North America

• Type: Continent
• Location: Western Hemisphere of Earth, between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
• Owner/Residents: Witches, Wizards, No-Majs (American term for Muggles), various Magical Creatures.
• Key Features: Contains the United States of America and Canada. Site of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) and Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Pottermore). Known for the Quidditch variant, Quodpot (*Quidditch Through the Ages*).

North America is a continent with a rich and distinct magical history, separate from that of Europe. While it is not a primary setting in the original seven novels, its wizarding society is confirmed to exist through supplementary materials. The most significant canonical reference to North American magic in the original series' companion books comes from Quidditch Through the Ages, which describes the introduction of Quidditch to the continent. The sport became popular, leading to the formation of several professional teams in both the United States of America and Canada. However, North American wizards also developed their own unique magical sport called Quodpot, which involves passing a volatile, explosive ball called the Quod before it detonates. The history of the North American wizarding community was significantly expanded upon through Pottermore. Magic was practiced by Native American communities long before the arrival of European wizards and witches. The magical community was later shaped by immigration from Europe, which also brought threats such as the Scourers—corrupt magical mercenaries who hunted their fellow wizards for profit. The immense danger posed by the Scourers and the growing paranoia following the Salem Witch Trials led to the creation of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) in 1693. MACUSA established Rappaport's Law in 1790, a strict code of conduct enforcing total segregation between the magical and No-Maj populations to protect the wizarding community from exposure. (Pottermore) The premier magical school for the continent is Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, founded in the seventeenth century by Isolt Sayre and her No-Maj husband, James Steward. The school is located at the peak of Mount Greylock in Massachusetts and, like Hogwarts, is divided into four houses: Horned Serpent, Wampus, Thunderbird, and Pukwudgie. (Pottermore)

In the main Harry Potter series, North America has a very limited role and is only referenced in passing through the existence of its Quidditch teams mentioned in Quidditch Through the Ages. This established that the wizarding world was a global community, not confined to the United Kingdom and Europe. The continent's role was dramatically expanded to become a primary setting for the Fantastic Beasts film series. The first film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is set in 1926 New York City and explores the workings of MACUSA, the enforcement of Rappaport's Law, and the cultural differences between American and British wizarding societies. It introduces key American magical figures such as Seraphina Picquery, Tina Goldstein, and Queenie Goldstein. (Fantastic Beasts)

• United States of America
  • A country with a large, organized magical community governed by MACUSA.
  • Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: The primary North American magical school, located on Mount Greylock, Massachusetts. (Pottermore)
  • New York City: Home to the MACUSA headquarters in the 1920s, which was magically concealed within the Woolworth Building. (Fantastic Beasts)
  • Quidditch Teams: The Sweetwater All-Stars (from Texas) and the Fitchburg Finches (from Massachusetts) are two known professional teams. (*Quidditch Through the Ages*)
• Canada
  • A country with its own established wizarding community and professional Quidditch teams.
  • Quidditch Teams: Known teams include the Moose Jaw Meteorites, the Haileybury Hammers, and the Stonewall Stormers. (*Quidditch Through the Ages*)

• The lore for North American magic, including Ilvermorny, MACUSA, and the history of the wizarding community, was written by J.K. Rowling for the Pottermore website, released in 2016 to build the world for the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film.
• The term No-Maj, short for “No Magic,” was created by J.K. Rowling as the American wizarding vernacular for a Muggle. (J.K. Rowling interview)
• The Pottermore writings on North American magic incorporate elements from various Native American spiritual traditions and legends, such as the Thunderbird and the Pukwudgie, to form the foundations of Ilvermorny's houses. (Pottermore)