Can Parents REFUSE to Send their Child to Hogwarts? - Harry Potter Theory

Harry Potter Theory

Tv & Film

4.7 • 701 Ratings

🗓️ 16 February 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

One thing that's always dawned on me is how shocking it must be for the parents of muggleborns to receive news of the magical world. And as if coming to terms with the existence of an entire magical world isn't difficult enough already, they're then expected to entrust the safety of their children to a bunch of complete strangers in a world that they not only have no understanding of, but have also just been introduced to.

Oh, and let's not forget the cherry on top: once your child leaves, you're expected to keep the whole thing a secret. Don't tell your friends, your neighbors, or anyone else�because the magical world doesn't exist as far as the rest of society is concerned.

Given how difficult it must be for the parents of muggle-born students to come to terms with this reality, I'd be willing to bet that there has been more than one instance of parents REFUSING (at least, initially) to send their child to the school. After all, what GOOD parent wouldn't worry about sending their child off to an unfamiliar, hidden world filled with unknown dangers and rules they don't understand?

I know my mum would take issue...At least, until she learns a bit more about it.

Therefore, today I want to discuss the topic of parents REFUSING to send their children to Hogwarts: unpacking whether it's possible to actually refuse, and if they do, taking a look at the what the future might hold for their magical child.

Let's dive in to it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	The following podcast contains audio extracted from videos on the Harry Potter Theory YouTube channel.
0:06.5	Attending Hogwarts School is a rite of passage for any young witch or wizard. But more than that,
0:12.5	it's a privilege, an extraordinary opportunity reserved only for those born with magical abilities.
0:19.3	For magical children coming from magical families, the process is
0:23.2	fairly straightforward. They receive a Hogwarts acceptance letter in the mail that informs them of
0:28.3	their acceptance to Hogwarts, along with a list of required textbooks, materials required for the
0:33.6	upcoming school year. And for Muggleborns, that is, magical children born to non-magical
0:39.0	families, Hogwarts dispatches a member of staff to travel to the home of said Muggleborn student
0:44.5	so that the letter can be properly introduced and explained. And it's during this time that the
0:50.3	staff member is given the behemoth task of explaining magic in the entire magical world
0:55.9	to a muggle who has no concept of either whatsoever. When the letter arrives at the home of a magical
1:02.3	family, it's hardly a surprise. For generations, attending Hogwarts has been a tradition. Parents, grandparents,
1:09.6	and even great-grandparents likely walked
1:12.1	the same castle halls. Therefore, these families are well acquainted with the process and have
1:17.6	likely been expecting letter sometime near their child's 11th birthday. And whether or not they'll
1:23.0	attend the school isn't even a question. It's simply assumed. For magical families, Hogwarts is more than just a
1:29.5	school. It's a legacy, a cornerstone of their culture and heritage. And the thought of rejecting
1:35.2	an acceptance letter to Hogwarts is almost unheard of. But one thing that's always dawned on me
1:40.9	is how shocking it must be for the parents of Muggleborns to receive news of the magical world.
1:46.6	And as if coming to terms with the existence of an entire magical world isn't difficult enough already,
1:52.0	they're then expected to entrust the safety of their children to a bunch of complete strangers
1:56.6	in a world that they not only have no understanding of, but have also just been introduced to.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Harry Potter Theory, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Harry Potter Theory and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.