Kerry raised her hand “I think if muggles knew about the wizarding world in today’s day and age, it would simply freak them out.” Kerry said.

“I can just imagine muggles who see wizards perform magic… I mean can you imagine how intimidating that must be? And if you think about it… the muggles would have every right to feel this way. Our magic has gotten more powerful over the years, and while not all of us use it in harmful ways,-in fact many of us don’t,… many of us are very careful with our magic..… the fact is there is always one bad apple to spoil the bunch.. You know?

I know if I were a muggle I would be intimdated by magic. Can you imagine knowing people have the power to kill instantly with just one spell, or spells to torture, affect or erase memory, disappear at will or make things appear out of thin air? We are capable of powerful stuff that muggles can‘t even fathom. I know some people think that we’re just protecting ourselves from the reactions of muggles who don’t understand magic and that’s why the secrecy laws were created… but I think in actuality, the laws were created to protect the muggles from the threat of what could happen in a magical world. So as sad that it is that we can never truly co-exist, I guess I can understand the need for such a law to protect all sides of the issue.

Qaz raised her hand said, ‘I believe if the Muggles knew about the Wizarding world, it could lead to more inter-marriage. It could lead to the point where the majority of families have both magical and non-magical children. With the ability to have magical children of their own, I think Muggles would be much more accepting of Magic’

Lauren sat, listening to her classmates' responses. She truly didn't know - should Muggles be privvy to the workings of their world? Would that be best for the world? Would that promote relations between the two worlds, maybe patching that void that had separated them for so long? Or would it make it worse - would Muggles believe the world existed? Would they scorn those of magical birth? Would she feel like an outsider in her Muggle community? She really didn't know. But she needed to gain more points for Slytherin - they were in last place now, after that dreadful Quidditch match loss - so she raised her hand.

"My personal opinion aside - mostly because I'm not sure I have a strong, solid opinion that I'd want to stand by right now," she shrugged, "to answer your question about the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy: the ISWS would be destroyed by educating the Muggle world about magic. As you said, the law established the requirement to keep all objects and functions of the wizarding world within the circle of wizards. If the Muggle population as a whole - including those who do not have magical children or relatives - knew about our world in any way, they would need to know more details about it to believe in its existence. Therefore, a score of amendments to the Statute and many other laws would need to be created to manage just what Muggles know about the world and what, if anything, they don't ... the ISWS would be useless otherwise." She thought a bit, then continued carefully. "I wonder, though, if the wizarding population would loosen up if Muggles were to know about our world. Now, it seems as if wizards are guarded about their abilities because they feel they have to be, and those wizards that feel superior have been led to feel that way because the line between Muggles and wizards has been drawn for us. If Muggles knew and accepted us - IF they accepted us, I don't know if they would - perhaps it would bring us back to the same level, back to being equals."

"Ok, so it seems like most of us are floating somewhere around 'knowing a little bit more than they currently do'... which I agree with. The problem, of course, with this, is as Cait, Excelsor, Kerry and Lauren touched on, where to we draw that line? Should they just know we exist? Should they know what we can and can't do? At what point is some knowledge too much? But as the rest of you seemed to point out, isn't it only fair that they know? And who's to say that they won't accept and move on?

Erin put her hand up for the first time in this class. She thought she'd at least give her opinion.

"Despite what you said, I still think that no, it isn't necessary for muggles to know of our existance. I don't think jealousy would be nearly as problematic as them wanting our help for things would be. I just think muggles would want witches or wizards to help them with all of their little problems." Erin gave a little shrug. "I think we're much better off this way.

"Also, you mentioned muggles with magical children being completely accepting of their child's powers. But I personally think it could be different for a muggle with no magical relations. We must ask ourselves: would an adult muggle be as accepting of young witches or wizards if they weren't personally related to one?" Erin smiled slightly. She thought she had a fair point.

Ariana replied, rasing hre habd "I think they should know some of our medicinal purposes, along with how we deal with situations. I'm sure the Muggle governemtn would hate the thought of Dementors running around their prisions. I mean, they hve the right to know some medical stuff if it means saving more lives. And I gues they could learn something abotu our government, since it seems to be better than theirs at the moment." she trailed off, not saying anymore. She fel bad enough about giving her opinion, it always got her into trouble.

Esmeralda raised her hand again an said "Even though muggles should be able to know of our existence, I don't think they should know everything about us. I think muggles should just know the basics of our beings. Besides, I doubt they will be able to understand. Our world is pretty confusing and I don't even understand a lot of the things. True, I'm still a student but what I am saying is that even a lot of the wizards and witches don't understand exactly of our world, try explaining it to the muggles."

Torie pondered this statement, her fountain pen tapping gently against her teeth as she thought.

"I'm not sure if that was meant to be rhetorical or not, Professor, but I think the answer should be that they should know of us, know that we can do magic, but perhaps maybe not know just how much we can actually do? My parents know I study magic, they know I can do many things they can't, but if they knew how much I was really capable of, they might become frightened."

Excelsior furrowed his brow and thought deeply. Finally, he answered. "I think it would really blow their minds if they knew the whole truth about us. I'm not sure how that would go over. They would be jealous of us but more than that, they would be scared. After a while, they would probably want us to do a bunch of stuff for them. If they did know about us, I don't think they should know the whole story, it would just be too much for them to deal with. But then there might be more intermingling with the wizards and the muggles, and that might actually help to ensure that the wizarding world continues, even though no doubt a lot of kids wouldn't be magical it's a sure bet that some would be." Excelsior couldn't believe what he was saying. His family had always stressed a line of keeping the wizarding blood pure, but he could actually see some sense to this line of thinking. It was surprising where the discussion was leading.

When frowned slightly. Personally related... It didn't really seem to make a difference for her. Muggles shouldn't know anything. Well, except for very very special cases. But her parents certainly shouldn't know anything. Ugh. She scribbled down Erin's point anyway, sticking her own opinion in with it.

Kerry raised her hand again, "I think the key to knowledge is education." Kerry blushed. "I know..it sounds cheesy. But what I mean is that if we were to reveal our world we'd need to thoroughly educate the muggles about magic. Otherwise it would create utter chaos in the muggle world, because people fear what they don't understand. And if we just suddenly reveal ourselves one day, the muggles will not know what hit them and this could be trouble. I do think we could live safely together one day, but it would require a whole lot of trust and understanding by both worlds."

Qaz spoke again, 'On the down side, what would happen to the world if some lunatic Muggle Dictator teamed up with a Dark Wizard....imagine the devastation.'

Lauren's hand was in the air once more. "The point you made is exactly what I was talking about - committees would have to be convened to decide exactly what would be told. I mean, coming up to Muggles and saying, "Hey, guess what, there's this whole world of wizards and magic and spells that you don't know about. But now you do!" wouldn't be very convincing: they'd think you were nuts and, if they DID believe you, they'd surely want more. But divulging every single detail about our world wouldn't be beneficial, would it? There would have to be a line, but I don't think dividing our world into "Muggle-knowns" and "Muggle secrets" would make sense. It wouldn't be fair to Muggles, to know only parts, and it wouldn't be good for us either, as you would never be sure if what you were about to tell would be allowed or not."

Professor Light smiled and clapped her hands together... "There! Now you are thinking. You have touched on, without me having to sit here and lecture you, I hope you liked that method more... all the problems with them knowing even a little, and all the lost benefits of them not knowing! Intimidation, acceptance, wants, world chaos, greater magical blood, the idea in general of just how much should they know."

Professor Light paused for a second and looked out the window. The secret she had habored for so long, should she really spill it now?

Yes you should.

"Alright, to close our lesson today, I have a story to make you guys think about our third discussion question. And I haven't forgotten what I said about the points for well thought out participation, they'll be included at an end of the lesson post." Professor Light paused once more.

"You guys can put away your notebooks, I just want you to listen."

Kerry sat up intently, this lesson was taking an interesting turn and she was more curious now than ever to see where it was going. She took the last of her notes and placed them aside and just listened for what was about to be told.

Rapunzel closed her notebook and filed it away in her bag. Then she tucked her favorite pen behind her right ear and leaned forward on her desk to listen to the Professor better. Ooooh, a story. She did love stories.....

Lauren's brow wrinkled with a bit of confusion, but she followed Professor Light's instructions: she folded her parchment carefully but quickly and stashed it, along with her bewitched quill, back into her bag. Her desk now cleared, she scooted her chair across the floor, making a loud scratching sound that made her grimace slightly with embarassment, so that she was closer to the desk. Lauren propped her elbows on the wooden desk and rested her head on her hands, head titled slightly so that her loose pieces of hair swung to the side, waiting for the story to begin.

"This is a true story. Now, there was a young girl who was Muggleborn. Her parents knew, of course, nothing of the wizarding world. When she got her letter, her parents actually threw it away as junk mail until a professor from Hogwarts actually came and explained it to her parents. Her parents were confused, of course, but accepted the fact and allowed the girl to go off to Hogwarts, on one condition... she keep doing Muggle school as well. They refused to let her just get an education in one thing... she had to know what, in their opinions, "the real school" was teaching, not just the magic one.

The girl went through all her years at Hogwarts, becoming prefect and evetually graduating with 4 NEWTs, one, of course, in Muggle Studies. Upon return home her parents congratulated her. She eventually got hired at the department of Mysteries, and then came to work at Hogwarts. They did not, however, understand why the girl wouldn't come home and get a REAL job. She questioned her about it all the time, writing letters after letters asking why she was never home, why she didn't, with her excellent Muggle school grades, go to help the world. A lot of tension grew between the girl and her parents.

Until, finally, one day, when the girl was home, everything fell apart. The girl had a brother, a young man who was at the time around 19. The girl left to take a walk with her brother, and she noticed a small child run out into the street. A car came around the bend from nowhere, and was headed straight toward the little child, going way over the speed limit. There were lots of people around, but her brother ran out into the street and managed to push the child away, while the girl stood on the sidewalk hand clentched around her wand spending those precious seconds debating whether or not to use a stopping spell... wondering whether that big of a break of the law to save the childs would be worth something. Wondering whether it would kill the driver of the car to stop it that fast with magic...

And then... CRASH. It was over, her brother was rushed to the hospital, and ended up being paralyzed from the waist down. And her parents, who had already been tense with her, learned of the situation and rounded on her. They demanded answers... why hadn't she stopped that car... why hadn't she used her magic to do something... why couldn't she now, save her brother's legs... The screaming match that ensued brought out years worth of pent up anger from both sides. And now... her parents don't assiociate with her anymore." Professor Light ended with that, waiting to see if the class had any sort of reaction.

Whende could feel her lower lip start to tremble as the story went on. She could see where it was going, and it was an awful thought. She didn't want to end up like that. But it looked like it was already happening. She couldn't listen anymore. Biting her lip to prevent herself from crying out, she burried her head under her arms.

Rapunzel gasped, then threw her hand across her mouth. "That's terrible....I mean, that's really, really sad," she mumbled to herself, thinking of her own Muggle family. Her large green eyes were glowing and she suddenly felt homesick....

Kerry sat in silence....not knowing what to say, just taking in the story and processing the events that were just presented to her. She sat wondering what she would have done and the consequences of those actions. No matter how she pondered it...it was not an easy decision.

Kerry wondered aloud for a moment, "Professor...did that girl ever regret her decision?"

"Now, with that in mind..." Professor Light began, ignoring all questions and thoughts from the students. "I'm going to give you your homework. In that story, however horrible, is some really interesting light on the danger of our current rift. The danger of having a law that can hurt people by having it and hurt people by not having it. If there was no difference, if there was no law, would that girl have taken the risk and used magic in front of all of those Muggles to possibly save one life? If there was no law, her brother most certainly would be able to get the potions nessecary to fix his legs."

"And think about it the other way... if magic was present, could the senario have even happened? Notice, the parents didn't want to know more about magic... they just wanted to help their son... should they really be denied any help possible just because of the ISWS?"

Professor Light went and stood at the very back of the classroom. "Those questions are leading up to your homework assignment, of course, but here's the last thought I want to give you... is it the law itself that helps keep Muggles and Wizards apart... or maybe, just maybe, do Muggles and Wizards keep themselves apart, and on those occurances that it would be more beneficial to be working together, do they blame the law? Is there just a chance that everyone in this room is at least a little happy that they can do something millions of other people can't? But also... isn't there the same chance in this room that everyone wishes, somewhat, to help others? And wouldn't the best way to help the Muggles be by sharing our gifts?"

"Those are all rehtorical, of course, but this next question isn't... because it's your homework." Professor Light laughed and went up to the board and began to write...

Lauren listened as Professor Light finished her story, her chocolate brown eyes wide with interest, a slight ache of sadness tugging at her insides. She felt her head involuntarily shaking back and forth discreetly in a sympathetic sorrow. She thought she felt torn between both worlds - it must have been awful for this girl to have not even her family on her side, not even her family to understand both the restrictions and the attraction of the wizarding world. For a moment - just one moment - she thought about the fact that Professor Light really knew the story well ... almost as if she were there ... and she wondered if, maybe, ... and then it passed. Now that the story was over and her classmates were stirring with movement, Lauren shook herself out of the story and wiped at one of her eyes, feigning an itch on her cheekbone and continuing to brush back a lock of hair.

Composed once more, Lauren reached back into her bag for her quill. She tore a bit of parchment from a sheet she hadn't used and pulled that out as well, poising herself to copy down the homework assignment.

Qaz was about to cry. She, too, had a Muggle brother. What would she have done.

"By the way, in case you were wondering... the situation was later deemed an "unnessecary use of magic" and had that girl acted, not only would 100's of Muggle minds have had to be altered, which is very dangerous, the girl would have had her wand taken away, because it was not her own life that was being threatened, but that of a Muggle. Although her brother, most likely, would still be able to finish that walk with her. "

Oh dear.. I think I've scared my students... but that is a true story. And I want them to be prepared to have to deal with those types of situations in the future, and be ready to make their own decisions, as I had to. It's a real occurance... possibly save someone's life, and have your wand taken away because the situation wasn't

3. (HOMEWORK- possible 15pts)2 paragraphs. Paragraph 1- Rewrite the International Statue of Wizarding Secrecy. You may be as inclusive or exclusive as you want. You can have free reign of wizards over Muggles, or you can have us all sitting around the campfire singing Kum-By-Yah (ooc.. I have no idea how to spell that, lol). Then in the next paragraph, explain why you wrote it as such.
(CLASS PARTICIPATION- possible 10 points) *In class only oppertunity*

"I hope you found this lesson to be really enlightening. If anyone ever wants to talk about their own issues with Muggle/Wizarding world issues, come by my office. Oh, and Kerry, I believe you asked ...did that girl ever regret her decision?" Professor Light paused and looked straight at the class, responding, "Yes, I would think so... But mostly she regrets the situation ever had to occur like it did... and wonders if, maybe, just maybe, someone in this classroom will be the one to find a way fix this 'small' problem with our coexistance. Find a way to make things better than they are now.

Class dismissed." she said quietly, with a sad smile, and walked back to the door to wave goodbye to her students.