You are in charge of Muggle Studies (RAR!)

[Zor]

In this scenario, Q has put you in charge of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts. The current Headmaster is quite interested in the prospects of having a Muggle teach the subject. You are given a budget and a special license to go on field trips to London via floo powder.

What do you do?

Zor

[The Vortex Empire]

Discreetly collect as much evidence as I can of the magical world, then send it to every media source I can to expose the magical worlds existence. Then go into hiding from the Obliviators, and set up a system where without me entering codes into a system, the evidence will continue to be sent out at regular intervals.

[Gaidin]

Gonna see what they can do when they bother to learn real physics and engineering alongside Defense against Dark Magic.

[Tribble]

Discreetly collect as much evidence as I can of the magical world, then send it to every media source I can to expose the magical worlds existence. Then go into hiding from the Obliviators, and set up a system where without me entering codes into a system, the evidence will continue to be sent out at regular intervals.

That would likely result in the deaths of many, if not most of them. Every country across the world would probably go into a frenzy and try to eliminate the perceived threat. Or perhaps even worse, try to weaponise it.

Now, did Q set up things in such a way so that no one examined us before we started? Because I would imagine that prior to arriving they would use legilmens or a truth serum us to make sure we weren't a threat. And neutralise us in one way or another if we were. The wizards and witches in Harry Potter may act a bit eccentric at times, but one thing they seem to put above all else is ensuring that their world is not exposed to the regular public. I can't see them just putting a muggle in Hogwarts without some precautions beforehand, unless Q circumvented that.

[Lord Revan]

Discreetly collect as much evidence as I can of the magical world, then send it to every media source I can to expose the magical worlds existence. Then go into hiding from the Obliviators, and set up a system where without me entering codes into a system, the evidence will continue to be sent out at regular intervals.

That would likely result in the deaths of many, if not most of them. Every country across the world would probably go into a frenzy and try to eliminate the perceived threat. Or perhaps even worse, try to weaponise it.

Now, did Q set up things in such a way so that no one examined us before we started? Because I would imagine that prior to arriving they would use legilmens or a truth serum us to make sure we weren't a threat. And neutralise us in one way or another if we were. The wizards and witches in Harry Potter may act a bit eccentric at times, but one thing they seem to put above all else is ensuring that their world is not exposed to the regular public. I can't see them just putting a muggle in Hogwarts without some precautions beforehand, unless Q circumvented that.

also and correct me if I'm wrong but don't all electronic devices break down when brought to an area with high consentration of magic (Like Hogwarts) or at the very least not work in such places, thus making gathering evidence harder (no-one's gonna just take your word for it)

also again correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the UK goverment already aware of the magical world at some level and has desided to leave them be.

[madd0ct0r]

I think you're correct on both points Lord Revan.

mentioned in the first book I think, and the PM is informed when siriius black escapes.

This means I'm going to need a typewriter.

[Highlord Laan]

Discreetly collect as much evidence as I can of the magical world, then send it to every media source I can to expose the magical worlds existence. Then go into hiding from the Obliviators, and set up a system where without me entering codes into a system, the evidence will continue to be sent out at regular intervals.

That would likely result in the deaths of many, if not most of them.

I fail to see a problem here. We're talking about an entire society that abuses non-magical people in every way, up to and including raping memories of abuse from their minds to avoid any and all forms of justice.

[Murazor]

Seeing that Fudge can randomly arrange for the head of government of an unidentified foreign nation to forget a call to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom just to have an unhurried conversation...

Yeah.

No one is managing anything of substance against the wizards without wizard collaborators of their own.

Also, this is a bit of a thread derail. As a teacher, I probably won't have enough time to do much of substance and it is a sure bet that most of the students attending will be mostly the muggleborns. Nevertheless, teaching some history about the fight against racial prejudice, some generic stuff about the most impressive scientific accomplishments of humankind (a video about the Moon landing would be neat to show, if one can figure a way of making one of those work in Hogwarts) and some comparisons between the lifestyles of muggles vs wizards strike me as must haves.

[Ahriman238]

AFAIK, Hermione was the only muggle-born in Muggle Studies her year.

I'd work on studying the muggles as a distinct culture, with special stress that muggles are people to. I suppose I'd teach them how to blend in and make casual conversation, since so many wizards seem so lost there.

Oh, and I'd try to arrange for quality out-of-class time with all my colleagues and the headmaster (can it be Dumbledore?) to pick their brains about magic vs physics.

[Zixinus]

Is it even possible to convert digital footage to film that doesn't need electricity to be shown? Aside light source for which I am sure that a magic equivalent can be used. Do they even make such equipment and film anymore?

I would focus a bit on computers and smartphones (would probably even attempt the insanity of getting some for more well-behaved students to try). They have really changed how people act in everyday life (compared to what it was like before). They also need to understand the problem made by smartphones, how even brain-wiping isn't enough anymore. You really have to be careful. Not to mention having to give them enough context so they will not stand out incredibly when they ask why they don't have a cellphone (I'll probably try to convince my students to try having one just so they can be reached).

My biggest problem will probably be however about how the hell to teach, never mind what. Hogwards is a high-standards school, I can't just half-ass it.

By the way, does Q give us some in-depth knowledge about how the magical world works, with a wand and some basic (for the world) knowledge how to use it? Because it will be impossible to teach non-muggles how the muggle world works if I don't understand how their world works. It's been a long while since I read the books.

AFAIK, Hermione was the only muggle-born in Muggle Studies her year.

Actually I recall her taking that class just out of curiosity.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Well we know from the film of Prisoner of Azkaban that they have at least a magical slide projector, so that's a starting point.

If we are given magical abilities, I'd make sure to get one of those penseive things to record what happens each day, so if I suspect I've been obliviated I can find out what happened.

I suspect the main part of my curriculum would be pointing out that muggles are very, very dangerous if they get annoyed with something. I mean, the most amazing magical feat we've seen in the books or films is, what, killing a bunch of people? shielding Hogwarts?

Now show them footage of spaceflight. Or a nuke.

[bilateralrope]

I'm going to assume that I'm loyal enough to Hogwarts that I won't be trying to break their secrecy.

I suspect the main part of my curriculum would be pointing out that muggles are very, very dangerous if they get annoyed with something. I mean, the most amazing magical feat we've seen in the books or films is, what, killing a bunch of people? shielding Hogwarts?

Now show them footage of spaceflight. Or a nuke.

How about a few lessons about guns ?
Including demonstrations with real guns.


Maybe try to get some teaching area set up far enough away from Hogwarts that electronics work so you show them computers and the internet.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Yeah. Basically anything to convince the next magical generation that muggles are most assuredly not defenceless or helpless because they don't have magic. We have science.

Hell, there was a (lengthy and semi-good) fanfic where Harry is raised by scientists rather than, well, not raised at all. There's a couple of bits where he points out some obvious game-breakers inth e magical world, like them apparently still using weights of precious metal as currency. He says that all you have to do is buy a ton of silver (for sickles) and wait until the real-world exchange rate for gold is cheaper than the standard "x sickles per galleon" and you can just keep making money.

[The Vortex Empire]

I dunno, teaching them that Muggles are powerful and not to be messed with would likely fuel the Pureblood movement in their politics, which is bad.

[Eternal_Freedom]

I would prefer to emphasise that treating muggles as subhuman is a dangerous game to play, since muggles are a) just as capable of violence, if not more so, than wizards and b) there's a lot more of them. They're can't be very many magical folk about, compared to the 7 billion muggles.

[Murazor]

I suspect the main part of my curriculum would be pointing out that muggles are very, very dangerous if they get annoyed with something. I mean, the most amazing magical feat we've seen in the books or films is, what, killing a bunch of people? shielding Hogwarts?

Now show them footage of spaceflight. Or a nuke.

The most amazing?

Well, creating a stone capable of creating gold and immortality serum was considered one of the greatest things ever.

In the other hand, teleportation is their equivalent of getting a driving license, memory editing is a semi-common police tool, something that is effectively invisibility is within reach of dimwits, as is conjuring animated fire that burns hot enough to vaporize water, breeding bizarre monsters is something that a not very bright gardener of limited means who didn't finish his education can do in his spare time...

In short, having the bigger boom means effectively nothing. The notion that wizardkind survives at the sufferance of the muggle governments is kind of totally wrong in a whole bunch of levels and, in any case, would be the wrong way to approach a teaching position.

I would prefer to emphasise that treating muggles as subhuman is a dangerous game to play, since muggles are a) just as capable of violence, if not more so, than wizards and b) there's a lot more of them. They're can't be very many magical folk about, compared to the 7 billion muggles.

Perhaps single digit millions worldwide.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Granted, I forgot about those. But I can't see wizards winning a war against muggles, no matter what the pureblood idiots claim. This is borne out by everyone who isn't on Voldemort's side trying to maintain secrecy, going tot he lengths of mass mind-raping to do it, because they are that scared of what muggles would do. Hell, even after Voldemort seizes control the Ministry of Magic, secrecy is maintained.

I think that if more young wizards and witches knew more about muggles, they would begin to understand their position.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well we know from the film of Prisoner of Azkaban that they have at least a magical slide projector, so that's a starting point.

If we are given magical abilities, I'd make sure to get one of those penseive things to record what happens each day, so if I suspect I've been obliviated I can find out what happened.

I suspect the main part of my curriculum would be pointing out that muggles are very, very dangerous if they get annoyed with something. I mean, the most amazing magical feat we've seen in the books or films is, what, killing a bunch of people? shielding Hogwarts?

Now show them footage of spaceflight. Or a nuke.

I don't think its wise to spread the idea that Muggles are more powerful than wizards. It may lead to jealousy and fear, and that can lead to hatred of Muggles. And the truth is probably that both sides are more advanced in some ways. I would teach that each world has its strengths and that they need to cooperate.

[The Romulan Republic]

Granted, I forgot about those. But I can't see wizards winning a war against muggles, no matter what the pureblood idiots claim. This is borne out by everyone who isn't on Voldemort's side trying to maintain secrecy, going tot he lengths of mass mind-raping to do it, because they are that scared of what muggles would do. Hell, even after Voldemort seizes control the Ministry of Magic, secrecy is maintained.

I think that if more young wizards and witches knew more about muggles, they would begin to understand their position.

You'd tell teenagers who can kill by waving a stick and saying a word that they're inferior.

Bad idea.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Perhaps, but you said it yourself, you need to show that muggles are equal to wizards (at least). Even the nicest pure=blood wizards (Ron, Neville, Arthur) have very little idea of the muggle world. Frankly, you need to teach wizards something fairly dramatic, because saying "muggles have their own version of the wizarding wireless, but there's are smaller" or "muggles use this weird thing called electricity to cook food" isn't going to cut it.

That last part, right there. Even someone with a great passion for muggles has only the most basic grasp of electricity, something that is basically the foundation of all current technology. There is such a gap of knowledge that baby steps won't be effective enough.

[The Romulan Republic]

So have dramatic stuff (but don't overwhelm people with too much at once), but focus on inspiring your students rather than terrifying them and making them feel inferior.

Space exploration is good for that.

I don't want students to learn "The Muggles are more powerful than us. Aren't they scary?" I want them to learn "The Muggle world is awesome but imperfect, just like ours. Imagine what we could do if we worked with these people?"

The most important thing, though, is to make the course mandatory rather than an elective. I'm not sure if that's something that would be determined by the Headmaster, the school governors, or the Ministry though.

[Eternal_Freedom]

You have managed to express my point far better than I did. Kudos sir.

[bilateralrope]

Can you honestly call the wizard's inferior ?

Their disadvantages regarding muggle technology all stem from a lack of knowledge on the wizards part. An ignorance that you're trying to correct.

We all seem to be assuming that we will be allowed to teach a course focused on what they need to know to go out into the muggle world. That might not be a politically viable course. Maybe those high up in the wizard community don't want students to be able to blend in if they decide to leave. Maybe the ignorance of muggle technology is intentional.

So the question is, what do those higher ups want us to teach ?

[Eternal_Freedom]

That's actually a very good point. After all, a wizard deciding to return to the muggle world might reveal the magical world to the muggles, something the Ministry of Magic goes to great lengths to prevent.

[The Romulan Republic]

The Ministry wants people to blend in so as not to reveal the existence of magic.

As for going back to the Muggles... well, they let wizards and witches marry Muggles and people didn't mind squibs going back as I recall.