The magical and muggle worlds lived together in harmony for many centuries. Magical figures were once revered, in some places even worshiped. What changed? While there's been many answer over the years, none are the truth. The problem is that everyone wants to over-analyze the issue - when in fact, the answer is a simple one - fear, and lots of it.

It's often said that everyone needs hope and fear, and the magical community once offered lots of hope. Naturally, the muggles grew jealous. The Church wanted more power, and not just any power. They craved magic, but no matter how much they tried - they found themselves unable to wield such power. People began to abandon their faith, after all - if witches had this power, surely they were better. From then on, the Church condemned those with magic.

Illness? Famine? Death? IT WAS A WITCH! Maybe...if we kill them, all of our problems will be solved! 'Cause like, you know, that's how being an asshole works, and it's worked loads of times, right? And so, the muggle sheep latched onto their newfound scapegoat - entirely abandoning the race that had once given them so much.

Fear ran rampant in both worlds - muggles and wizards alike dropping like flies. Avada kedavra, a spell once used to help their muggle neighbors slaughter farm animals, now used against their former friends. The Church had all of the excuse it needed. The magical world became the devil it never wanted to be.