Rachel Paige
March 10, 2016 1:08 pm
Warner Bros.

There’s been a whole lot of Wizarding World news this week, as J.K. Rowling has begun releasing short backstories about wizards in North America. We’ve so far learned how they first settled here in The New World, and then the extent of the Salem Witch Trials. Now for today’s history lesson, Rowling has revealed exactly why wizards and muggles no-majs lead completely separate lives here in America.

As we know from Harry Potter, over in England, Muggles and Wizards certainly mix and mingle, but not as like, ~best friends~. They’ve at least got a semi-friendly working relationship (I.E., how Muggles knew about the return of Voldemort, but were not excited to get involved at all). That, however, sadly is not the case in America. There is no friendly relationship, due to events that happened way back in the late 1700s.

America’s version of the Ministry of Magic, the Magical Congress of the United States of America (or, MACUSA) first started imposing rules and regulations for American Wizards in the 1600s. Things between wizards and no-majs were going JUST FINE, because everyone just kept to themselves. And then the daughter of the Keeper of Treasure and Dragots (Keeper of Treaasure = Secretary of Treasure, and Dragots = American wizarding money) had to go and mess it all UP.

The long and the short of it is this: Dorcus Twelvetrees fell in love with a bad seed no-maj, and told him all about MACUSA and the American Wizarding School, Ilvermorny. That’s a big no-no, and this dude, Bartholomew Barebone, then stole Dorcus’ wand and started revealing all sorts of confidential wizarding information.

Obviously, MACUSA freaked out, and had to move locations to keep their secrecy. The current MACUSA president at the time, President Emily Rappaport was forced into an inquiry before the International Confederation of Wizards, and we all know that NEVER goes well. Though the no-majs who had learned secrets were Obliviated, no one in the wizarding community felt safe.

So, President Rappaport brought about Rappaport’s Law, which “enforced strict segregation between the No-Maj and wizarding communities. Wizards were no longer allowed to befriend or marry No-Majs. Penalties for fraternising with No-Majs were harsh. Communication with No-Majs was limited to that necessary to perform daily activities.”

Now does it make sense as to why everyone FREAKS OUT when Newt Scamander shows up in NYC and accidentally releases all of his magical beasts??

You can read Rowling’s full story about bummer wizard/no-maj relations on Pottermore.

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