The Practice of Witchcraft

• Nature: Witchcraft is the term used to describe the practice of magic by a female magical human, known as a witch. It is an innate ability, believed to be carried by a dominant gene, which allows for the manipulation of reality in ways not understood by non-magical people (Muggles). The male equivalent is wizardry, practiced by a wizard.
• Manifestation: The ability typically first manifests as accidental, uncontrolled bursts of magic during childhood, often in moments of strong emotion like fear or anger.
• Tools: While magic is an internal power, most witches require a wand to channel and control their magical abilities effectively. A wand serves as a focus, making spells more precise and powerful. Highly skilled witches can perform wandless magic.
• Effect: The effects of witchcraft are vast and varied, covering all known branches of magic. These include, but are not limited to: creating light and fire, levitating objects (Levitation Charm), transforming objects and living things (Transfiguration), brewing magical concoctions (Potions), defending against magical threats (Defence Against the Dark Arts), and healing magical maladies.
• Type: An inherent, genetic ability. It is not something that can be learned by a person born without it, such as a Squib or a Muggle.

Witchcraft, along with wizardry, has been practiced for centuries. In the medieval era, relations between the magical and Muggle communities were strained, leading to persecution. Muggles, fearing what they did not understand, conducted witch hunts. However, these were largely ineffective against genuine witches, who could use simple Charms to escape harm. Wendelin the Weird, for instance, enjoyed being burned at the stake so much that she allowed herself to be caught forty-seven times using a Flame-Freezing Charm. This era of persecution was a key factor in the establishment of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1689. This global law was enacted to hide the existence of the wizarding world from Muggles to ensure the safety and survival of magical-kind. Since then, the practice of witchcraft has been largely concealed, with Ministries of Magic in each country, such as the British Ministry of Magic, responsible for enforcing secrecy and governing the magical community. Within the wizarding world, “witchcraft” is a neutral, descriptive term, in contrast to the often negative connotations it holds in Muggle culture.

The raw magical talent of a young witch must be trained and controlled to be used effectively and safely. Formal education is the primary method for this development.

• Early Signs: Uncontrolled magic in youth is the first sign of a magical child. Lily Evans demonstrated this by making a flower open and close in her hand, while a young Hermione Granger proved her abilities by performing small but impressive spells before even attending Hogwarts.
• Formal Education: Most young witches in Great Britain attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the age of eleven. The school's very name codifies “witchcraft” and “wizardry” as the core subjects of study. The curriculum includes core subjects like Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, and Herbology.
• Legal Regulation: The use of witchcraft is regulated by the Ministry of Magic. The Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery of 1875 forbids young witches and wizards from using magic outside of school. The Ministry also monitors for illegal or dangerous uses of magic, such as the practice of the Dark Arts or the use of the Unforgivable Curses.

The term “witchcraft” is a compound of two Old English words.

• Witch: Derives from the Old English wicce (female) and wicca (male), referring to practitioners of sorcery.
• Craft: Derives from the Old English cræft, meaning “power, physical strength, might,” and later “skill, art, or trade.”

Thus, “witchcraft” literally means the art or skill of a witch.

• J.K. Rowling built her magical world on the foundations of real-world folklore and mythology surrounding witchcraft, but created a systematic and logical framework for how magic works, making it feel like a natural science within her universe.
• The full name of Hogwarts, “Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry”, immediately establishes the gendered terms for magical practitioners as the norm within the series.
• In an interview, J.K. Rowling explained that the ability to perform magic is genetic, clarifying why it is an innate trait that cannot be acquired by Muggles. (J.K. Rowling interview)
• The history of the relationship between the North American magical community and the No-Maj (the American-English term for Muggle) population, particularly in relation to the Salem Witch Trials, is explored in greater detail on the Pottermore website, highlighting the severe consequences of being discovered. (Pottermore)