The Wizarding World exists in secret.
That much is made clear early on in the Harry Potter series, and the conflict that exists
between wizards and non-magic users, known as Muggles, is a constant focus throughout
all seven of the Harry Potter books, the eight film adaptations, and the ongoing Fantastic
Beasts film franchise.
However, despite how integral the rift between the magical and Muggle communities is in the
series, neither the books nor the movies go all that in depth into the history of the
conflict between the world's magical and non-magical citizens.
In fact, the Harry Potter series more or less leaves the details of the relationship between
the muggle and wizarding societies to the imagination.
The series refers to a handful of real-life historical events, like the Salem Witch Trials
and the first and second world wars, in passing from time to time, but it doesn't dive too
deeply into how the wizarding community eventually achieved the secret existence that it maintains
throughout both franchises.
One popular Harry Potter fan theory, however, offers up a game-changing explanation for
the relationship between the Muggle and wizarding communities.
One Reddit user believes that the reason wizards were forced into hiding is because they lost
a war with the Muggles hundreds of years prior to the events of the Harry Potter series.
This Redditor speculates that there may have been a war between wizards and Muggles at
some point during the Middle Ages, and the Muggles, somehow, emerged as the victors.
That defeat could, therefore, be what led the wizarding community to not only live in
secret, but also in legitimate fear of Muggles.
It may even explain why the Minister of Magic must keep the British Prime Minister up to
date on all matters within the Wizarding World.
That is to say that the Minister doesn't necessarily do it out of courtesy, but because it's been
a requirement ever since the Muggles scored their decisive victory over wizards centuries
prior.
It's a compelling theory, and one that totally redefines the perceived power balance between
the wizards and Muggles of the world.
It raised the possibility that Muggles may have been far more capable of taking on wizards
in the Middle Ages than most Harry Potter fans would likely assume.
"I was the only one to see her for what she was: A freak."
If this theory is true, it would certainly explain some elements of the oddly strained
relationship between Muggles and wizards.
Beyond that, it might also explain why wizards go to such extreme lengths to hide themselves
from their non-magical brethren.
Throughout the series, readers and audiences learn that wizards cast spells more or less
constantly to cover their tracks from Muggles, whether they're hiding entire castles — like
Hogwarts — or dressing in regular Muggle clothing at the Quidditch World Cup to look
less suspicious.
Even so, wizards take a lot of risks by stationing important buildings or vital passageways like
the pub that leads to Diagon Alley right in the middle of London — though they seem
to bank on the fact that Muggles just don't notice.
"Excuse me sir, can you tell me where I might find Platform 9 and three quarters?"
As the Knight Bus conductor Stan Shunpike tells Harry in Prisoner of Azkaban, Muggles
don't see the super-fast, shape-shifting bus moving at warp speeds throughout London because
they simply aren't paying attention.
There's another element of the wizarding world that could definitely explain the ongoing
animosity between Muggles and wizards: specifically, the belief by certain sects of wizards that
Muggleborn wizards are inferior.
Muggleborns — meaning witches and wizards born to non-magical parents who unexpectedly
show magical abilities — are equally as powerful as their pureblood brethren, as witches
like Lily Potter and Hermione Granger handily prove.
However, pureblood purists like Draco Malfoy often level slurs like "Mudblood" against
their Muggleborn and "half-blood" counterparts.
Don't worry — Hermione gets her revenge against Draco time and time again.
"Aww."
"Malfoy, you ok?"
This absurd prejudice could be related to a war in which Muggles bested wizards; perhaps
ancient wizarding families like the Malfoys are still bitter that their non-magical counterparts
somehow beat them in battle.
Obviously, none of this has ever been confirmed in the series, but it's always fun to wonder
if, at one point, Muggles scored a huge victory over a bunch of super-powerful witches.
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