======New York Harbor======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** Port, Point of Entry
  * **Location:** New York City, [[United States of America]]
  * **Owner/Residents:** Monitored by the [[Magical Congress of the United States of America]] ([[MACUSA]]) and the [[No-Maj]] government.
  * **Key Features:** Major international seaport with docks for passenger liners; features a parallel wizarding customs system hidden from [[No-Maj]]s.
=====Description and History=====
In the 1920s, New York Harbor was a major international gateway to the [[United States of America]], bustling with maritime traffic, including large passenger liners from Europe. Beneath the surface of this ordinary [[No-Maj]] activity, the harbor also served as a crucial entry point for the American wizarding community.
[[MACUSA]] maintained a discreet but firm presence at the port to monitor and process witches and wizards arriving from overseas. This included a magical customs checkpoint integrated with the standard [[No-Maj]] inspection area. Arriving magical individuals were required to declare any enchanted items or [[magical creatures]] in their possession. This security was particularly stringent in the mid-1920s due to the global threat posed by the Dark Wizard [[Gellert Grindelwald]] (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them).
=====Role in the Story=====
New York Harbor is the first location seen in [[Newt Scamander]]'s American journey in 1926 (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them). Upon disembarking from a passenger liner, [[Newt Scamander]] proceeds through customs. A faulty latch on his magical [[suitcase]], combined with the escape of his mischievous [[Niffler]], draws unwanted attention from officials.
While attempting to retrieve the [[Niffler]] from a bank, Newt accidentally swaps his [[suitcase]] with an identical one belonging to [[No-Maj]] cannery worker [[Jacob Kowalski]]. This single event at the harbor serves as the inciting incident for the entire plot, leading to the widespread escape of Newt's [[magical creatures]] across New York City and his subsequent involvement with both [[MACUSA]] and [[Jacob Kowalski]]. The harbor is therefore the critical starting point for the events that would eventually lead to a confrontation with [[Gellert Grindelwald]] on American soil.
=====Known Areas Within=====
  * **Passenger Docks:** The area where large ocean liners would dock to disembark passengers and cargo. [[Newt Scamander]] arrives here on a ship from [[Great Britain]].
  * **Customs Checkpoint:** A large hall where both [[No-Maj]] and wizarding travelers were processed. Newt's [[suitcase]] had a special switch to make it "//Muggle-Worthy//," hiding its magical contents from [[No-Maj]] customs officers but allowing it to be inspected by wizarding officials if necessary (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them).
=====Behind the Scenes=====
New York Harbor does not appear in the original seven *Harry Potter* novels. Its depiction and significance in the wizarding world are derived entirely from the film *[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]*. The film portrays the harbor as it would have appeared in December 1926, capturing the historical feel of the era for both the magical and non-magical worlds.