# Harry Potter, American Wizards **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2004, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373 "2004-06-14T22:33:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sweetums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sweetums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweetums)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/1 "2004-06-14T22:33:49Z")
In the Harry Potter books the British wizarding comunity is duscussed in detail. Fair enough, the books take place in England after all. Rowling however has said little about the wizards here across the pond. We do know: 1. There is a witches school in Salem (GOF) 2. Quiddich is not as popular in America as it is in other countries (kind of like football/soccer). Americans prefer a game involving an exploding ball, the name of which escapes me (Quiddich through the ages) Goverment. The Bureau of Magical Affairs would replace the Ministry of Magic. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/2 "2004-06-14T22:51:41Z")
Just thought this would eb a good moment to mention that my junior high math teacher was a direct lineal descendant of the judge at the Salem with trials. Or at least that’s what she used to tell us. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/3 "2004-06-14T22:54:25Z")
I tend to think their would also be a school on the West Coast as well. Perhaps in the State of Jefferson (extreme Northern California)…where there is a lot of open land. I think the western USA wizard community would be much more laid back than the east coast school. In general, I think American wizards would be much more intergrated with the muggle world than in England/Europe. They would know how to use a telephone, shop at the mall, etc. They would most likely hold muggle jobs, especially the ones on the west coast who don’t live near out center of governments. They would be less likely to go about in their robes except for school or formal occasions. I doubt you’d find a town like Hogsmead in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/4 "2004-06-14T22:58:49Z")
> [@](#): > > I doubt you’d find a town like Hogsmead in the USA. I thought Eugene was Hogsmeade. Or maybe we just dress that way. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/5 "2004-06-14T23:10:24Z")
> [@Shoshana](#): > > I thought Eugene was Hogsmeade. Or maybe we just dress that way. O-HO-HO-HO-HO! You are very a-musing! Not. **It’s so painfully obvious!** The Center of American Magic is… H_O_L_L_Y_W_O_O_D!! ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/6 "2004-06-14T23:46:35Z")
I was thinking about this while reading…_was_ it _Goblet of Fire_ ? The scenes at the World Cup encampment. I thought there oughta be: [ul] [li]a New England school\*[/li][li]a “Hotel California” West Coast school[/li][li]and a Southern Gothic/New Orleans/voodoo school[/li][/ul] Speaking as a Midwesterner, the Midwest is just not magical. Too down-to-earth normal (you betcha!). \*unless you want to look at the history of the Salem witch trials in the light that of course they really _weren’t_ witches at all – that’s why the trials were so horrible – that there never were any magic types in that part of the country. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/7 "2004-06-15T00:44:45Z")
Boy, you nailed that. **New Orleans** _has_ to be one of the centers of learning. With a relationship to whatever school they have in Montreal (there has to be one). Hey! Anyone wanna bet Anne Rice is writing non-fiction? ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/8 "2004-06-15T01:09:58Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Speaking as a Midwesterner, the Midwest is just not magical. Too down-to-earth normal (you betcha!). There would _so_ be witches and wizards in the Midwest. It’s just that the charms and spells and such would specialize in agricultural fields or practical applications – charms to make novelty cheeses or something. Spells to reduce the occurence of root parasites in corn. Studies on the effect of different types of cow dung in potions – Guernsey, Holstein, or Swiss? Can’t you see a magical UW-Madison? I’ve always had my suspicions about State Street . . . 😉 I mean, look at Molly Weasley – she’s about as down-to-earth as you get while still maintaining that certain swish-and-a-flick je nais se quois. There’re definitely loads of Mrs. Weasley-types in the midwest. Without the magic, of course. I can also see a network of magical state schools – a little like the college/university system in the real world. Some would become more prominent and well-known for different fields of research, with the equivalent of Ivy League private schools established in the East, etc. In other words, the formal structure of the American wizarding commnity would be decentralized and mainly in the domain of the states, with minimal national framework. Additionally, I think that maybe there would be mudblood prejudice yet, but the majority would have been dealt with in the civil rights movements of the '60s. The members of the American wizarding community who still adhered to the outmoded concepts of pure-blood superiority would be dying out while their children and grandchildren moved. The fact that I’ve put more thought into this than most of my other posts scares me a little, quite frankly. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/9 "2004-06-15T01:16:08Z")
The American experience includes human slavery, the Civil War to abolish it, and all the aftermath of that. And we Americans have an old tradition, going back to the Puritans and Quakers, of taking self-righteous morally absolutist positions on public issues. Therefore, the de facto slavery of non-human magical creatures such as elves might be a hotter issue among American wizards than Old World wizards – Hermione might find some zealous allies here for her Elf Liberation Front. Also, relations with muggle society might be a hotter issue here – there might even be American wizards who want the whole magical community to abandon its ancient secrecy and “come out of the broom closet.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/10 "2004-06-15T01:18:05Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Speaking as a Midwesterner, the Midwest is just not magical. Too down-to-earth normal (you betcha!). That’s just what they _want_ you to think! 😉 How about on an island in the middle of Lake Superior? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/11 "2004-06-15T01:42:55Z")
> [@lillalette](#): > > There would _so_ be witches and wizards in the Midwest. It’s just that the charms and spells and such would specialize in agricultural fields or practical applications – charms to make novelty cheeses or something. Spells to reduce the occurence of root parasites in corn. Studies on the effect of different types of cow dung in potions – Guernsey, Holstein, or Swiss? Can’t you see a magical UW-Madison? I’ve always had my suspicions about State Street . . . 😉 I’m trying to imagine a wizardly version of _Prairie Home Companion_ . . . ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/12 "2004-06-15T02:07:04Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I’m trying to imagine a wizardly version of Prairie Home Companion . . . LOL Oddly enough, in my mind, Garrison Keilor is strangely unchanged. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/13 "2004-06-15T02:26:29Z")
> [@](#): > > There would so be witches and wizards in the Midwest. It’s just that the charms and spells and such would specialize in agricultural fields or practical applications – charms to make novelty cheeses or something. “Admixum lutefiscio!” “Accio covered-dishium!” > [@](#): > > there might even be American wizards who want the whole magical community to abandon its ancient secrecy and “come out of the broom closet.” BTW, the MuggleNet forums don’t allow gay-themed fan fiction (I’m not talking about slash, mind you, but basic gay characters). ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/14 "2004-06-15T02:38:11Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > \*unless you want to look at the history of the Salem witch trials in the light that of course they really _weren’t_ witches at all – that’s why the trials were so horrible The anecdote in PoA about Wendelyn the Weird would seem to back this up… ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/15 "2004-06-15T03:56:10Z")
> [@Shoshana](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > there might even be American wizards who want the whole magical community to abandon its ancient secrecy and “come out of the broom closet.” > > BTW, the MuggleNet forums don’t allow gay-themed fan fiction (I’m not talking about slash, mind you, but basic gay characters). ‘coming out of the broom closet’ doesn’t necessarily have gay connotations. I know that some modern day witches refer to revealing their religious leanings to their families as such. As to avoiding basic gay characters… well that’s a shame as I am sure there are gay people within the wizarding world. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/16 "2004-06-15T04:44:34Z")
> [@Flutterby](#): > > As to avoiding basic gay characters… well that’s a shame as I am sure there are gay people within the wizarding world. I doubt Rowling will ever work that into her books . . . but if she did! ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/17 "2004-06-15T04:49:42Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I doubt Rowling will ever work that into her books . . . but if she did! Dunno about that. Lupin had a definite Oscar Wilde-ish vibe to him in the movie… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/18 "2004-06-15T05:13:04Z")
At an SF convention last year, I met a woman who had a button with a picture of Harry and Draco in a soulkiss. She was a fan of slashfic – you know, Kirk/Spock, etc. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/19 "2004-06-15T06:13:54Z")
I think there would be lots more brawls in the hallways during classes. American kids NOW are plain nasty, imagine them with magic! Oh god. We would invent a weight loss spell. Commercials for it would be all over. America would be thin again! ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373/20 "2004-06-15T07:35:34Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > The American experience includes human slavery, the Civil War to abolish it, and all the aftermath of that. Hey, we aren’t the only ones who’ve had slavery. It was abolished in Britain only about 30 years before it was abolished in the U.S. (Granted, they didn’t have to have a civil war to do it across the pond.) Anyway, I’m guessing that U.S. Wizardry would have incorperated a lot more non-European magical arts, over the years. Probably a lot of Voodoo and Cajun magic in the south. Probably a lot of Asian magic on the west coast (Hippie wizards…_shudder_). I’d imagine that at least _some_ Native American magic would be used, too. (Maybe American wizards all know how to “Rain Dance”?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-american-wizards/250373.md?page=2)