Muggle-borns and Hogwarts
I've signed up to do this fic exchange, and the prompt I'm working with had me wondering about the procedure for admitting Muggle-borns to Hogwarts. If anyone can help me iron out a few issues or offer some speculation and theories, I'd appreciate it. ^_^
It’s so weird the way Muggle-borns are effectively emancipated from their parents once they enroll at Hogwarts. If Hermione’s any indication, that is. Maybe the rest of the kids love their parents and their Muggle heritage and we have a lopsided view because JKR has no use for anyone that isn’t dedicated to Harry.
I have to wonder, though, at the fact that Muggle-borns make it to Hogwarts at all. Look at Hermione’s parents, two dentists, presumably well-educated, sensible folk (as opposed to UFOlogists or something). They get a letter in the mail saying their daughter’s a witch and accepted to Hogwarts, here’s a list of frankly nonsensical-sounding books and they’re supposed to just send her off to complete strangers, sight unseen? Most responsible parents tour the school or at the least, look it up online, call someone to discuss their curriculum and whatnot (like my parents did when we moved to Australia). Others, who’ve lived in the area for a while and know the school’s reputation and either attended it themselves or know others who did, wouldn’t need that step, but Muggle parents are just sending their child off to a place they’ve never been, cannot go and have zero access to the teachers or their child once they’ve arrived at school.
So I ask anyone to explain to me, given these facts, how it is that there are ANY Muggle-borns at Hogwarts.
And I wonder, first, how it is that Dumbles and co knew Harry hadn’t read his letter, and second, whether they care this much about Muggle-borns. Those kids without an important prophecy hanging over their head might only get the one letter and then never be bothered by those crazy wack-jobs/probable pranksters again. (And probably for the better, they’d lead a better life in the Muggle world- I have no idea why so many fans are so eager to live in JKR’s magical world)
I also wonder if they can track underage magic by these kids before they’ve attended Hogwarts. Hermione mentions she’s practiced a few spells, presumably without any letters of warning, and Lily did her trick with the flying and the flower, also without any warnings. Yet Harry gets his letter about Hogwarts a short period after his trick with the snake. Do they perhaps have a spell that detects magic and that alerts them to send letters to the kids to tell them they can join Hogwarts? Maybe they wait for a burst of magic to confirm the kid has magic before letting them know they can come to Hogwarts. (after all, does the magical that quill notes down kids who are to attend Hogwarts take Squibs into account? It might pick POTENTIAL future students. Otherwise, wouldn’t Neville’s family have demanded to know whether his name was on the books and left off tormenting and abusing the poor kid? If they were assured of his future, they wouldn't have tortured him and given him issues with his magic)
Then again, maybe it’s a coincidence, maybe the letters get sent out at a certain time every year- in which case it’s rather cruel if a kid manifested magic early and is going nuts because they don’t know what’s happening to them. Sure, Lily seems proud of her magical abilities, but another child or their family might think they’re possessed by the Devil or something evil and get beaten up or locked up in a mental institution or any number of awful things.
I’m still curious why Hermione and Lily get away with their magic, however, when Harry’s uncontrolled, wandless magic in PoA apparently got the attention of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department. I mean, I know what happened there was serious, I just mean they can obviously track wandless magic, which means they would know about Hermione and Lily- unless it’s something that’s only put in place after they attend Hogwarts?
PS. How did Hermione get her textbooks? Harry had Hagrid to show him the way to Diagon Alley but he was a special case. I know some fanfics have professors go and personally visit families, but then in that case, why didn’t they do that with Harry? (I read someone say that if Snape had gone to collect him, the Dursleys would’ve seen his cold, harsh manner and been delighted to let Harry go off with him. But no, we had to have that frakwit Hagrid go and abuse them because it’s SO FUNNY when a grown man injures a little kid, dying of laughter right now. Side-rant: bloody hypocrites, that think Hagrid attacking Dudley and not!Moody attacking Draco is a good laugh but oh, that Snape, HE’s the real child-abuser)
PPS. Random, but in my head!canon, Harry and Hermione start a primary school for Muggle-born and wizarding kids so they can grow up together and the former can learn about this society they'll be part of and the latter can overcome the prejudices that are otherwise entrenched in them about the Other by the time they meet these kids. Plus, Muggle parents can get to see their kids, also learn about the wizarding world and have their questions and anxieties dealt with, and wizarding folk can get over their ignorance and see Muggles as human beings, too. (Yeah, I know this'd never happen with canon!H&Hr but I like to daydream)
PPS. Yes, I know, this is getting ridiculous, but I just remembered an enjoyable fic I read which had Snape going to meet the Grangers:
"Dr. Granger?"
He spoke with a strange accent, in clipped, economical tones.
I narrowed my eyes. "Yes, how can I help you?"
He inclined his head slightly and said, "I am here to deliver a missive to Miss Hermione Granger."
Missive? Who says that nowadays? And why the devil would he be delivering a letter to Jeanie?
I raised the arm that I was bracing against the entryway slightly higher and asked pointedly, "My daughter?"
Black eyes flashed in a way that I didn't like, but the voice remained neutral. "If you please, sir."
"I'm sure you'll understand if I insist on knowing what business you have with an eleven-year-old girl."
"Certainly," he replied stiffly. He was still standing awkwardly on our front steps, looking rather uncomfortable, and it occurred to me how very inhospitable I was being towards this caller. Manners be damned. I didn't trust him.
Fic's from the pov of Hermione's father, I really love the way the author's fleshed out the Grangers' history and this story is now my head!canon for their past. ^_^
It’s so weird the way Muggle-borns are effectively emancipated from their parents once they enroll at Hogwarts. If Hermione’s any indication, that is. Maybe the rest of the kids love their parents and their Muggle heritage and we have a lopsided view because JKR has no use for anyone that isn’t dedicated to Harry.
I have to wonder, though, at the fact that Muggle-borns make it to Hogwarts at all. Look at Hermione’s parents, two dentists, presumably well-educated, sensible folk (as opposed to UFOlogists or something). They get a letter in the mail saying their daughter’s a witch and accepted to Hogwarts, here’s a list of frankly nonsensical-sounding books and they’re supposed to just send her off to complete strangers, sight unseen? Most responsible parents tour the school or at the least, look it up online, call someone to discuss their curriculum and whatnot (like my parents did when we moved to Australia). Others, who’ve lived in the area for a while and know the school’s reputation and either attended it themselves or know others who did, wouldn’t need that step, but Muggle parents are just sending their child off to a place they’ve never been, cannot go and have zero access to the teachers or their child once they’ve arrived at school.
So I ask anyone to explain to me, given these facts, how it is that there are ANY Muggle-borns at Hogwarts.
And I wonder, first, how it is that Dumbles and co knew Harry hadn’t read his letter, and second, whether they care this much about Muggle-borns. Those kids without an important prophecy hanging over their head might only get the one letter and then never be bothered by those crazy wack-jobs/probable pranksters again. (And probably for the better, they’d lead a better life in the Muggle world- I have no idea why so many fans are so eager to live in JKR’s magical world)
I also wonder if they can track underage magic by these kids before they’ve attended Hogwarts. Hermione mentions she’s practiced a few spells, presumably without any letters of warning, and Lily did her trick with the flying and the flower, also without any warnings. Yet Harry gets his letter about Hogwarts a short period after his trick with the snake. Do they perhaps have a spell that detects magic and that alerts them to send letters to the kids to tell them they can join Hogwarts? Maybe they wait for a burst of magic to confirm the kid has magic before letting them know they can come to Hogwarts. (after all, does the magical that quill notes down kids who are to attend Hogwarts take Squibs into account? It might pick POTENTIAL future students. Otherwise, wouldn’t Neville’s family have demanded to know whether his name was on the books and left off tormenting and abusing the poor kid? If they were assured of his future, they wouldn't have tortured him and given him issues with his magic)
Then again, maybe it’s a coincidence, maybe the letters get sent out at a certain time every year- in which case it’s rather cruel if a kid manifested magic early and is going nuts because they don’t know what’s happening to them. Sure, Lily seems proud of her magical abilities, but another child or their family might think they’re possessed by the Devil or something evil and get beaten up or locked up in a mental institution or any number of awful things.
I’m still curious why Hermione and Lily get away with their magic, however, when Harry’s uncontrolled, wandless magic in PoA apparently got the attention of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department. I mean, I know what happened there was serious, I just mean they can obviously track wandless magic, which means they would know about Hermione and Lily- unless it’s something that’s only put in place after they attend Hogwarts?
PS. How did Hermione get her textbooks? Harry had Hagrid to show him the way to Diagon Alley but he was a special case. I know some fanfics have professors go and personally visit families, but then in that case, why didn’t they do that with Harry? (I read someone say that if Snape had gone to collect him, the Dursleys would’ve seen his cold, harsh manner and been delighted to let Harry go off with him. But no, we had to have that frakwit Hagrid go and abuse them because it’s SO FUNNY when a grown man injures a little kid, dying of laughter right now. Side-rant: bloody hypocrites, that think Hagrid attacking Dudley and not!Moody attacking Draco is a good laugh but oh, that Snape, HE’s the real child-abuser)
PPS. Random, but in my head!canon, Harry and Hermione start a primary school for Muggle-born and wizarding kids so they can grow up together and the former can learn about this society they'll be part of and the latter can overcome the prejudices that are otherwise entrenched in them about the Other by the time they meet these kids. Plus, Muggle parents can get to see their kids, also learn about the wizarding world and have their questions and anxieties dealt with, and wizarding folk can get over their ignorance and see Muggles as human beings, too. (Yeah, I know this'd never happen with canon!H&Hr but I like to daydream)
PPS. Yes, I know, this is getting ridiculous, but I just remembered an enjoyable fic I read which had Snape going to meet the Grangers:
"Dr. Granger?"
He spoke with a strange accent, in clipped, economical tones.
I narrowed my eyes. "Yes, how can I help you?"
He inclined his head slightly and said, "I am here to deliver a missive to Miss Hermione Granger."
Missive? Who says that nowadays? And why the devil would he be delivering a letter to Jeanie?
I raised the arm that I was bracing against the entryway slightly higher and asked pointedly, "My daughter?"
Black eyes flashed in a way that I didn't like, but the voice remained neutral. "If you please, sir."
"I'm sure you'll understand if I insist on knowing what business you have with an eleven-year-old girl."
"Certainly," he replied stiffly. He was still standing awkwardly on our front steps, looking rather uncomfortable, and it occurred to me how very inhospitable I was being towards this caller. Manners be damned. I didn't trust him.
Fic's from the pov of Hermione's father, I really love the way the author's fleshed out the Grangers' history and this story is now my head!canon for their past. ^_^