--- description: In order to set the scene for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, J.K. Rowling is gifting fans with four new short stories. title: Here's What J.K. Rowling Told Us About American Wizards in Her New Story image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt92d90a6499e80636/69888a150b72e37e2a6e8720/j-k-rowling.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Here's What J.K. Rowling Told Us About American Wizards in Her New Story  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Mar 8, 2016 4:43 PM CUT  Founder and President of Lumos and Patron of Lumos USA/ Author J.K. Rowling ceremoniously lights the Empire State Building in Lumos colors of purple, blue and white to mark the US launch of her non-profit organization at The Empire State Building on April 9, 2015 in New York City. Founder and President of Lumos and Patron of Lumos USA/ Author J.K. Rowling ceremoniously lights the Empire State Building in Lumos colors of purple, blue and white to mark the US launch of her non-profit organization at The Empire State Building on April 9, 2015 in New York City.Cindy Ord/Getty Images  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Mar 8, 2016 4:43 PM CUT In order to set the scene for [_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_](http://time.com/4145643/harry-potter-prequel-fantastic-beasts-trailer/ "undefined"), a _Harry Potter_ prequel film set in 1920s New York City, author [J.K. Rowling](http://time.com/4248548/jk-rowling-chair-auction-harry-potter/ "undefined") is gifting fans with [four new stories](http://time.com/4250777/jk-rowling-new-story-american-wizards/ "undefined"). Titled _The History of Magic in North America_, the online tales will detail the evolution of the previously unexplored North American wizarding world. The first installment of the series, “[Fourteenth Century – Seventeenth Century](https://www.pottermore.com/collection-episodic/history-of-magic-in-north-america-en "undefined"),” was published on Rowling’s interactive website [Pottermore](https://www.pottermore.com/collection-episodic/history-of-magic-in-north-america-en "undefined") Tuesday and explores the origins of the magical community in “the New World.” Rowling begins by clarifying that European and African witches and wizards were in contact with their North American brethren long before the country was colonized by European No-Majs (the [American term for Muggles](http://time.com/4100365/jk-rowling-harry-potter-fantastic-beasts-muggle/ "undefined")) in the 1600s. She goes on to discuss Native American magic, explaining that many witches and wizards were revered by their tribes for their healing and hunting abilities. Some Native American legends — such as that of ‘skin walkers’ — were even borne from wizarding lore. **Read More:** [J.K. Rowling Will Reveal America’s Magical History in 4 New Stories](http://time.com/4249113/j-k-rowling-new-stories-history-of-magic-in-north-america/ "undefined") Rowling ends by stating that the biggest difference between new and old world magic was that Native Americans were masters of wandless magic. “The magic wand originated in Europe. Wands channel magic so as to make its effects both more precise and more powerful, although it is generally held to be a mark of the very greatest witches and wizards that they have also been able to produce wandless magic of a very high quality,” she writes. “As the Native American Animagi and potion-makers demonstrated, wandless magic can attain great complexity, but Charms and Transfiguration are very difficult without one.” The second part of the series will go live at 2 p.m. GMT on Wednesday. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4250848/j-k-rowling-new-story-history-of-magic-in-north-america-part-1/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4250848/j-k-rowling-new-story-history-of-magic-in-north-america-part-1/"},"headline":"Here's What J.K. 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