«Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognising it.«—A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Non-magic people, commonly known as Muggles in Great Britain, No-Maj(e)s in the United States, among other names (see below), are people who are born to two non-magical parents and are incapable of performing magic. Muggles are not to be confused with Squibs, who also lack magic but are born to at least one magical parent.
Most Muggles have been unaware that magic and the wizarding worldexist since the establishment of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy in 1692, as wizards have organised their own society largely separate from the Muggle world. Exceptions include close relatives of wizards and witches and heads of government (such as the British Prime Minister).
Naming
Non-magic people are known by different denominations and nicknames across nations.
- In the British wizarding world, the term «Muggle» is widely used to refer to a non-magic person. Some may consider it derogatory, but it is in fact often used affectionately. Arthur Weasley, for example, who had a great fondness for Muggles and learning about them and their way of life, often used that term.
- «Mudblood» is a truly derogatory term referring to Muggle-borns and Muggles.
- In the United States, they are known by the clipping No-maj, whose plural may be both No-majs and No-majes.
- Other English-language terms from non-magic people include Can’t-Spells and Non-Wizards.
- In France, they are known as Non-Magiques, which is a simple translation of the term «non-magic».
The Muggle and wizarding worlds
Wizarding law
«Each wizarding governing body will be responsible for the concealment, care and control of all magical beasts, beings, and spirits dwelling within its territory’s borders. Should any such creature cause harm to, or draw the notice of, the Muggle community, that nation’s wizarding governing body will be subject to discipline by the International Confederation of Wizards.«—Clause 73 of International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy
Since the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was enacted in 1692, wizards and witches have hidden the existence of magic from Muggles.[ Thus, most Muggles are either afraid of magic or believe it to be nothing but a childish fantasy. Wizards and witches hide their world with Muggle-Repelling Charms, and if a Muggle witnesses a magical event or sees a magical creature such as a dragon, their memories are erased. Confundus Charms are also occasionally employed to encourage Muggles to ignore any magic they witness. Violations of the Statute of Secrecy are prosecuted by the Improper Use of Magic Office, and the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office tries to keep bewitched items away from Muggles.
The Muggle Liaison Office is a division of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes presumably responsible for wizard-Muggle relations.[ Given the lack of Muggle awareness of the wizarding world, in accordance with the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy of 1692, it can be presumed that the Muggle Liaison Office fulfils its duties in a very one-sided manner. Those who work in Muggle Relations presumably work with this office.
Wizards and witches thus organised their own society, known as the wizarding world, distinct from that of Muggles. There are some exclusively magical settlements, such as Hogsmeade, but also magical communities hidden within largely Muggle ones, such as in Ottery St Catchpole and even in London. Magical people also have a separate currency system and government. The Ministry of Magicmaintains relations with the Muggle Prime Minister, but they do not appear to be subordinate to the Muggle government.
Overlapping of worlds
«Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn’t married Muggles we’d’ve died out.«—Ron Weasley discussing blood purity
However, the Muggle and magical worlds are tied together in some ways. For instance, Muggles sometimes marry wizards or witches and thus become aware of the wizarding world, as occurred with Mr Finnigan when he married a witch. Muggles also occasionally produce a magical child. In Britain, these Muggle-born wizards and witches will often join the wizarding world when they are invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The Muggle parents will thus be informed of the existence of the wizarding world, and may even enter it on occasion, as Hermione Granger’s parents did when they accompanied their daughter and the Weasley family to Diagon Alley to shop for school supplies in 1992. It is unknown if Muggle parents are allowed to visit Hogwarts hospital wing or St Mungo’s when serious illness befalls their child. However Muggle parents are allowed to see wizarding pictures of the school, as Muggle-born Colin Creevey was known to take numerous pictures and sent them home to his father.
Some Muggles are aware of the magical world but, through choice, choose to ignore it, such as Vernon Dursley, who was aware his sister-in-law was a witch but otherwise remained intentionally ignorant of the wizarding world until he was forced to recognise it with the arrival of his nephew, Harry Potter.
In addition, there are secret connections maintained between the two societies at the governmental level; for example, the Minister for Magic occasionally consults with the Prime Minister of Great Britain on issues affecting both societies, and it is clear that the Prime Minister is aware of the wizarding world. Each Prime Minister, on the day they are appointed to office, gets a visit from the current Minister for Magic. The visit encompasses telling the Prime Minister of the existence of magic and that they will only ever need to meet when there is something going on in the wizarding world that might affect the Muggle world.
Attitude towards magic
«Wizards represent all that the true ‘Muggle’ most fears: They are plainly outcasts and comfortable with being so. Nothing is more unnerving to the truly conventional than the unashamed misfit!«—J. K. Rowling regarding how Muggles view wizards
Historically, Muggles tended to consider those who practised magic to be evil, leading to the burning of witches during the Middle Ages. In response, some wizards and witches managed to use Flame-Freezing Charms to render the fire harmless. Thus, most considered the Muggle efforts completely useless.[ Some innocent Muggles were being burned as witches, magical children born to Muggles were often persecuted when their magical abilities surfaced, and some Muggles tried to make magical people perform magic for their own ends.
Magical creatures left the Muggle world too, as many of them were extinguished, probably because of over-hunting and ecosystem destruction. In addition to Muggles being a threat to magical creatures it was also vise versa, with magical creatures being a threat to Muggles as well. Giants for example were responsible for some of the First Wizarding War‘s worst atrocities against the Muggle community. Also Muggles believe that dragons are a mere myth, but have been known on occasion to glimpse these beasts. To prevent dragons from being seen by Muggles the beasts are kept on dragon reserves around the world, most of which are far from human habitation.
In the modern world, few Muggles believe in magic. Some who are aware of the wizarding world are accepting of it, such as Hermione Granger‘s parents and Jacob Kowalski.[ Others, however, respond negatively. For instance, the Dursley family had a «very medieval» attitude towards magic. Petunia Dursley considered her sister Lily Potter a «freak» for her abilities, although this was originally prompted by envy of them. She would not have thought of her sister like this if she too had those powers.
Petunia, her husband, and son were suspicious of magic, thus they treated their wizard nephew Harry Potter badly and distrusted anyone associated with magic. They also tried to prevent him from learning of his magical heritage, without success. Ariana Dumbledore was attacked and severely traumatised by Muggle boys after they saw her use magic and she was unable to show them how to do it. Tom Marvolo Riddle also once suggested that his Muggle father abandoned Merope Gaunt, his pregnant wife because he discovered that she was a witch.[
It has been suggested by some wizards and witches that Muggles choose, on some level, not to believe in magic, since there are inevitably some occasions at which they are exposed to magic but seem to ignore it or attribute it to other causes.
Tea Break with Potter 
