The Cunning-Man and the Hopping Pot

[sunnyskywalker]

Even before the Statute of Secrecy, there was pressure from both the magical and Muggle worlds against being publicly known as a witch or wizard. However, lots of magical families probably made their livings by performing minor magics for their neighbors. They couldn’t all be re-trained at once even if the wizarding world could immediately create jobs for them. Which they couldn’t. Restructuring the economy to the point where fully separating from the Muggle world was remotely possible must have taken time. How were village practitioners to support themselves until then?

Well, probably many of them called themselves cunning-folk rather than witches. Cunning-folk were often considered different from witches, and in fact one of their main services was providing protection against witchcraft. They also helped find lost things, magically discovered the identities of thieves, healed injuries and illnesses, made love potions and charms, and other such services. Cunning-folk were often literate, and they could make pretty good money.
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