Limitations of the statute of secrecy?

[babewithbrains]

So, for my latest Cotillion fic, Marlene is dating a Muggle and has been for a few years. They're in their twenties, and Marlene has been able to explain away going to Hogwarts as a scholarship from a private school to him, but now what I'm wondering is what the limitations were, if any, regarding telling your boyfriend/girlfriend about magic? Do you think there's some prerequisite time that you have to be with someone before you can tell them? Or do you think it might be marriage only?

The thing is, I know a lot of this will be speculation, as I don't think it was ever said exactly in the books but I am honestly unsure how the Ministry kept hold of the Statute of Secrecy considering how many wizards and witches married Muggles. So if anyone has any ideas or, possibly, in the chance I missed it in the books, a page reference/quotation about how wizards broke the truth to their Muggle spouses, I would really appreciate it

Soraya

[Draco7052]

In the books, it says that Dean's mum was a witch. She married a Muggle. It also says that he must of had a huge surprise once they were married. It implies that it was only after they were married that Mrs. Thomas learned that she was a witch and that magic existed. I don't know if it would be the norm to tell them after marriage though. I think it would make more sense to tell a Muggle about the wizarding world if you were engaged or planning to get married. Then it would not be such a huge shock. Plus, it might affect if they wanted to marry the person. These are just my thoughts. I can't think of any other references in the book that might help you, but I might have missed something.

[Nagini Riddle]

While the show Charmed is not Harry Potter, it certainly shows me that it is extremely difficult to explain away strange happenings and if someone is determined to figure out a secret, they will find a lot of stuff out.

So, I honestly think that the person would have to know before marriage- it isn't fair to keep that in the dark until you think, "hey, the person will accept this now!" Of course, in the Wizarding world, they have charms and potions to make people forget things.

It depends on the person. If they were half-blood themselves, they might have a better understanding of Muggle/Magical relationships. If they are Muggle-born, they would understand what it was like to find out about magic. If they are Pure-Blood, it might be harder for them to know how a Muggle would react, unless they/their family has friendships with Muggles who know about magic. So consider if your character would understand- and if she would be able to even tell him, or if she would be extremely scared to, never plucking up the courage to do so.

[Equinox Chick]

Soraya, I had a look on Pottermore because I remembered McGonagall's father was a Muggle.

Minerva McGonagall was born on the outskirts of Caithness in the Scottish Highlands, on 4 October,[1] 1935[2] to Robert McGonagall, a Muggle Presbyterian minister, and his wife, Isobel Ross, a witch. She was the couple's first child, and was named after her mother's grandmother, an immensely talented witch.[3]
Her birth proved both a joy and a crisis: Isobel had given up the use of her magic for her love of Robert, and never told him about her magical abilities as she was afraid to mar the bliss of their wedding. Minerva, however, displayed small but noticeable signs of magic from her earliest hours.

But more importantly this:

During these months Minerva, aged eighteen, met Dougal McGregor, a local Muggle, who was the handsome, clever and funny son of a local farmer. Minerva fell head-over-heels in love with McGregor. The two got to know each other, and eventually McGregor proposed to Minerva on a ploughed field and she accepted his offer. That night, she was unable to tell her parents of her engagement. Thinking about her future, Minerva realised that wedding a Muggle who was oblivious to the fact that she was a witch would mean she would follow her mother's footsteps and live unhappily with her wand locked away, shredding all of her ambitions. Early next morning, Minerva went to tell McGregor she had changed her mind, and could not marry him. Aware that if she broke the International Statute of Secrecy she would lose the job at the Ministry for which she was giving him up, she could give him no good reason for her change of heart. She left McGregor devastated and left for London three days later.[3]

Hope this helps. I think getting engaged probably gives you the right to break the Statute, but there are things that have to be sacrificed. Minerva would, of course, have done everything by the book. Someone like James or Sirius probably wouldn't have taken much heed of the statute and if they wanted to tell someone they would (cough-Dita-in-Juggling-cough). You need to decide if Marlene asks for dispensation to break the Statute, or else tries to keep it a secret.

~Carole~