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American wizards and Witches, Theories on American Witches and Wizards. |
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 Jul 2 2008, 03:37 AM
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Cauldron Bottom Measurer
Posts: 126
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Location: Las Vegas
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Sorry if this has been discussed before, but in my defense I looked at the last few pages, I searched, and I'm new. Please do not AK me.
After listening to the last pottercast, and their cannon cunundrums segment. I felt I should join and share my thoughts on the subject, I've been musing on it since the mention of the Salem Witches Institute in book 4. I've been really considering it since finishing book 7 my third time. I agree with the pottercast gang that 3-4 American schools would be necessary at least if only for the shear size of the U.S and Canada. Most of my thoughts are shear speculation and guesswork, but I think some of it is rather sound.
The wizarding schools in America have not been my only musing, but are a major one. If there is not one for every state (possible after all) there would be one or two in the western united states and definately two in the Eastern. The previously mentioned Salem Witches Institute, the only cannon American school, would obviously be located in New England, most likely Massachusetts. It would probably be the most like Hogwarts of the American Schools. There would also be logically a school in the South Eastern U.S. If only because of the drastically different nature of Southern culture from Northern culture. I have considered a location for this school and an obvious location struck me Louisiana. Louisiana has a history of mystical practices centered in New Orleans, but another location struck me as most likely, Baton Rouge. It's an interesting idea that Baton Rouge was founded as a wizarding community in the H.P. Universe, after all the name means the Red Stick, or in our case the Red Wand. It would be the most like Beauxbaton of the American Schools, possibly darker considering the idea of voodoo. I also considered that the western school if only one would be in the Pacific North West, and would likely be more like the Asian wizarding schools than a European one. The only purely American one would be a school in the South West if one such school exists. It would probably be based more on the magical techniques of the Native Americans.
I have also considered that in all likely hood there is a massive Wizard population living in New York City and Wizarding University would be likely there, if not a community constituting of a hidden 6th Borough. This idea I find the most fascinating.
I also have considered that in all probability the American Wizarding Community would have been spared Voldemort's consideration as it would be almost assuredly populated be few, if any, pureblood families. This is speculation, but let us consider who the Americans are. They are a people composed entirely of Immigrants, this includes Native Americans, albeit they arrived ages before anyone else. It was a tremendous roll of the dice crossing oceans and encountering the unknown. The wizards who settled first would have been most likely Muggle-borns fleeing prejudice.
Another point that interest me is the Magical Plants and Magical beasts would also be drastically different from Europe. American wizards would probably have a Thunder Bird feather in their wand instead of a phoenix. You'd have to worry about encountering a Wendigo or a Quetzalcoatl. Some American Wizards may even use crows and ravens instead of owls, or keep a magical species of Coyote as pets. The plants would also be different, as Native American plants and animals are very different form European plants and animals. I do admit that the Wizards would have brought a lot of things from their home countries too or import them, but it is unlikely that anyone would have brought anything as dangerous as a dragon (while there are some dragons in American mythologies, they are rare) or a chimera.
I wonder really what the Americans were up to during the whole Second Wizarding War in Europe, or the First for that matter. Again I doubt either Grindelwald or Voldemort had significant impacts on the american wizarding community, I also wonder how integrated into American Muggle Society they are. We know from Cannon that Quidditch, like Soccor is not the primary sport of Americans, Quodpot, like Football for muggles is preferred.
These are my musings, speculation, and blatant guesswork. I hope you all enjoyed my theories.
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Jul 2 2008, 03:20 PM
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup
Posts: 30
Joined: 5:44pm April 5, 2008
Location: Curled up on the couch, reading HP!
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 to the Lounge, Jadguy!
Wow you have a lot of interesting theories! Basically I agree with everything you said. The only thing I want to add is where I thought the American wizards were during the wars. I think that they should have been helping defeat LV the first time because aren't they supposed to be allies? (someone correct me if I'm wrong). However, during the second war, didnt Lupin say that people were afraid to go up against LV because they werent sure if it was him and didnt want their families targeted?
Well, anyways, great topic and welcome!
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"I'll join you when hell freezes over," said Neville. "Dumbledore's Army!" he shouted, and there was an answering cheer from the crowd, whom Voldemort's Silencing Charms seemed unable to hold. DH, page 731 US edition
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Jul 2 2008, 03:53 PM
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Cauldron Bottom Measurer
Posts: 126
Joined: 2:10am July 2, 2008
Location: Las Vegas
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Thanks for the welcome, Sorry if i get too wordy.
Well if we look at our history, it was until recently, the American People didn't get involved in other people's affairs, unless provoked, or manipulated by internal machinations. It wasn't till after World War II, you see the rise of the idea of America as a superpower, and America's Imperial behavior. Before that the U.S. mostly minded it's own business. (I know some would argue that point, I did say mostly, not absolutely) As it seems the zeitgeist of European Wizarding Community seems to be on a delay when compared to the Muggle World. I'd say the war with Grindelwald more was like WWI than WWII. While we know World War II was happening at the time. The malignant attitude of that period expressed by the Nazis seemed more to embodied by Voldemort than Grindelwald. However unlike the reasons for World War II I do not see Grindelwald being directly responsible for the rise of Voldemort, as Germany's defeat in the Great War was directly responsible for the rise of the National Socialist Party. I'm off on a tangent here, but if we look at the Americans involvement in those wars, we see it was only after direct provocation (the sinking of the Lusitania and the bombing of Pearl Harbor) did the U.S. become involved. It seems to me if we look at it this way, and assume that without direct provocation the American Wizard community would not become involved in a foreign conflict, as compared to other wizarding communities, Americans are not a superpower, everyone more or less has access to the same spells, there are no magical Nukes that we know of, so why would there be any reason for America to become involved, if it didn't have to. After all, to even reach America the Death Eaters would need to cross the Atlantic, and I'm not sure if Apparation has a range limit, we've only seen people Apparate the length and width of England, and from the description it is entirely possible if you try to over extend your range you could suffocate before you reached your destination.
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Jul 3 2008, 04:57 AM
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Just Through the Brick Wall
Posts: 17
Joined: 1:02am December 23, 2007
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Great ideas! Loved the thoughts on magical creatures of America... everything would be so different!
Even though America is huge, I don't think there would be large populations of magical people. I think that, like in England, the wizarding world would be more remote... yet still have small ties to big Muggle cities (like NYC, San Francisco, Boston, New Orleans...). Honestly, I would not be too surprised if Voldemort had a small pureblood American fanbase (after all, in history, some facist/antisemetic American groups rooted for Hitler in the '30s before WWII)... but American wizards seemed to be not at all involved in the war for/against Voldy.
I guess they were waiting to see if Voldemort would actually come into power, and then they might consider doing something.
What I am interested in is the American wizarding schools! . . . American schools would be maybe more Victorian or Colonial compared to the Gothic castle/Medieval feel of Hogwarts. . .
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Jul 3 2008, 02:43 PM
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Product Tester at Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes
Posts: 8,379
Joined: 4:57am January 28, 2005
Location: near Muggleswick, UK
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QUOTE(Jadguy @ Jul 3 2008, 08:02 PM)  Possibly even modern, We have no idea the nature of American Wizarding Laws, perhaps enchanting muggle technology is not frowned upon in America. The Wizards could be yaking on Floo connected Cell Phones for all we know. Actually, we do have some idea of what is allowed. The International Statute of Secrecy would still hold, so there are likely to be laws similar to the misuse of muggle artefacts law in most countries.
One other point - I don't think the Salem Witches' Institute is actually a school. It seems to me more likely to be a social club like the UK Women's Institute. Of course there could still be a school at or near Salem, but I think any schools are more likely to be isolated, and away from muggle eyes for exactly the same reasons that Hogwarts is.
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 W.L.Y.J. We love you Jo |
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