*Thinking about it Matty remembered a few stories his uncle told him.*

"A few might get sent to a mad house if they wont change their minds. Because a lot of muggles wouldn't believe them."

Emily considered this statement... it was a statement... not a question...
"But Professor, word of mouth is powerful in the sense that it can spread and prolong the exposure to information. However it does not do much to instill strong powerful beliefs. Well not when it comes to magic. Muggles seem to dismiss it as phenomena, or legend, but do not necessarily belive it is true. And in many cases where muggles do witness magic, first of all who would belive them? They are very likely to be considered mentally unstable, that or they may not belive it themselves or alternatively put it down to divine intervention or imagination. For them magic is not tangilbe so it would not ammount to anything more than legends or myths without us allowing them to be involved and to see things openly."
Emily wasn't quite sure what direction this class was heading in. She liked structure, programs and consistency. But this is not what she had expected from the first HoM lesson this term.

"See that is my point,If it was reversed and witchs and wizards were getting locked up in Azakban for saying that they saw a muggle walk on Mars we would be reallly ticked off, if we are going to hide our selves from the muggles should it be a do no harm type of thing no one should suffer because someone messed up."Mikey was starting to feel the Muggles were really getting the short end of the stick

Jake raised his hand. "I know giants aren't like... what most people's idea of 'creatures' are... but since TECHNICALLY we are all creatures... what about when people see giants in the mountain ranges and live? I mean, they could be obliviated or whatever... but nobody has like, a responsibility, and I would hate to see the man who tried reasoning with a giant without giving them a huge gift."

He shut up for a second before going on. "Muggles have to get these magical things from SOMEWHERE. I mean, everyone is creative, but would you really think a dragon existed without seeing one, or hearing a story from a wizard who say one? So there must be tonnes of stories and sightings that haven't been wiped from muggle memory, probably stemming back to before the whole statute. They still have perfectly acceptable stories on wizards. Like Merlin... somehow, that's not weird to them."

So... what was his point? Jake... wasn't sure.

"Just... thought I'd mention that."

Alllll that.

Jacob had been abnormally quiet during, what Professor Lainey had made his favorite class, and Professor Welton kept it going. But Jacob was just so exhausted from all the Quidditch, usually it didn't make him so tired but as Captain he seemed to have extra weight on his shoulders.

He had been barely listening to the professor, but he found it necessary to at least ask a question, he didn't want to be silent the whole class. "But professor, surely there must be ways to track down the muggles who witnessed an act of magic... Even if they escaped the scene" he half asked half commented... now back to La-La Land

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Potter Weasley

"Well, I believe the statue could be used to help witches and wiaards hide ther wands and magi when muggles come into town" Rex answered the professor.
I think the vreaures would be send out so far into the eoods and would not be allowed back at all" Rex told the professor.

"Isn't that just what the statute is meant to do?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael White

Ms if we are not tip toeing around dont they keep the Muggles in there pen so to speek,say a muggle dinds a dragon bone they go in mess with hias memory and make him think it is a dino bone or just take the bone so every one he works with thinks he is a wack-o alot of times with out much regaurd to what happens to the muggle in question"

"Well, the Ministry does such things to protect us. Hypothetically, if this was to happen and a muggle did find such a thing. Our governing body would come in and cover up what has happen. Be it a memory charm or what not."

SPOILER!!: Helena & Mia

Quote:

Originally Posted by nogoodforyou

Okay, Helena was confused. Her hand shot in the air the moment professor Welton finished. "Professor? Are you saying that the myths and the legends," or are they the same thing? "Exist because... some muggles weren't obliviated? So they saw something from the wizarding world and created those myths?" Now that she thought about it, it had no sense. Or... not?

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiegirl

Mia turned to look at the young Slytherin and she smiled. "It has happened especially when there were a lot of muggles around. Take for instance the Ilfracombe incident that happened over a hundred years ago. There were hundreds of muggle holidayers when a rogue green Welsh dragon attacked them. It was lucky that there was a wizarding family there at the time and they performed the largest group of memory charms seen in the twentieth century but of course it was impossible to get everyone."

She shrugged her shoulders. "No doubt there are going to be slip ups. I guess we're just lucky that muggles write off these incidences as hallucinations or myths and legends as the Professor said."

Quote:

Originally Posted by nogoodforyou

Instead of a response from professor Welton, Helena heard a girl. "I guess you are right. But won't they... figure it all out... one day?" That would be terrible. Wizards could become something like lab rats... Until muggles will figure out how to have magical abilities as well. Okay, that was extremely stupid. A mad wizard or witch alone could get rid of every muggle getting in his or her way. We have magical abilities. They don't. And never will. Haha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiegirl

Again she gave the young girl a smile. "Yeah they might. But I think us wizards and witches can look after ourselves. Besides I think muggles are a lot more tolertant of what is different then they were hundreds of years ago." Mia chuckled just a little. "And really are muggles any worse off than us?"

They had electricity and technology and all that stuff to make their lives so much easier.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nogoodforyou

Helena smiled back. "You're right, again. It's not like they're going to hunt us down with torches and stuff like that." Then burn us alive. Yeah, Helena's imagination was... well, interesting.

"I'm not saying that they exist sheerly because obliviation had gone wrong. There is a possibility that a myth that muggles believe in might have connections to something of our world. Mia has a very good point. Slip up are bound to happen, but by the grace of Merlin, muggles write it off as other things."

Good class discussion, maybe this wasn't going to be as difficult as she feared.

"You two have very good points. What would happen if muggles were to figure it all out? Think it over, we will come back to it later."

Quote:

Originally Posted by neaped

Hugo watched the points fly through the classroom like cornish pixies. He should give some answers now. He raised his hand. "Professor, I think anyone who believes in witchcraft in a muggle community is considered a mad man," he said. This wouldn't get him any points, but it would get him fired up for a discussion. "They always carry on and there's always a bunch who believe them but most of the muggles will just go on and not believe in magic," he said. His comments really weren't class worthy, but how could he compete with Kurumi?!

"That is somewhat true, Hugo. But I ask this question; is the muggle definition of witchcraft what were define as magic? I mean, I don't think the popular definition of witchcraft is what her have. The magic we possess isn't necessarly the same thing as what muggles think is witchcraft."

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Kurumi looked towards Helena and smiled. "I think it is safe to say that that is true," Kurumi nodded. "We have already discussed the Loch Ness Monster. But perhaps even some of the fairy tales we, erm, I, erm, non-magical people grew up with are based witches and wizards missing a few non-magical people on their Obliviate rounds. The Little Mermaind could be an example. Whose to say that someone didn't see a witch, who was an Animagus, mid transformation or an actual merperson."

"Another good point, Kurumi. I mean everything is up for discussion and all but the likelihood of many fairy tales can have roots in a possible encounter with magic. Think of all the tales of leprechauns and goblins. We know them to be real, but to muggles think of them as things of legends and stories. the Loch Ness Monster and the Yeti are probably the most prevalent examples though."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mordanyes

K-Lee was surprised. "Muggles that haven't been obliviated are the cause of the myths and legends." She said amazed. "Is that the same with fairytales?" K-Lee asked a moment later.

"Not all of them. Myths and legends are passed down so there are a number of sources for them to come from, but the existence of the myth of the Loch Ness Monster could very well be a result of one person not being obliviated."

Quote:

Originally Posted by mellamaet

"Like the Loch Ness Monster?" Cass asked. She had been wondering about that thing for a while now since they took that vacation at the southern part of Scotland where all the muggles were making a big deal out of a some huge fish that they couldn't even see.

"Yes, just like the Loch Ness Monster."

Quote:

Originally Posted by fanficfanatict

Selina nodded at the teacher. Maybe she had jumped the gun slightly, but the topic sparked a flame of thought in her head. And flames only ever grew, once they were lit it was almost impossible to stop their growth.

"Yes, ma'am."

At the next question Selina thought very hard. It had never occured to her that a breach could be done by a creature. That seemed to complicate things, because although some magical creatures had intellegence equivilent or even higher than human others acted merely on instinct.

Raising her hand Selina said, "Well, I suppose that it would be tricky. A few things could happen. But, I'm not really sure."

"I'm sure it all would depend on what was happening, if the creature was of free mind and what not. It does make you think though."

Quote:

Originally Posted by PattyH.

Listening to the discussion, Patroclus decided he should hurry up, and pipe in!

Every question so far, someone else had stolen his answer, but now it was group time, so everyone now had a chance to have their piece heard.

"I think with Dragons, that is one of the most prevalent case of Muggle's slipping through the cracks. Dragons can be seen in sooo many Muggle Children stories, and in movies. Actaully there are quite a lot of things to us that are real, that appear in Muggle Films and Stories......again it comes down to the fact, and it is the same arguement over and over again, that Muggle chose not to believe that these such things exist." What was the saying, can't see past the end of their nose..... "[B]Dragons, Merpeople, faries, Magic, they chose not to believe because it is easier for them to just brush it all off, as just a story or a myth"[/B

]Patroclus had nothing against Muggles, but there was a lot of proof staring them in the face!

"Very well put, Patroclus. Elements of our world, even though we attempt to hide it, are sometimes seen by muggles. They chose to not believe though."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zebragirl

Yeah, it was. Emily knew that first hand. Rumours spread like wildfire.
"Professor. So, if the statue was... gone. What would happen? Would Wizards be able to go out and... do magic in front of muggles without getting in trouble?" she asked raising her hand.
By the sounds of other lessons, the statue might be abolished. Would that be a good thing? She did not know. But if she was allowed to do magic in front of muggles without getting in trouble... revenge would be sweet.

"That is a very good question, Emily. If the Statute was not in place, would we be able to freely practice magic without fear of punishment? Think about that class. We will came back to this too."

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFeisty

Kyle Manning listened to the question and then like a light bulb going on her hand shot up instinctively and her question pour fourth like a freight train through the station. "Could you easily say that the 'Legend' of Kind Arthur, Merlin, and in a sense Avalon in general is one of those myths or legends?" She asked still at the same time she took notes with her other hand.

"Yes, that could be another example as well."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoerawrr

Jake raised his hand. "I know giants aren't like... what most people's idea of 'creatures' are... but since TECHNICALLY we are all creatures... what about when people see giants in the mountain ranges and live? I mean, they could be obliviated or whatever... but nobody has like, a responsibility, and I would hate to see the man who tried reasoning with a giant without giving them a huge gift."

He shut up for a second before going on. "Muggles have to get these magical things from SOMEWHERE. I mean, everyone is creative, but would you really think a dragon existed without seeing one, or hearing a story from a wizard who say one? So there must be tonnes of stories and sightings that haven't been wiped from muggle memory, probably stemming back to before the whole statute. They still have perfectly acceptable stories on wizards. Like Merlin... somehow, that's not weird to them."

So... what was his point? Jake... wasn't sure.

"Just... thought I'd mention that."

Alllll that.

"You bring up a very good point. I would think that the Magical Beings Division in the Ministry would handle such cases or even the International Task Force, much like how they handle the sightings of the Yeti."

Listening to all the thoughts of her students, she nodded again.

"Again, that is true. They have to come from somewhere and I'm sure that there are thousands if not more instances of stories and sightings that have been altered that precede the statute. Yes, there are a number of perfectly acceptable stories about our world that muggles believe, but that just comes back to muggles picking and choosing what they want to believe."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walrus

Jacob had been abnormally quiet during, what Professor Lainey had made his favorite class, and Professor Welton kept it going. But Jacob was just so exhausted from all the Quidditch, usually it didn't make him so tired but as Captain he seemed to have extra weight on his shoulders.

He had been barely listening to the professor, but he found it necessary to at least ask a question, he didn't want to be silent the whole class. "But professor, surely there must be ways to track down the muggles who witnessed an act of magic... Even if they escaped the scene" he half asked half commented... now back to La-La Land

"Jacob, one would think it would be that easy. Errors will happen and again things happen. I'm sure the Ministry does everything in the their power to stop any hint of our world to be revealed, but they aren't perfect and can stop everything."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emily_Potter

Emily considered this statement... it was a statement... not a question...
"But Professor, word of mouth is powerful in the sense that it can spread and prolong the exposure to information. However it does not do much to instill strong powerful beliefs. Well not when it comes to magic. Muggles seem to dismiss it as phenomena, or legend, but do not necessarily belive it is true. And in many cases where muggles do witness magic, first of all who would belive them? They are very likely to be considered mentally unstable, that or they may not belive it themselves or alternatively put it down to divine intervention or imagination. For them magic is not tangilbe so it would not ammount to anything more than legends or myths without us allowing them to be involved and to see things openly."
Emily wasn't quite sure what direction this class was heading in. She liked structure, programs and consistency. But this is not what she had expected from the first HoM lesson this term.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael White

"See that is my point,If it was reversed and witchs and wizards were getting locked up in Azakban for saying that they saw a muggle walk on Mars we would be reallly ticked off, if we are going to hide our selves from the muggles should it be a do no harm type of thing no one should suffer because someone messed up."Mikey was starting to feel the Muggles were really getting the short end of the stick

"There is a strange power that word of mouth holds. Yes, it spreads and prolongs exposure. Yet, I don't agree with it not being able to instil powerful beliefs. Maybe not to muggles, but I can see word of mouth having that power in our world. But that is not what I'm getting at. Muggles have always believed what they want. I'm sure if left to their own devices, they would dismiss a number of things they saw in our world as a hallucination."

Hearing Mikey, Sylvie nodded.

"It looked like a double standard, doesn't it? But we have to think about just why the Statute was established and what was its purpose was. I know we mentioned it before, but I want us to really talk about it. What events lead to it being established?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaRoHeGiNeLu

Right. Muggles. Knowing. Magic.

Food.

Ellie began to inconspicuously remove her wand from its holster. If she'd have to, she could attempt a silent summoning charm to get the chocolate.

If it came to that.

Noticing Ellie, from the corner of her eye. She glanced to the treats again.

"As we talk about this, feel free to dig in to your treats and if you would like more, do just feel free to ask."

THE FISH WAS MAGICAL????

Cass raised her hand and asked "Professor, what is the Loch Ness Monster? Isn't it just a huge fish?"

"This is more a question for Professor Saylen, but I'm sure that she wouldn't mind me answering it since it does pertain to today's lesson. The 'monster' that muggles refer to as the Loch Ness Monster, is actually the world's largest and most famous kelpie."

Emily looked down at her blank parchment... she wasn't sure what she was supposed to be taking notes on. Having heard the Professor say they were allowed to eat treats she placed her quill back in her bag and pulled out her sugar quill. Mmmm sugary she thought as she sucked at the end of it.

Of course. She should have known..

She smiled and said "Thank you for answering my question Professor."

"For our own protection, mostly." Eino said with his hand raised. "The persecution of witches and wizards grew at an exceedingly high rate in the seventh century in Europe. Many muggles participated in an activity called witch-hunting, which is self-explanatory, and resulted in the burning of many wizards and witches. However, muggles were, and still are, unable to distinguish wizards and witches from muggles, so this witch-hunt resulted in the death of many muggles who were under suspicion. So, the Statute also protects muggles." Even thought it was mostly for the safety of the wizarding world. It's really a win-win outcome for both groups.

K-Lee nodded to what the teacher said, understanding what she was getting at. She thought about it a bit. Not knowing what to say she sat quietly, listening in with a quill poised to take notes.

Hearing what the teacher said after it, K-Lee sat up, suddenly excited. Sweets? In class? Before now she hadn't noticed them. Grabbing one of them, K-Lee quickly ate it, grinning.

Okay, at least Helena didn't ask a 100% stupid question. And what would happen if muggles were to find it all out? Helena surely didn't want to think about that. Imagine muggles wandering around Hogwarts. But of course, that was impossible. Well... some of them can be really annoying. They just wouldn't stop until they knew everything. But anyway, wizards have magical abilities, muggles don't. Any wizard could handle the muggles. Or not?

Emily now felt like she had done something right! She liked this feeling.
"Well..." she was about to state her opinion but the professor had said she'd come back to it, so Emily stayed quiet.

'I'm sure if we hurt the muggles we could still get in trouble.' Or would they? 'If they helped the muggles, they woudn't get punished, would they?' But who would want to help muggles?! They hadn't done anything to help her. 'They were scared of it all'... Now she was argueing with her own mind. Great!

"Well remembering Wizards and Witches arent allowed to use magic whenever a muggle is around i guess the same consequences would apply for a creature.",the blonde started,"but then again can you really allocate the same charge to creatures than to human beings?"

Not all of the creatures had small brains but some of them had and it depened on what creature it was."I would say if a centaur caused the breach the same consequences should happen",she stated,"but not if the reason was a creature with low-ish intellegence."

The Loch Ness Monster was a what? What in the world is a Kelpie? Rowan jotted this down so she could look it up later. She knew a couple of muggles who would be very disappointed if they knew their favorite monster wasn't ACTUALLY a monster.

"The statute?" Jake repeated, looking to the front of the class at the treeeeeeeeeeats before answering.

He knew this.

"My classmates have said most of the reasons, I think. I'd just like the point out that because of the witch-burning and stuff, they used a flame-freezing charm... but one of the reasons for the statute COULD have been that younger wizards and witches are unable to do such magic, so their persecution in the witch burning era was much greater if they used accidental magic. Wizarding children were also persecuted for being different... Especially in times back then, people didn't like other people being different. It scared them, so children would bully other children, and I'm sure adults would bully children as well." Jake lowered his hand and STAAAAAAAAAAARED at the treats again. "Of course, that's only one reason and probably my imagination anyway."

Looking around, Helena heard Jake talk. "I always thought that they used a charm or something to protect themselves from the fire, scream a little bit, pretend they're dead and then... well, escape." Okay, maybe she should have kept that idea for herself. "No one did that?"

Simon looked at the Professor and sighed, he would go see her after class, now where did he put his History of Magic book, he couldn't remember, he knew it was in his bag somewhere, well he'll get it after answering this question.

Simon smiled as he decided he would answer this question. "Professor maybe because people where playing Quidditch where they could be seen by muggles and so the muggles got scared and started killing all the magical people."

"I don't think your thinking was that wrong..." Finlay mused, as he turned to look at Helena. "But I think some wizards probably weren't able to do a charm to stop the fire killing them, because they probably wouldn't have been experienced enough." That kind of made sense right? It did in his head, he was sure of it. "So like as Jake was saying about wizarding children, they probably wouldn't know how to do a charm to protect them selves." Which was very said. "Hence why the statue was so important in those days."

Nerida nodded at all 3 comments, she had thought the same as Helena...Nerida said Well, couldnt there be like a potion to prevent them from being burned? Or did the Wizarding World just allow their kind to be burned and killed?She hoped they didnt that would be wrong of them! Nerida looked at the boy a couple seats away and nodded that sounded good...Were all 4 of them right?She didnt know...

Helena looked around as a couple of Ravenclaws talked, then turned her head to face the girl. "It would've been a good idea, the potion, I mean. But for now... I don't think we need that anymore." Hopefully. "Those medieval times are gone." Again, hopefully.

"Well yeah... Wendelin the Weird did that loads. Like... 47 times or something?" Jake shrugged. He couldn't remember; that wasn't his specialised era. "But yeah, what Finlay said is what I'm getting at. And, if you think about it, around that time... not every wizarding child was being educated. I think it was after Hogwarts was founded, but people were still bound to be wary."

Jake cleared his throat. He did speak in a restricted code a lot of the time. "Basically... children still didn't know magic at least before the age of eleven. Many couldn't save themselves... and society puts a lot of emphasis on the protection of children, albeit admittedly more in this day and age, so it became important.

"Also, some potions take years to be discovered. There's no record of such a potion in our books. It only says about the flame-freezing charm. And I know it sounds wrong not to help their kind... but I mean, in a situation with so many magic-haters... it would have been near impossible to use magic. Plus, I doubt they'd be able to go forward and give them a potion without being accused of helping a witch or BEING a witch... and bad stuff happened. I don't know. I may be old, but I wasn't there."

The young man looked at the Ravenclaw prefect and gave him a grateful smile in any case.

She raised her hand, "Professor, my dad is a muggle. And we always buy the Muggle tabloids because every once and a while you can find an animal or something very magical that has leaked it's way onto that magazine. But must muggles don't believe the magazines and think they just make things up..." she said with a little shoulder shrug...ironic...

"You're right, Jake. I mean, think of the Wolfsbane Potion. That was only discovered about a century ago, but now we act as if it's always been around. So it's completely possible that such a potion hadn't been discovered yet. But you have a point about administering the potion. You couldn't possibly give it to the child without people noticing. However, couldn't you just give it to them right before they were led away? I don't know. If you can use magic with some capability, then you can probably also work things so that you aren't discovered. So in that regard, the Statute shouldn't have been necessary in the first place. Maybe people just weren't careful enough."