's name without context, the prime minister refused saying he could't find a better secretary than kingsley if he tried, then the surprise of then being told that kingsley is an auror who's there to protect him and being his secretary is just a part time job. lol

[@geocachingwomble]

Kingsley probably created a cover up for it

[@achimdemus-holzhaeuser1233]

Professional Secretary + Polyjuice Potion.

[@garypelfrey2612]

I think the higher ups in the non magical government knows about magic

[@lucifersdevilishdetails.]

The prime minister dose has the minister of magic visited him

[@Swishersweetbutmysigsauer]

I think you are correct

[@IIIGioGioStarIII]

In the books, the prime minister is aware of magic. We find out in the beginning of Order of Phenix.

[@Mary.Petrie]

I would assume that the ruling monarch of the UK would also know about the wizarding world.

[@NAWennerholm]

The Royal Family would also know. Along with the Various M.I. Units such as MI-5 and MI-6. If dealing with the Marvel Universe it would be MI-13. And there would also be a special forces unit trained to deal with the Supernatural within the world which would deal with The Wizarding/Magical community when they get out of hand.

[@Dominic91]

There'll be a sub department in the ministry of magic that basically enters the muggle government in various roles that ensures that the magical community remains under the radar, which would include ensuring any muggleborns attending hogwarts don't show up in any muggle database as not attending a muggle school

[@ryanstoddard1803]

Yeah, more especially these days with government reliance on databases. The Ministry probably has people in MI5 and various other agencies that would investigate the “disappearance of muggleborns”, because if muggleborn families are investigated it may come out that they disappeared to a magical school thus endangering the Statute of Secrecy. I saw another comment about muggleborns who want jobs in the muggle world, they dont have the qualifications no GCSEs no A Level qualifications, no way to get into university. Fake qualifications wont work, they would be discovered when the muggleborn is not keeping up with their peers since they effectively ended muggle education at 11 and that would be a risk too if people ask too many questions about that. More critical now than in the early 90s.

[@mlpfanboy1701]

To be fair it is pretty obvious that higher ups in muggle governments have at least a passing knowledge of the wizarding world’s existence. Wether they keep that knowledge after and are sworn to secrecy when they retire or the information is magically wiped from them i don’t know.

[@nhansen197]

I toyed with the question a while back. I'm inclined to think that there are just enough muggle parents who's children go to Hogwarts that they are able to make the children slip through the cracks of the education system. They can put in that children are getting home schooling or going to a private school where a dummy LLC is set up to handle the occasional inquiry. And when it comes to Hermione, she was probably doing a home school coarse on top of her Hogwarts assignments.

[@jasondyrkacz8270]

Hermione went to summer school.

[@sarahomelia5368]

Technically I believe muggle-borns do have some magical lineage. Their ancestor could have been a squib, a person born to magical parents but without magical ability. Then through the family line, eventually a magical individual can be born.

[@EmelyPhan]

I think that is a theory or something that may been mentioned very briefly in passing cause I think someone might have done a video or something about it.

[@user-wk7jk5of4f]

It was mentioned that a lot of wizarding families sent their squibs to live in the muggle world like a normal muggle.

[@rosestanley9606]

me too look at hermonie's last name of granger than in book 6 slughorn mentions the name dadwood-granger so it could be possible that her father's side of the family desendet from that and as a squib the first granger would have dropped the dagwood part of the name and just went by granger

[@untitled6391]

​@@rosestanley9606Dagworth-Granger, not Dadwood-Granger lmao Edit: Dag, not Dog

[@MountainFisher]

@@untitled6391 What is funny is that rosestanley9606 was closer, it isn't Dadworth and certainly not Dogworth, it is Hector Dagworth-Granger. Page 185 near the bottom of the page in Chapter 9 of The Half Blood Prince.

[@prestonnormile9996]

I would probably tell the government i sent my kid to an out-of-country private school

[@Princess_Celestia_]

Can't speak for other countries, but in the U.S. you would need to provide proof.

[@piusdoe8984]

Still need to show which one 😂

[@DanielRossellSolanes]

@@Princess_Celestia_ that's easy to forge with magic. and, since it's out-of-country, authorities wouldn't be able to further investigate.

[@einflinkeswiesel2695]

@@Princess_Celestia_ And does it work with homeschooling in the US, how can you do that? I'm curious because homeschooling is not allowed at all in my country

[@Danny-hq7ix]

​@@einflinkeswiesel2695rules vary by state, but typically, a parent or guardian files some paperwork with the school board. In some states, the paperwork is a request to be able to homeschool (and subject to approval or denial by the board) while in other states it is a declaration (and not subject to approval or denial by the state). Some states require homeschooled children to take the state standardized tests while others only require attendance records to be made available upon request. Most do require some basic subject curriculum to be taught, such as reading/ writing, math, history, physical education, science, etc.

[@ELisa-qf2mw]

This is literally something I've always wondered ever since first encountering the saga at 14. If Hogwarts registrar does "know" there is a Muggleborn witch or wizard "since the day they are born" as Dumbledore states, why doesn't anyone (a Hogwarts representative or a Muggle Liaison ministry worker) inform and support parents earlier than upon admission letter time? I mean, imagine having a kid who seems to make unexplainable things happen when under pressure and/or strong emotion. Someone would worry and have them seen by some doctor, some would be scared, some would try to read it under a religious/spiritual point of view and act accordingly, some could blame it on the child. By the time the child reaches 11, they might have gone through some form of abuse due to their magical abilities. Was Vernon the first and only parent or guardian who would just refuse their kid to attend Hogwarts? And most prominently: how comes every single parent or guardian keeps loyal to the status of secrecy? If someone came to my house when I was 11 telling my parents that I was magical and therefore they would take me away to a magical boarding school my parents couldn't follow me to nor even know the location to, well, they would have called the police right away, thinking of a kidnap attempt, and never ever let me go anywhere. Some other parent might not understand how serious the status of secrecy is, and just brag around about their magical kid (imagine enforcing the status of secrecy now, in IG and TikTok era!). Some other might just not believe anything and go on as if nothing happened. It would have been great to have an insight on these problems in the saga. I would love the continuous lore rewriting to be less and less "Hogwarts-centered" and give us a glimpse of how the wider adult magical world works and relates to the rest of the world.

[@hopefulstarfish7559]

Very valid, especially since witches and wizards who are victims of child abuse as a result their abilities are more likely to become obscurials, meaning that they would be lucky if they managed to survive to the age of ten! One year before they would be eligible to receive their letter!!

[@Anonymous-dy1up]

I personally think the Hogwarts letters are enchanted, similarly to the piece of paper where you read the address to a hidden house and can't say it out loud. Yes, Muggles wouldn't want to talk about it for fear their neighbours would think them crazy, but I imagine they CAN'T, even if they tried. And I even think it likely that reading the letter places some sort of charm on people, giving them the strong impulse to send their child off. That would explain why Vernon Dursley was panicking so badly; he felt the strong impulse and was determined not to let it control him. Most Muggles don't have an established hate for magic, therefore making it easy for the charm to work on them. It's just a theory, but it seems valid to me. If anyone can point out the holes in it, I'll be happy to reexamine it.

[@TheRennDawg]

Here is a question: If two pure blooded couples each had a child who was a squib. The two squids get married and have a child. The child is magical. Would that child be considered a pure blood?

[@fatimaallawati947]

Interesting question for real

[@jenni5104]

Yes.

[@silvermix5093]

Yes

[@Red_MOON187]

Well, yes. Isn't it? Considering no muggle, giant or such humanoid species joined the bloodline in anyway. I'm no Harry Potter expert but, isn't it just a dormant gene in squibs, which results in the lack of magic?

[@einflinkeswiesel2695]

yesn't

[@Ollie.H-2301]

In order to be magical, you need a witch/wizard relative somewhere in your lineage. The Muggle-Borns are just the first ones to possess magical powers for decades to maybe centuries. This means the first muggles in that line were squibs.

[@robodell7]

I would love you a video that shows what would happen if a member of the Royal Family (such Princess Charlotte) where found to be magical and accepted into Hogwarts.

[@IIIGioGioStarIII]

I always figured that there was some kind of paperwork that would be filled out stating that the child was in a boarding school and Hogwarts would have said paperwork to show that it is legitimate since the main players for the government would be aware of magic existing and knows that it has to be kept on the down low.

[@davidkennedy8929]

Thank you for mentioning me as the one who requested this video, it’s something I’ve been thinking about and wanted a discussion about as it seemed a logical thing that the muggles (of which unfortunately I am one!) would have had something to say regarding the alternative world that because of their children they had become aware of! Great video and keep up the good work.

[@360PATCH]

no way its the man the myth the legend

[@HarryPotterTheory]

Thanks for requesting it!

[@brucealanwilson4121]

Millicent? She's at St. Rita's---the sisters there are good at encouraging clever girls. Goeffery? He's at Godric Hall; he's such an *active* boy and they have such good athletic facilities. Derwint is at Dr. Salazar's; so many influential families send their kids there, so he'll make good connections. Jimmy's at St. Helga's---they give such a good, well-rounded education.

[@usefulprogrammer9880]

Always seemed odd to me. What if the muggle born students actually preferred the muggle world? They’d be a decade behind their peers in our subject matter by the time they even left hogwarts. It’s canonically referenced that the Malfoy’s did high level business with muggles. What if a wizard wanted to ascend a muggle corporate structure instead of duel dark wizards and play with dragons?

[@falanu103.]

Underated comment. By far.

[@brennonkrooninc]

I feel like magic would make most fields of study irrelevant. For example, if Hermione said something like "I want to be an astronaut." I feel like Minerva would be like "You silly girl, I'll teach you the bubble head charm and you can fly your broomstick to the moon"

[@1.2718]

Since the kids come home for the holidays the neighbors would see they're Alive. The government knowing something about the magic world and would have someone assigned for these most Special of Private Schools.

[@nikolai6489]

Naw, the whole government (at least British) doesn’t know. Only select few (from what I read)

[@imperialinquisition6006]

@@nikolai6489 But to most people they will just see a school. I don’t see a problem here. The muggleborn students are probably registered at Hogwarts, the government is aware of this and has arrangements with the ministry of magic, and if some random civil service worker saw the schools name(unless they include school of witchcraft and wizardry)they would just think it was some random school, and of course generally speaking the muggleborn students show up at home perfectly happy in the holidays, so there’s no real reason anyone would worry.

[@lexiburrows8127]

@@nikolai6489 Every Muggle Prime Minister is told of the Magic World as soon as they get into office.

[@nikolai6489]

@@lexiburrows8127 Yeah, not the whole government. Learn to read.

[@fujinmage8201]

it probably just straightfoward says Hogwards private school. as long as the kid is registered in the system, no muggle should wonder too much about what kind of private school hogwards is as long as the the reports says the students are passing exames.

[@ElizabethJones-pv3sj]

They would have to have someone to fake inspections or make sure the inspections don't happen. You can't just set up a school and say you're teaching the required curriculum without someone occasionally checking that they aren't just locking kids up in a sweatshop making shoes or even just teaching flat earth theory in science class.

[@malloryjones5393]

The Dursleys maintained that Harry was attending St Brutus, which was known to still practice corporal punishment. At least that’s what they told Vernon’s family in Prisoner.

[@falanu103.]

Cause they hated him for being awkward and having troubles. Nobody seemed to care. They just projected the hate they had on him😂

[@malloryjones5393]

Because the books established that they had always told their neighbors Harry was a dangerous delinquent and Dudley made sure he had no friends at school. Nobody cared because the Dursleys made sure they didn’t.

[@untitled6391]

I asked chatgpt "what is the name of Hermione's squib ancestor" and it said Isolt Sayre 🤷

[@stevebotham2018]

So we know what magical courses are taught but what about basic classes math reading writing & since they study potions I would also imagine muggle sciences would be needed to prevent the students from accidentally whipping up a Muggle explosive or toxin. They would have to have a basic understanding of Muggle chemistry. Also Muggle history would be essential I would think to allow them to blend in more effectively when out in the Muggle world.

[@woodyhorton8537]

Hermione did say most wizards don't use much logic which implies its only magic being taught and whatever their parents teach them

[@stevebotham2018]

@@woodyhorton8537 Ya that would make me think they should rename potions lab as the boom room hehehehe

[@cookie856]

​@@stevebotham2018 No I imagine a muggle chemistry teacher just doing an experience in front of their class and a wizard (that is there for some reasons) being "why didn't I heard about this magic before?" or something like that XD

[@mlpfanboy1701]

Well potion makeing and muggle chemistry do have similarities so teaching muggle chemistry is by no means out of the question for a potions maker.

[@woodyhorton8537]

@@mlpfanboy1701 Yea if anything they would be the best chemistry group ever considering being able to use a bit of magic to make things so much easier like temp and mixing etc

[@AustynSN]

To me, this becomes even more interesting when considering Ilvermorny. MCUSA is far more strict about the international statute of secrecy. I'd imagine they even try to hide the details from the childrens' parents.

[@Glitchunlocked]

Duuuuude, this is a question that's been bothering me for like 20+ years lol. I really want to know how Muggle parents react to finding out about magic.

[@mlpfanboy1701]

I think it depends on the parents, i would assume hard core puritanical christian families would probably disown them or try to kill them, while most parents are shocked but then treat it as part of life.

[@noneyabidness9644]

"private academy, abroad." Nuff said.

[@carddealer34]

For the United States...two simple words....Military School. That's it. No fuss...no muss!

[@TomsBackyardWorkshop]

"We sent them to a private school" Is that not obvious?

[@ruishi5599]

What if they poor

[@TomsBackyardWorkshop]

@@ruishi5599 Scholarship

[@Uzair_Of_Babylon465]

Great video keep it up you're doing amazing things 😁💯

[@jamesreese7111]

Wouldn't most of the kids in the magical world have gone to elementary school, prior to entrance to Hogwarts? They had to learn to read, write, and do math prior to entering Hogwarts. Wouldn't most have muggle friends from their time in public muggle school?

[@kendraroth1276]

Nope. They don’t go to school prior to Hogwarts. Reading, writing and basic math can be taught at home. At Hogwarts, Wizards don’t do advanced math unless they choose it as an extracurricular, which is why Harry couldn’t recognize Hermione’s work. Wizards often don’t do logic, which Hermione pointed out. The Weasley’s always act like they rarely seen ordinary people before. Fred or George even described how they still consider muggle skills worth learning, implying that they aren’t normally taught. (Albeit, they were referring to lockpicking.) I can’t imagine Prejudiced wizards sending their children to muggle schools. This is likely Part of the reason why Ginny and later Lily 2, wanted to go to Hogwarts so much. They would be the only child in their house for several months and they wouldn’t have any friends anymore. It makes sense. Wizard parents would consider the possibility that their children could accidentally spell people while at school.

[@imperialinquisition6006]

The muggleborns and many half-bloods probably would have. Many of the pure bloods and people more involved in the magical work I guess probably didn’t go to primary school.

[@louisegogel7973]

Yes they probably would have gone to primary school.

[@willpinegar1381]

Hey Hp theory I really really love your content you dive deep into the series and answer questions that I have always asked while reading the books you the best KZbinr I have ever encountered about our boy wizard keep it up my man you the best buddy

[@pamelaoldham1298]

Something else I didn't think about! Great video.

[@mecahhannah]

❤ Awesome as always thanks this was very interesting!

[@lauriedaussin]

I've always wondered how Hermione and her parents got into Diagon Alley..

[@imperialinquisition6006]

They just went there presumably. Maybe in year 1 it’s included in the letter because she’s muggleborn, and that’s how they knew about it. Every year after that it’s just her and her parents going there, obviously muggle parents can get in with their magical child, it would be a bit weird if they couldn’t.

[@fnzypnts]

Yes!!!!

[@mlpfanboy1701]

Im assuming a muggle can enter with the help of a magic user.

[@ruthm.6071]

What a great topic for a video. I have read the book series through 7 or 8 times, and I have to say that I NEVER thought of this topic.

[@willpinegar1381]

Hey Hp Theory i just wanted to say i really really love your content you answer questions that i have always asked while reading the books you are my favorite KZbinr about out famed boy wizard keep it up my man you the best

[@Ehrenhaider_Akainu]

Love your videos❤i would also like to know if Voldemorts curse on the defence against the dark arts position is gone with him

[@SamLeahy-ud9un]

Great video, so I have a question. I saw your video of. Harry Potter vs Lord of the rings, which magic is more powerful video, my question for you is would you be keen to do another which magic is more powerful video of Harry Potter vs Merlin, the TV show?

[@laura-ann.0726]

Although the books don't mention anything about this subject, it seems obvious that there would have to be a pretty large number of employees in the Ministry of Magic whose job is to maintain the veil of secrecy, and the Muggle governments would have to have similar agencies with employees whose job is also to maintain the secret. Some of these employees would be tasked with exactly this job: to create and maintain legitimate sounding cover stories for muggle-borns going to Hogwarts. We also know that Wizard homes are not all concealed from Muggle eyes like Grimmauld Place (the Black home that Sirius made available to the Order of the Phoenix). The Weasley's house, and Luna Lovegood's house, appear to be ordinary houses that exist in the "real" world (of Harry Potter's England), and that Muggles driving or walking by on the road could see, but that a Warding spell is there to subconsciously deter random Muggles from becoming curious and actually coming to the house and knocking on the door. Hogwarts itself is a complex of real buildings, but is concealed from Muggle eyes with an enchantment that makes it look like ancient ruins, as I recall. Another question I've always had, is the Wizarding world's money - what is it based on? Economic details in works of fiction are rarely mentioned; for example, in The Lord of the Rings, how would one come by money to pay Barliman Butterbur for a room and food at The Prancing Pony? Some Hobbit families, the Tooks, Bagginses, and Brandybucks for example, are far more affluent than average, but much of the economy seems to be based on barter of agricultural products. The Muggles in Harry Potter's world live in our modern world at the dawn of the 21st Century, whereas the Wiizarding World seems technologically to exist 100 years behind the Muggles, with a few exceptions like the Knight Bus, which is a London double-deck omnibus, apparently converted from a diesel engine to some kind of magic-fueled motive device. One of the best aspects of JK Rowling's writing is that we can simply accept that Harry Potter's world works the way the story describes it, without Rowling having to delve too deeply into what would ultimately be boring technical details of how the Weasely's live without being hooked up to the electrical grid or a municipal sewer system, or where their groceries come from.

[@MyzCrosse]

the answer is easy, i sent my kid to a private school......i dont even have to watch to figure that out....but ill still watch the video cause i enjoy your content.....keep up the great theories.

[@Bookofwords]

7:47 to be fair...I don't think a magical person actually cares if they get disrupted from health care... like.. I don't think someone magical is going to call the GP or go to the hospital. They have better, faster and more advanced healing in magic

[@HarryPotterTheory]

True!

[@nikolai6489]

@@HarryPotterTheoryWonder if it is against wizards law for wizard families or friends of wizards to heal injured love ones

[@kaizoisevil]

I assumed that the major muggle world leaders were aware of the wizarding world.

[@bryanjacla1068]

If the time comes when Muggles are already traveling to other star systems or galaxies and interacting with extraterrestrial species, the Wizarding World is still stuck on Earth

[@captaincluck838]

wondered about this for a while

[@cathallynch8269]

It would be like any family under witness protection etc., it would be referred higher up until the referrer is told its classified and they don't need to know any more.

[@MeyaRoseGirl]

This is just a part of the bigger question of how the wizarding community, as a whole, deals with living in a world that is still predominately muggle. Everyone shows up at Hogwarts already knowing how to read, write, basic arithmetic, etc. It's never said in the books, but it's certainly implied that you have to have an elementary/grade school diploma before you can enroll at Hogwarts. I vaguely remember someone asking JKR about that like 20 years ago, and she said that wizard children either attend muggle school or are home-schooled. The Weasleys were all home-taught by Molly. Wizard families still live in the muggle world. Diagon Alley is IN London. Hidden, but it's still a street in a muggle city. They still have to abide by muggle laws, so I think it likely there is some system in place for wizards to prove to the muggle government that their children were being educated. I would think that that would be a major department of the Ministry of Magic, finding ways to enforce muggle laws while still preserving the International Statute of Secrecy, or, at the very least, providing cover for them. Or maybe there are little magic departments within muggle governmental entities that handle those specific entities' issues as they pertain to the magic population. I mean, what about land/property owned by wizards? Are they ALL unplottable, or do some people own land/property that is registered with the muggle government? As for educational subjects, I do think it is a bit unfortunate that they aren't educated in the regular subjects beyond elementary school. High school is when you can start to choose your subjects, so that's when education actually starts to get interesting. In my head canon, Hermione still saw the value of a muggle education, so she went through the steps to also obtain a muggle high school diploma and possibly even an advanced college degree. Someone highly educated in both worlds is going to find themselves in a position to do a lot of good (or evil). My brother's biggest issue with the Harry Potter world was just how out-of-touch your average wizard was with regular muggle objects and concepts. There are plenty of muggle inventions that are useful even to people with magic. And the advancements in science do certainly have an effect on the wizarding world. What would a wizard do against a nuclear bomb? I would think that some of the most impressive new inventions in potions and spells happen because the inventor is educated in both magic AND science. (Though I do acknowledge that Astronomy seems to be a subject that is not at all magical.) And it's just weird that they all still dress like they're from the middle ages. Modern clothing styles are so much more comfortable and useful. (That was a wise change in the later movies.)

[@grokeffer6226]

I'd been wondering that same thing. I'd concluded that maybe they were just mildly charmed into not thinking about it or being concerned about it or telling them to forget about it. Sort of like when Obi Won Kenobi told the Storm Troopers "These are not the Droids you're looking for." 🪄🔮🤖🤖

[@SWEG_WAS_TAKEN]

This video makes me wanna see a movie or somethimg focusing on the politics of the wizard and muggle world during a huge event like a wizard war and how the wiard and muggle politics worked during that event.

[@princessaka3189]

its most likly a normal private school for muggles not sure how it is in the UK but in my country the school reports the students as enlisted and inspections could be avoided by memory charms. kinda simular to why is there a platform 9 3/4 without any trace in the muggle world of it ever being build

[@ivyhome4489]

I figured since the prime minister knows about the wizarding world, there would be a system in place for muggle born wizards or witch’s. They would be given a secret word or something to use for paperwork and then it would automatically check any qualifications for them. And then the muggle system would look over it as if it’s fine.

[@cathallynch8269]

The private school solution people keep referring to only works until a journalist or politician starts sniffing around as to why children all over the UK are going to this one school with such diverse families and seemingly nothing special about it.

[@raymondben36466]

Apparently, the Muggle Prime Minister and the Minister for Magic are supposedly on good terms with each other, so that might be why no politician or journalist even was privy to it.

[@LancsKid1]

big plot hole with all this is what grades did they get in their gcse and a level exams? "you got an a in science but don't know what nuclear radiation is?!"

[@janetshade4659]

Maybe their boarding school (Hogwarts) doesn't use the English Curriculum.

[@ElizabethJones-pv3sj]

International schools are allowed to operate using non standard curriculum (e.g. I have relatives attending an international school in Singapore that uses the Australian curriculum) so there should be a system they could use.

[@jfajman]

"There's no government mandate stipulating that you must legally tell your friends and family what you've done with your child." Except there possibly could be, at least in some states here in the United States. While Grandparent rights are difficult to establish in the courts, it is at least recognizable enough that a legal battle could occur and the courts would demand an accounting of the child's location and status during the proceedings; especially if an allegation about gaps in education (including what Muggles should typically known) were made.

[@marisazanella4235]

I think usually muggle borns at some point in their early years of life will be aware there is something weird/ special about them, i.e. spontanous "outbreak" of some sort of magic, and therefore, when they get their "letter" it would eventually be a sort of revelation and explanation of why certain things continue happening to them

[@meacadwell]

Some parents would be wigged out but it would be a relief to other parents. I've often wondered how the ultra-religious would deal with it if one of their kids got a letter to a school like this. For example, has there ever been an Amish wizard?

[@JohannesPost1000]

I havent been here in a long time! Glad to be back! Harry pottah !!

[@tornopix]

I cant imagine Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson being in on the magic 😂

[@lisacox4984]

Some people in the US are home schooled (I wish I had been!) and there are specific rules for that, and curriculum available.

[@desomorpheus5146]

I am still wondering what are the immediate reactions of muggleborns and their parents to the information that their kids are magical, there has to be a lot of denial and convincing. Based on Hermione's and other muggleborns' reactions, it seems to me like it wasn't that much of a big deal for them. There have to be some parents that want to see the so-called school of "witchcraft and magic" with their own eyes before sending their kids there. What happens then?

[@nikolai6489]

Either A) kill them B) explain to them it isn’t possible since it’s magic, but show them around parts of wizards world C) show them it

[@imperialinquisition6006]

I’d assume they’d been doing magic before hand. It seems like it’s very normal for magical children to use magic uncontrollably. So it’s possible that they’d had some experiences like that and when the letter came it explained them.

[@netherhunter945]

wasn't it mentioned that they send someone over if it's a muggleborn? and presumably when they ask for evidence they get shown it

[@johndeltuvia7892]

If someone staying with a Muggle guardian - such as Riddle at the orphanage - gets a visit... why wouldn't Harry have gotten a visit instead of repeated letters? He was staying with Muggle guardians, after all. Seems Hagrid could have just been sent to Privet Drive in the first place. So... maybe only people in orphanages get a visit?

[@helene4397]

Hogwarts staff was thinking that Harry was told.

[@9Tailsfan]

There's aunt Petunia. Lilly Potter was her sister. Petunia knew about magic. They probably assumed she told Harry.

[@mlpfanboy1701]

@@helene4397and they realized he wasn’t told after they didn’t reply for weeks

[@helene4397]

@@mlpfanboy1701 I am fully aware, but at the same time while Harry was treated badly, thankfully it was not bad enough for Harry to develop Obscurius.

[@jkent9915]

I always just assumed that the Grangers told everyone that Hermione was gone to Haute Dentist’s Child Boarding School in Scotland.

[@jeremytoney9367]

In my study of the school system I discovered that mandatory state sanction school wasn’t imposed in general until around 1900 and so it would not have mattered what people told their friends and family before that point in time after that point in time something would’ve had to change because the government started keeping track of everything at that point and in the timeframe that Harry Potter would’ve went to school there would’ve been governmental agencies that would’ve known that he would’ve existed so the question then becomes what kind of magic would have been used to wipe his name off the records and keep him out of the governmental system for the time that he was not in the city. It is a difficult question to answer but I think that when the new laws went into affect somebody in the whistling world would’ve had to institute a contingency for any young person going to that school and so I think that whatever they did would’ve solve the problem quite nicely so students could attend Hogwarts however based on my study of the school system standard school was not imposed until around 1900 and that is worldwide so before that time again you would not have had to report where your children were.

[@Kaede-Sasaki]

I have a bit of an issue calling the head of the magic the minister of magic. The pm doesn't appoint him so he'd be more akin to a commissioner or independent agency director. Could always call him the governor of magic (akin to the independent agency of the bank of England). Further, the minister of magic doesn't sit in cabinet meetings which would make it harder to consider him a minister.

[@nocturnalcove9736]

Maybe there's a section of the government that is ruled by Squibs? They're the perfect gateway for both communities and possibly who muggle born parents have to register their son or daughter to and a wizard family have to register a squib child.

[@EmilyCheetham]

I always assumed: they told the government they were being home schooled or taught abroad. To friends/family just say they spare being sent to boarding school abroad. That’s what I would do if it was my family. My brothers both went to boarding school so we just said they were at boarding school to anyone who asked about where they were or what their education was.

[@Kaede-Sasaki]

Be interesting to know if regular magic schools (non-boarding) existed so those with good relations with their family and neighbours would be able to maintain social relations after school each day and the weekends.

[@sliverwind1309]

Remember there is Muggle department at the ministry for magic so they possibly go Boarding school route that would be the best route for them as for the family that is open ended but without the master magic her self is which way she would go all we can do is theory on this aspect of the lore

[@mlpfanboy1701]

Also the minister of magic introduces themselves to the countries prime minister, so it stands to reason government officials, at least the highest members have a passing knowledge of its existence.

[@CesarACastillo]

I find it kinda funny that a sub division of the ministry of magic employs the Polyjuice Potion to temporarily replace muggleborn children. Witches and wizards volunteer their children or even themselves as a cover story. If a muggle catches them drinking the potion they can easily tell them it’s medicine for an illness they have.

[@sweetlady3651]

I think the government already knows

[@heatherroberson8981]

Is a child in England normally changing schools at 11?

[@jac67f]

Yes, they're mostly do and parents don't have to report as to which school their kid goes next. Perhabs the author should learn a bit about education system in the UK.

[@RobertL.JonesJr-hz8vl]

I like some others do that Hogwarts is listed in a muggle world as a private school on the government rolls but not disclosing it location or it subjects getting taught.

[@DanielJames-dg2zs]

Your reasoning is very good. It does not explain however when and where muggle parents say farewell to their magic children. Can they access platform 9 3/4? Or do they have to stay on a normal platform while their children make their way through the wall? How could Hermione’s parents enter Diagon Alley? They cannot go there by flew powder. Even if they could go through The Leaky Cauldron, could they make the brick wall open up as Hagrid did?

[@Anonymous-dy1up]

I think they couldn't access platform 9 3/4, no. But I believe they could access Diagon Alley if Hermione, being magic herself, tapped the bricks. After all, Hagrid managed to open the bricks with his umbrella. (Yes, we later learn that his umbrella contained his snapped wand, but still. Hagrid was never able to use magic much, being half-giant. It makes sense that Hermione could access Diagon Alley with just her innate magical ability and let her parents in at the same time.)

[@BioHunter1990]

You'd think the child would just be...magically removed from the government records.

[@imperialinquisition6006]

I doubt it. They are probably just registered at a school. People high up in the government are aware and have relations with the ministry of magic, so if there was ever some sort of issue the ministry would bring it up. As far as I am aware there wouldn’t be any issue, because there isn’t anything wrong in an objective sense, the children go to the school and come back every year, so no one would worry, aside from the magic it’s perfectly normal.

[@juanmanuelcardona19]

Considering I´m an introvert and I hardly leave my apartment unless I have to, even if I was a wizard and I had to go to Hogwarts, no one would question where I´m at, my neighbors would probably think I´m at home and they simply didn´t see me leave. My best friend would be the only one I would tell where I´m at because I know he would make a great secret keeper. He would probably tell everyone I went to study abroad (which I already have before)

[@johnshaffer3405]

I also wouldn't be surprised if Muggle parents have something similar to the PTA to help out as well.

[@TylerKing-fp8fb]

Make a video on if Harry said no to going Hogwarts or ignored the letters entirely!

[@andrewweber9930]

Never thought of that lol

[@diegomartinez7180]

About Hogwarts, the easiest explanation is the "private boarding school" one. And not only for muggleborns, but also for most kids born to magical families. Muggles around will start asking why the infant is not going to a regular school or why they disappear for the whole year. A boarding school is a perfect answer for all those questions. But for what the direct family of a muggleborn says to their friends and family (and everyone else) about the kids and what's happening, they must have something else. For example, the parents and siblings of the magical kid might be under some kind of spell that works like "Cassandra's curse": If they speak about magic to anyone (they tell the truth), they're immediately dismissed as funny, delusional, stupid or crazy (no one believes them).

[@falanu103.]

There's a contact with muggle government and magic minister. You learn it in 3rd book while Sirius is escaping Azkaban and again in the 5th and seventh books. So basically they are cooperating. Even if muggles don't like it.

[@HalfEye79]

There are countries, where homeschooling is prohibited (i.e. Germany). So, homeschooling there is out of the picture. I think, the head of government is in on this. If not, the government could do something to the school, so it gets public. I would find it interesting to know, if in these schools are school holidays (school vacation) and when. In Germany, in each of the 16 Bundesländer, these are on different dates an the duration is a bit different.

[@richewilson6394]

Yeah I would like to have known the process on how they get told that they're a witcher wizard if they're muggle born and who does the interview process how that goes.

[@rebeccamccann8710]

My question is, where do wizarding families send their children to elementary school? Hogwarts doesn’t accept students until after they have turned 11 years old, so muggleborns attend primary school in the muggle world…where do wizarding families send their children to learn the basics?

[@janetshade4659]

In Britain, nowhere, they don't go to primary/junior school.

[@pelinoregeryon6593]

Perhaps a bigger question is how does Hogwarts even know a muggle born exists to send them their school acceptance letter in the first place .. do they have the equivalent of the X men's' Cerebro? if so why can't they use it to locate wizards like Sirius Black or Voldemort when they need to .. if it's just random luck and following reports of strange events in the muggle world then how many slip through the cracks? .. a related question is how does te under age magic detection thing work, is that an alarm spell cast on the child and lifted after graduation (so you have to know they exists to go and do that) or something else.

[@falconcorban4128]

Here in the US, getting out of explaining kids absence is sadly easy, mostly just lie and people aren't often concern about what's going on with their friends kids. More than likely though, if a child is excepted into a wizarding school and starts attending, if they are a child that was in the public schooling system before, then the parents are likely given registration forms to fill out, so that those who handle the legal side of things with muggles can get the forms filed and the child on record as now attending the select school, I don't think it's anything difficult, the wizard school is likely already registered with the country/ state/ province as a boarding school, leaving little worry other than just filling a form to appease the muggles in government not in the know.

[@mlpfanboy1701]

3:11 to be fair she would have the most exsperince in it as she was half blood herself and had a muggle husband.

[@piusdoe8984]

Maybe decades ago it would be hard to tell muggles about magic but now it would be accepted pretty easily and with excitement

[@nance1111]

Do you record audio books? You really should if you don't. :)

[@HarryPotterTheory]

I don't! But thank-you for the kind words!

[@XansStuff]

In a world of magic where the Ministry regularly does memory modifications, unplotability, and various other concealment charms, why this is even a question. They manage to hide Dragons, Giants, hippogriffs, etc...... All the time! How hard is it to jinx a name so that when some reads a record..... Well Dumbledore did hand over Paper that seem perfectly in order.

[@Anonymous-dy1up]

Exactly! It was a blank piece of paper, too! It should not be a problem to make parents accept Hogwarts letters either; unless, of course, they already know about magic and are completely against it, like Vernon Dursley.

[@nessagirl1911]

The prime minister knows about the magical world. I always assumed that Hogwarts was registered as some sort of private school (most likely under a different name) and that is what is told to the government and family members. The wizard government has a department for muggle relations if I remember correctly. They probably deal with such things as well. Now that I'm an adult I've also started to wonder wether wizards pay any taxes in the muggle world. Like property tax. Is Grimauld Place connected to the sewer system? There must be some kind of fee for that. The Malfoys own a large estate in Wiltshire, does this show up on any muggle maps? What do muggles see when they go there? Do wizards own a British passport?

[@janetshade4659]

Can they get a passport if they don't have a birth certificate. (which I assume they don't have).

[@unbreakableunion]

Hogwarts is most likely listed as a regular private boarding school with a real address and that location has charms placed on it to make it look like a regular boarding school. But that location is used for something else as the real Hogwarts is located in the sottish highlands.

[@TsukabuNosoratori2]

It makes me wonder too... What does the initial ruler of the day think of all the witches and wizards up and down the country? After Queen Mary Tudor/Bloody Mary's days they couldn't necessarily go about persecuting witches and wizards in the open like they used to. And I doubt the rulers of the day would've been ignorant about Grindelwald, Voldemort etc. causing trouble too. Maybe they take the Elizabeth the 1st approach and just are like "So long as they don't cause too much trouble, live and let live." And with the trouble makers "The wizard authorities are handling Voldemort." I would also imagine after a certain point, the rulers of the day would have Aurors as part of their security. It's an interesting thought.

[@maxrander0101]

the member of staff sent is picked to best suit the future student and their family so as to ensure things are made clear and also explain that the school is a real one and is known of by the government they just have no idea where it is due to the way the magical world is being hidden from non magical people

[@vincentmarchino5741]

I figured not all muggles feared magical people. So some trusted muggle families might have held positions of power. Helping their wizardng friends stay hidden. This secret could’ve just been passed down.

[@ranuelthebard3751]

Although education is compulsory in the US each state sets its own rules as to how it handles children who are home schooled. In many places the parent only has to notify their local school board with no follow up after that at all. This is very controversial at the moment because of several cases where abusive parents pulled their kids out of school claiming they were going to be home schooling them in order to keep officials from finding out about abuse, failed to provide anything much in the way of education, and then abused one of their children so badly that they died. There is a powerful home school lobbying organization that is working to not only keep the backlash from those incidents leading to tighter rules but to weaken rules in states where they are already tighter. Never thought that the American Ministry of Magic might be behind that group but it makes as much sense as anything else.

[@IIGrayfoxII]

Even if you accidentally told someone, their memories can be erased as was the case when Harrys Aunt was turned into a balloon.

[@Karolina-xo4xr]

Let's remember the plot takes place in England, it is normal there in well-off families to send kids to boarding schools where they learn and live, coming back home only for holidays. That's exactly how Hogwarts worked, most kids would go home for Christmas.

[@andrewjones4332]

U gotta read the books in the ones where voldemort makes his return the minister of magic was in contact with the newly elected prime minister of GB he does a customary visit/ briefing to the winner of the office educating them on the magical world how they would interact basically saying hello im .... i run the magical world equivalent of u and ...... thus so long as nothing big happens we will never meet again. Then his return happens and has to do visits alot to the point the prime min can tell fudge is going to pieces with each visit. I dont recall if each prime min got mind wiped of wizard world after leaving or get to remember but im leaning towards mind wiped for better secrecy. So im sure they got all sorts of stuff set up like wizard schools as boarding schools as they do live there during school yr. So all legal muggle stuff is pretty stream lined as they can charm the red tape away and if a prime minister is not good they rig the elention or remove the undesired winner after and c how willing replacement is to play ball til it works.

[@Anonymous-dy1up]

What would make the most sense is if Muggleborns are extremely, extremely rare. There is simply too much work involved in deceiving the Muggle world. Maybe Muggleborns have a Squib ancestor who made their way into the Muggle world and now the gene has manifested itself. If there were only two or three Muggleborns per generation, I think everything would be a lot simpler. However, the books imply that quite a few Hogwarts students are Muggleborns, so there's that.

[@patrickmcathey7081]

I always wondered what happens if the muggles said no and enrolled their kid elsewhere

[@jacobdrolet4262]

Amazing

[@elizab.bristol7018]

Apparently, the professors have to go to their house to literally explain and then I believe they also take them shopping

[@helene4397]

I can imagine Snape was not on the list of teachers to be sent.