If Witches and Wizards Saved the World (Again)

Apr 24, 2020

Posted by: Amanda Kirk

Books, Books - Release Dates, Contests, Exclusives, Props-Sets, Publishers
Leaky recently had the opportunity to interview (socially distanced, using Muggle technology) Monique Peterson, author of The Wand Collection, forthcoming in paperback from Insight Editions on May 12. You can read her insights into wand lore, learn about wand battle choreography, and consider how the concept of magic wands feeds our imagination and perceptions of our own capabilities here.
In the spirit of possibility inspired by magic wands, Leaky asked our readers to submit ideas for how you would use magic to help Muggles, in the current pandemic or in general, with the best entry to receive a copy of The Wand Collection, courtesy of Insight Editions. Assisting Muggles wouldn’t come without risks—remember this exchange between Harry and Hagrid on the way to Diagon Alley:

Harry: ‘But what does a Ministry of Magic do?’

Hagrid: ‘Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there’s still witches an’ wizards up an’ down the country.’

Harry: ‘Why?’

Hagrid: ‘Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone’d be wantin’ magical solutions to their problems. Nah, we’re best left alone.’

Would Hagrid still say that today? Would all witches and wizards agree that we should keep our magic to ourselves rather than helping when we could? It is easy to see a lot of ways that revealing the existence of magic and using it to aid humanity could backfire or create new problems, but are those risks enough to make us sit back in the face of global problems and keep our magic to ourselves? We wondered, so we asked you.  Here are some of the responses you sent us:

With the pandemic right now, of course I would help! I grow plants as a hobby, so I would be a Herbologist, growing the ingredients needed for potions and antidotes. My kids said they would curse everyone’s doorknobs so when people touch them to leave their houses they forget why they were leaving and stay instead LOL. Laura W.
———-
I would summon the spirit of La Llorona, the eerie weeping woman of Spanish lore, with my Elder Wand and command her to encapsulate all the virus particles in her salty tears and vanish to drown in the Styx with them. Yusuf N.
———-
I would cast a spell that would create a “bubble of hope” around an individual. When cast simultaneously by multiple witches and wizards, this bubble would grow in size and conceivably effect a global population.  Rosie B.
———-
We’re experiencing a terrible moment, all around the world. It’s really sad because we’re fighting another war, but it’s something that makes me quite proud too because, for the first time ever, the world is united against a common enemy.As Dumbledore would say, “while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one”. I’m extremely proud of our incredible doctors and nurses, they’re our true soldiers. I often feel useless, locked at home while so many people are risking their own life.If I were a Healer, I surely would do what I can to help Muggles. We all should do all we can to help. “Caring deeply will ways be the right thing.”
Yes, magic should be protected from human greed: we have learnt the lesson, looking at what happened to our beautiful planet. But wizards are clever enough to use their powers without being uncovered. Like the young Merlin in the BBC drama (love it!), I’d use my powers hiding from Muggles, providing stronger masks, preventing the infection for those who’re exposed the most, and blocking the spread of the virus as I can, with magical shields. Oh, some Strength Potion would help too! As for the ill people, I’d love to heal all of them. Each one could be our mom, dad, gran. We should pay more attention to our choices, because one wrong step could lead a weaker person to a terrible destiny.Magic or not, we know we are called to do all we can to help. I’m in quarantine since 12 March; I’ll stay at home forever if it is necessary. All I want to know is there’s no more pain, no more deaths. While we’re at home, let’s do something we’ve started to forget: stay close to our family, to those we love. We need love above everything, expecially in these hard times. Discover again some real magic like books and imagination.
We’re so used to run against Time that we do forget Time is something we have chosen as our guide. Time is an instrument for Life, not vice versa. We should not waste our life, instead of trying to not waste time. We are always late, we have no time… Let our Life be the sand in our hourglass, don’t waste it, not a single grain.I do wish you all a safe and healthy life, full of wonder and happiness.
Stay safe, now and ever.
Hugs from Rome, Italy

Miriam
———-

If I had a wand I would solve plastic issues. Just imagine, you have a wand and instead of storing up land fills you could vanish your trash! Viyana K.
———-
I would use my magic powers to do something to help with the COVID-19 crisis – develop a vaccine, find more supplies for medical personnel – there are so many things that could be done with a little magic! Carol E.
———-
I would definitely use my wand to help or save Muggles in a crisis. I would do this by using one of the many spells that I had studied hard to learn. If the Dementors were trying to give them the Dementors’ Kiss I would save them by doing Expecto Patronum and all of the other awesome spells too. After I saved them I wouldn’t ask for anything in return, not even a thanks for saving their life. Lily R.
———-
I would help Muggles if I had magical powers. However, it would be only to benefit the human race as a necessity and not for luxury. If somebody were in danger and I could save them, then of course I would use my magic in a heartbeat. Jim H.
———-
I am using the magic of the Harry Potter world to help teach my Muggle students in Kentucky. We are even starting a virtual HP Book Study! Katelyn C.
———-
If I were a Healer who had magical powers, I would no doubt help humanity, BUT only with things that make sense. I believe that magic is a big responsibility and can easily be used for wrong doings that could cause chaos. What I mean is if there were a Muggle who had an insecurity and asked me to use my magic to remove that insecurity, I would deny it. I would do my best to communicate with them and try to show them that we can overcome our insecurities and other problems we face together. We have the power of choice, to choose what and how we do things. We all have magic inside of us that makes us strong when it comes to any problem we encounter. We see who we become by the choices we make. As Dumbledore once said, “It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” I believe that if we all had the ability to just easily remove problems, we’re just pushing it to the side. We aren’t facing that problem and solving it. Magic can help out in certain situations but you hold the REAL power within you, the purest magic there is lies inside of you. I would help everyone with my magic but also with my knowledge. I would love to help out with other problems such as illnesses and also finding a cure for any disease physically / mentally in order to help save lives. I want to help everyone realize we are strong together and, if we are ever in solitude, to never forget we still remain strong. Our magic never dies. Chris S.
———-
I’ve been thinking a lot about using magic to assist Muggles in this time. In general, magic would have such a huge impact on humanity in the world of medicine. Imagine with the flick of a wand being able to rid humanity of chronic diseases. For example; Cancer, Type 1 Diabetes, etc.
In the Wizarding World, we see that growing bones is an easy task thanks to Skele-Gro, so why wouldn’t magic be able to cure a disease like this?
I have had Type 1 Diabetes since I was 22 months old, and have dreamed about the day a cure would be available. Thinking about the possibility that magic would be able to cure this, bringing a new lifestyle for many sick people in the Muggle world, brings me so much joy! This would be such a wonderful thing and would only bring good things to the muggle world.
I believe that if I could use magic in any way to help humanity, I would want to cure people with chronic illnesses so they could live a long and healthy life. Alamea Z.
———-
The entire concept of magic feels absolutely real to me. If we had access to magic, millions could’ve been saved. Today the world is facing an all destroying viral attack, which could’ve been prevented with magic. Here is what magic could do:
1) A time turner would enable us to go back and prevent the spread of this virus. The origins can be traced and destroyed.
2) I would certainly be a Healer in the Wizarding World, because I think this field can do wonders. I would join a Muggle hospital, and heal everyone with my magical skills, and would use Legilimency in extreme cases to control the panic button in them.
3) As we’ve seen in Fantastic Beasts, I will form a magic cloud of healing potions that covers the entire earth, so we can treat all beings at once.
4) Easy to use Floo Powder to travel from places without getting any outerworld contacts.
5) Virtual learning will be more effective. Owls delivering school stuff, and Howlers to keep all kids calm.
6) We can destroy this virus forever and use Legilimency so that humanity doesn’t live in its ghost of a past. I know the possibilities are endless, but my quick thoughts are these. I wish this all happened. Megha S.
———-
Even as I type this, I 100% recognize I sound like the Crying Girl in Mean Girls, but I would probably cast a spell for communication and understanding. People are VERY stressed out due to the current pandemic (and other reasons), and for so many people stress heightens a lot of negative emotions. I think if people could listen to each other, and understand each other’s perspectives a little more, we could be more productive and compassionate, and hopefully dial down some of the friction and anger. I would also probably use magic to bake a ton of cookies to eat and deliver contact-free (because I’m a Hufflepuff). Candice B.
———-
I am a Muggle healer, but, if I were to find out I was a witch, I would definitely be using my wand to help in this crises. Besides the obvious to mix up a potion for both a cure and vaccine, we’d have to address multiple needs while we waited on the mandrakes to mature. First I’d cast a few patroni to ward off the Dementors at all the hospitals to comfort the patients and staff. Then I’d use some more basic spells to charm enough toilet paper and food to ease everyone’s mind. Next I’d use it for a few more charms like toys for kids (and animals) to play with. Now, I’m not into dark magic so I wouldn’t be using it for any hexes on politicians (despite the call for it). Instead I’d perform the Riddikulus spell on the many Bogarts causing fear and turmoil all over the earth. Then maybe just one Petrificus Totalis on one individual who must not be named. Finally I’d cast a Protego spell over the Fantastic Beasts movie set so it could get underway without a threat of danger. I’m sure the world would be endless once I got my wand. Jennifer D.
———-
First, I would gather kids on the streets to a small tent that would be the size of a house inside and make them say “I love magic”, and I will show them how beautiful and magnificent life can really be. “Expecto Patronum” will be the first spell I will show them, and I will tell them that there will always be someone that will be with them to guide and lead the way when it’s dark (and also send the Dementors away LOL). Second, I will arrange long tables, and make them the best meal ever, then turn the roof into a sky full of stars. Then, I will show them a bunch of spells like “Wingardium Leviosa” and “Accio —“. Then, end the night with Fred and George’s fireworks exploding up in the sky as colorful as it can be. I will also tell them what happened in the Battle of Hogwarts as a bedtime story (hopefully, they won’t have nightmares about Lord Voldemort). Then, as the night passes into day, I will send them home by calling and renting out the Knight Bus. And I’ll tell them this before they go home and hopefully it sticks with them as they grow up: “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Lei P.
———-
In these unfortunate times, the Muggles are the worst hit but magic has the power to deal with any situation. Just as the Ministry says, “Magic is Might”. In order to protect the Muggles, I would have asked Dumbledore to send all the worthy people to the place where Muggles live and secure the place with protective charms. I would have gifted the bag of Hermione to as many needy people as possible in order to help them, and told them not to worry because just as Dumbledore said, “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”. Anjali S.
———-
I imagine a world where the spell “Maskapero” exists and that each sorcerer can invoke it. A mask factory would operate continuously; the House Elves would apply the task while we wizards focus on the potion that will make this virus disappear. At the same time, the Muggle world will be discreetly helped by transforming an old bag of used clothing into a pile of brand new protective gloves. “Moral lift” spells will be cast to the nursing staff so that they continue to do their job so courageously. Sorcerers and Muggles would ally themselves up to the high office in order to come together to get out of this health and economic crisis. Claire L.
———-
I currently work in a hospital and I wouldn’t change that, but, if I were a witch I would have studied healing magic. This would enable me to brew healing potions and heal those affected by this virus with magic. I would also use protection charms on my fellow Muggle frontline workers. Hayley F.

Thank you to everyone for your entries. We will choose a winner and notify him or her soon.





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.