Nuclear War and the Wizarding World

[princedice1]

Would the wizarding world be able to survive a global nuclear war and the nuclear fallout after.

[mountaingirl777]

interesting question. I really don't know. There are atleast two things that could possibly happen in my mind. 1) the magic overrides the nuclear fallout or 2) the nuclear fallout makes everyone non magical. I guess it depends on what stops the magic. could nuclear fallout be like a kryptonite to magic and if it is, would it be permanent or temporary? If it is temporary, can people live if magic is taken from them? We know about squibs, but we've never seen a magical person having their magic taken from them except for their wands. Is the magic keeping them alive or is it just an added thing to their makeup?

[jaffaninja]

Well, the radiation messes with genetics, right? And I think JKR has mentioned, several times, that magic has something to do with genetics (like when she said no magic would ever survive contact with Dursley genes). So... it would probably do something to it, maybe mutate their magic or something.

[teflonbilly]

Please don't use science to try and explain this, it just comes off ridiculously idiotic.

JKR has a marvelous grasp of the English language and a very well rounded classics education, but scientific knowledge and cellular genetics she does not.

Radiation is natural, therefore I don't see it directly effecting magic. It isn't some sort of anti-magic substance or rays.

I see Wizards and Witches being hardier and more able to handle radiation than muggles (they are already physically tougher, just look to how easily they shake off being blasted around by expeliarmace and other jinxes) and I could very easily see them coming up with an anti-radiation charm or wards to protect themselves from the fallout. It's whether they could provide for their own food supply (and with Gamp's Laws that is in doubt) on their own or would they still rely on muggle agricultural production.

TB

[Nahara46]

Ridiculously idiotic? I think the best way to go about it is scientifically... Honestly, to me, Magic is science, but I respect other opinions. It's not exactly polite of you to just shoot someone down like that.

I think that they would be equally susceptible to cancer from radiation, but they would have better cures and heal quicker. Overall though, I don't think it would do much to the wizarding world... well, at least in terms of their health and magical status.

[Kitty279]

Before you argue about how radiation influences genetics - would they even survive long enough that it became an issue? I doubt wizards are immune to normal bombs, and the purebloods especially wouldn't even know what that is or how to protect against them. Diagon Alley, for instance, is in the middle of London, if London got bombarded, they'd be likely to hit the magical parts as well. And I don't think the war would be fought only with nuclear weapons.

[jaffaninja]

I was more thinking about the fallout and radiation there, rather than them getting hit by the bomb.

[Kitty279]

Obviously
Would the purebloods even know what a nuclear bomb does, and could they protect themselves? For their historical education leaves something to be desired *cough*Binns*cough* and they don't want anything to do with the nonmagical world, so I wonder if they even know that nuclear weapons exist? Sure, the muggleborn and at least some halfbloods would know, but I could imagine them leaving in a hurry to protect themselves. Even if I'd be magical and a bit more robust than the average muggle, I'd not test on myself what such radiation would do to me.

Why do I get the feeling that the purebloods would end up as some sort of human guinea pigs?

[Chameleon]

It's a bit ironic that the purebloods would end up being human guinea pigs, since they often seem to treat Muggles that way, not that obvious way, but like non-magical people are totally strange species.. And then I talk about the Wizarding World in the general, not just the biggots.

But, oh dear. We just must hope for their sake that they figure something out... Before they die.

[teflonbilly]

There are a few things in JKR's world that I just take as being there purely for laughs and just are not that bad in the wider contexts of the world that JKR created.

Either within the magical world Pure-Bloods were vastly outnumbering muggle-borns and half-bloods and therefore were the overwhelming majority within the culture, or they used to be and for some reason there has been an extremely high up-tick in muggle-born/half-blood population.

Because if Pure-Bloods are far a minority as JKR implies within her world (through statements made by Sirius, Ron, and Dumbledore) there is ABSOLUTELY NO FUCKING WAY that Wizarding Britain could be so knuckle dragging ignorant about the muggle world. They just couldn't, there are too many muggle-borns or half-bloods for that level of complete and total cultural ignorance to exist, especially when there is ONLY ONE all magical community in the entirety of Britain (Hogsmeade.)

Which again, why I would not harp to much on wizards being that stupidly ignorant of muggle culture/history. Specific things like new technology (less than 30 years old) sure, you even see normal people in our world right now that are computer illiterate or have no idea how a TV actually works. But not know about the muggle aspect of major world conflicts (i.e.WWII) when their country was having the shit bombed out of it, to only focus on Grindelwald's minor and for the most part inconsequential role in WWII (if it wasn't small or inconsequential, then the Statute of Secrecy would have been blown wide open) makes no rational sense.

And I say rational, because the ability to use reasoning and deductive logic does have a use when trying to extrapolate magic and its interaction with the natural world. Mundane science or even strict scientific reasoning, however, is not necessarily a good or proper tool to rely on when trying to set the left and right limits on what magic can or cannot do.

TB

[Nahara46]

I think purebloods would know what it is, I mean, it's not that hard to find out. One trip to the library (Whether Hogwarts Library, or some other huge Wizarding library I'm sure exists) Woudl probably contain something on muggle weapons. In my opinion, things like radiation could be fended off by an enlarged bubble-head charm or shield. Maybe not direct bombing, but I'm not completely sure what kind of wards would be on Diagon Alley... It's not like extermist purebloods are the only ones capable of shielding the alley, plus the pureblood group seems to becoming more and more of a minority group.

[Kitty279]

My personal impression was that, no matter if they are still the majority in the British magical world or not, the purebloods hold all the important jobs and try to keep it that way by giving jobs preferably based on blood status, not abilities. Might be wrong, but which Ministry employee in a higher rank can you name that wasn't pureblood? The only one I can remember was Cresswell, and he wasn't exactly in a position the purebloods would desire (Head of the Goblin Liaison Office). So, even if the purebloods are in the minority, that still doesn't mean that the muggleborns have much of a say in anything.

The one instance where we see wizards really in muggle territory was the World Cup, and I didn't get the impression that any of them was willing or able to blend in, even if you disregard the excitement of the event. Add to that Binns' questionable teaching, and you have the reason why I wonder if the purebloods know much about our world to begin with. Yes, they should have realised WW II, but - why then don't they take the threat a bit more seriously, but still think they are better than Muggles? They might have the means to find out more, but would they do it, or even believe what they read? Can you see Malfoy believing that Muggles can invent something that would be dangerous for him, seeing as he regards them as some sort of animal not worth his time?

[Nahara46]

At the time of the HP books, I agree- Purebloods are the minority, and still the top dogs. However, after the books, I've always thought that blood would count for a lot less- I'm certain Harry would be promoting Muggles and Muggle-borns, and all the mindless people would follow him. Then there's Hermione, who I'm sure will go on to do pretty good things. (I don't recall what she does exactly...) So, i think that before HP, yes, the wizarding world wouldn't know what they are and not be able to handle it. But after...?

[Chameleon]

Yeah ... I'm not one of the persons who believes Harry and Hermione completely could change the 'world', or the Ministry. Harry would certainly not care about blood, and neither would Hermione, and they both got high positions in the Ministry. It may have changed to the better, but I don't know how much they could have managed. I think purebloods would still have some power no matter what.

[Kitty279]

It's likely that some things changed after the war - though way too many muggleborn were killed during Voldemort's reign - but we don't know enough details to judge. I was going by what we see during the years Harry went to Hogwarts, and the bit we know about the past. And that one doesn't show the purebloods in a good light. Even Arthur, who likes Muggles, has amazingly little knowledge about them and their world.

But I can see Harry trying to change things, yes. After defeating Voldemort, he probably had the political clout to push some things through. And Kingsley as a minister was much less stupid and biased.

[Nahara46]

And kingsley was also said to be a lot more apt when it comes to muggles. I don't they'd competely turn around the wizarding world, but it would improve and the officals, at least, would know how to deal with a nuclear problem. Especially once the muggle wars start.

[Kitty279]

Can't you see Kingsley having a department head meeting and Hermione giving them a veeerrryyyy long-winded 'summary' about WW II and newer muggle wars and modern muggle weaponry?

[Nahara46]

Oh, I could totally see that Kitty xD. Of course, a good deal of people would just be doodling and pretending to listen

[Kitty279]

They certainly have the practice to do it, thanks to Binns

[Chameleon]

I think they had practiced, but on the other hand from Harry's point, when he ever wrote about it, it often seemed pretty obvious that no one bothered to listen much except Hermione...

[Kitty279]

Well, it sounds as if it's nearly impossible to keep awake when Binns is droning on and on ... can't really blame the others. So, you have to admit they have plenty of practice not to listen to historical stuff

[Chameleon]

Oh yeah. Whereas Binns is oblivious that they don't listen, Hermione will probably notice it, if they don't make a effort, but they would probably manage it after five/seven years training in that.

[Kitty279]

LOL, true. With Binns they get away with blatantly not listening, with Hermione they will have to learn to do it much subtler, or they will never hear the end of it ;D

[Chameleon]

Yeah .. It's up to that point that I wonder if they could have skipped that class and Binns wouldn't be any wiser ... Unless that room has a magical spell that tells or writes up who's in class.

I don't know how England does the stuff, but my school always writes us up in every class. My former just did every day, instead of every class, but yeah.. It's probably because I'm in a school where I have it's compulsory attendance.

[Kitty279]

Me too , the twins would never attend if they got away with it.

When I was in school, every class had their own room, and save for special stuff like PE or chemistry, we stayed there. So the tables and seats were the number of students, and the teachers usually could see when there were gaps. Parents had to excuse their children when they got sick. Otherwise, it was noted that they were missing, but no excuse was made. These got into trouble for skipping class. But regular control by calling names or something like that was never done, though attendance was compulsory as well.

[Chameleon]

Oh yeah. The twins would skip all the time if it was possible.

Yeah. We just have a procent-number how much we're allowed to be off school. 10 %, I think. But that isn't skipping time. Just when we get sick and stuff like that. Otherwise we get a warning Third time : You're out.

Which means the teachers have to write up who're in class.

[Kitty279]

But what about students who are getting ill a lot? Some are more robust than others, after all.

[Chameleon]

Yeah ... No exceptions. Unfortunately. Three weeks of the year. But you can write why you aren't in school in the office, and it's often that thing that helps our Headmaster, since he's the one who decides the fate if the students have got their third warning.

But as far I've never heard of someone being thrown out for being sick way to much.

[Kitty279]

Sometimes it may be hard to tell if someone was really sick or just skipping class, but in the worst case, I guess a doctor's certificate that you were actually ill would help.

Here, for work (not school) you are allowed to stay away for three days sick, when it takes longer, you need the certificate. I could imagine something like that for your school, too.

[Chameleon]

Yeah ... They say they believe us in the beginning, when you say you're sick, but if it happens way to much. Well, one of the girls in the class hasn't been in school for three weeks.