By: Michael Gonzalez
Harry Potter news is treated with great urgency here at ScreenPlayas. When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 premiered in 2011, we didn’t know how to move forward with the devastating realization that the Potter books and movies were over. Sure we could read the books once a month, host epic slumber parties with movie marathons and tequila shots, and request vacation time off work to revisit the theme park…but still. There was always a glimmer of hope in Pottermore, and over the years we’ve been learning more about the Potter universe and its characters. One of these new revelations is in the fact that 11 schools exist across the world. The books and movies mainly focus on students attending Hogwarts in the UK, while book four (The Goblet of Fire) introduces students from France and Northern Europe. The excerpt below from book three (The Prisoner of Azkaban) has stayed with me since I was a little kid because it piqued my interest in the history of magical cultures within the potterverse:
Because who wouldn’t enjoy a warm massage?
Although the excerpt refers to medieval Europe, it did get me thinking about the Salem Witch Trials and the role they would have played in the history of this universe. In the wake of the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Rowling is currently unveiling four short articles on the history of North American wizardry. A trailer for these articles was released yesterday and promises to cover the history of:
- Ilvermorny, the magical school in North America.
- Skinwalkers, a Navajo myth involving humans who transform into animals.
- The salem witch trials.
- The Magical Congress of the Unites States of America, which would be America’s version of The Ministry of Magic in the UK.
Image from the recent trailer on YouTube
The first article was released today (March 8,2016), titled Fourteenth Century – Seventeenth Century . The next three are to be released each day until March 11, 2016. The current article focuses on Native American history and is available here.
Image from the recent trailer on YouTube
Some of the topics covered today:
- The North American term for muggle (a non-magic human) is No-Maj.
- When the Europeans began to arrive on American shores, the magical communities in Europe and Africa were already communicating with the Native American communities.
- The legends of the skinwalkers, medicine men and hunters are addressed.
- The absence of a wand in Native American practices, as wands were created in Europe. They mastered the art of potion making, beyond European skill.
We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to learn more about what happens after the European settlers arrive, and hopefully about the witch trials. Until then, check out the trailer below.