Yeah I'm inclined to agree with you. I think it is possible to interpret Romilda's chocolate cauldrons as attempted sexual assault if you want to, but I never read it like that myself. What Mulciber did to Mary we don't know, and could have happened in Hogsmeade rather than Hogwarts.

 

Aye. Re: the Mulciber-Mary Macdonald incident: I always interpreted that as prank spells taken to the next level. Embarrassment -> Pain. Awful, but I never read rape or sexual assault into it.

I mean, honestly, there's nothing to go on to even suggest rape besides Igor Karkaroff claiming in trial that Mulciber was talented with the imperius curse - which occurred post 1981 and Mary Macdonald happened roughly in 1975

 

Actually that whole thing is making me feel conflicted now, because I have written about this incident in two of my stories and I definitely implied that it was sexual in nature in my writing. So that's how I used to headcanon it. Now, however, when thinking about how Lily describes it to Snape in the book, it strikes me as quite unlikely that it was sexual, because it feels like the wrong reaction/the wrong way of talking about it from Lily if that's what it was. More likely that it had to do with Mary being a muggleborn and invloving dark magic of some sort, which Lily accuses Snape and his friends of using. So I think you're right in your reading of it.

 

I mean, the closest the books ever come to acknowledging that sex is a thing is in goblet of fire when fleur and her date are making out in the garden during the ball. This despite the fact that an enormous castle with lots of empty rooms and coed teenagers means it's all but guaranteed at least a third of them are fucking like bunnies.

 

Oh absolutely, I mean if the boys in Gryffindor tower can invite the suitor of their choosing to share their beds, then they can even be comfortable about it My point earlier was I prefer to believe it's all consentual, (and I headcanon that there might even be some form of protective magic that prevents attempts to force things) since we don't have much of substance that suggests that sexual assault happens at Hogwarts or in the magical world in general. Actually I think we have no hint of men doing it to women unless we're counting Mulciber, which I agree we shouldn't.

 

To go back to the original question... I think it depends on whether you mean I as I currently am go wake up as an 11 year old and get the letter... or whether *when* I was 11 I get the letter.

There is a huge difference. As an adult of 30 plus years and all the habits and experiences... no I wouldnt leave the muggle world behind.

If I was 11 though? Its a lot easier to get swept up in a new culture. Especially if im submerged in it 10 months out of the year. Im still pretty young at that point and in the period where im adapting etc. If im spending most of my life no longer exposed to muggle items and ignoring that culture (and trying to fit in with my new magic culture? With my new magic friends? Talking about all magic topics?) I can see it pretty easy to imagine that at the end of it I wouldn't be fully comfortable in the muggle world anymore.

If I was giving a VERY rough real life analogy. I grew up and spent all my life until I was in my 20s in NYC. That allowed me to be comfortable and take for granted many aspects of city living and being in a big city. From small cultural things to big ones like what feels 'crowded' to me or navigating a subway. I had a childhood friend I stayed in touch with. He was also born in NYC. He left around 9 or 10 and moved to the middle of nowhere with his family. He is *NOT* comfortable with the big city and its obvious the few times he visited me later on. Sure he may have some roots or childhood memories/connections but I would *NOT* call him a city kid.

I imagine its similar being sucked into the magical world at 11.

 

All hail Dark Lord Xiph0.

 

I never said or implied that Mulciber, Snape and co sexually assaulted Mary, in my comment I clearly said that, in regards to the castle's supposed protection, somehow normal assault (ie Mary's case) and murder (Snape killing Dumbledore) slips by.