an exhausted world stumbled out of the wars of the late 1700s and into the 1800s, magic took a great leap forward, as well as a great risk … much to the benefit of the non-magical world. Wizards and witches sympathetic to the tough working and squalid living conditions of much of the Muggle population sought non-magical methods that could be used to (hopefully) make life easier for Muggles. Evading the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, they often worked secretly with Muggle inventors and scientists to develop techniques and products that would work without magic. The result was the “discovery "or “invention” of such things as electricity and the assembly line. The following are just a few examples of the results of Muggle-Magical collaboration: • Richard Trevithick, an English mining engineer, is credited in the Muggle world with the development of the first steam-powered locomotive in 1804. What is known by almost nobody (well, nobody in the non-magical world, at any rate!), is that he was working with a brilliant if somewhat erratic wizard named Walter Wildsmith, believed to be a descendent of Ignatia Wildsmith (1227-1320), the witch who invented Floo Powder. (Apparently a fascination with modes of travel runs in the family …) Trevithick and Wildsmith’s enthusiasm, unfortunately, was not crowned with success: the locomotive was so heavy it broke the rails it was riding on. Ten years later, a Muggle named George Stephenson, after a careful study of Trevithick and Wildsmith's work, successfully built a functioning steam locomotive. • In 1846, a Massachusetts dentist, Dr. William Morton, was the first to use anesthesia for tooth extraction. Itis now known he was working with Lyra Merrythought, whose daughter, Galatea, would teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts from 1895 to 1945. The earliest form of anesthesia is believed to have been developed from a very carefully balanced combination of Cheering Charm, Calming Draught, and just theme rest touch of the Draught of Living Death. It will come as no surprise to learn that Lyra Merrythought had been top student in many of her classes at Hogwarts, including Charms and Potions … this mix of charm and potions required top-level skills. • Towards the close of the century, in 1888, Nikola Tesla announced the invention of the AC (alternating current) motor and transformer. Tesla, born in Croatia of Serbian parentage, is also credited with many other inventions, including fluorescent lighting and modern radio. His inventions paved the way for modern Muggle technology. It is known that he worked with members of the Wizarding world on some of his inventions, but both he and the wizards and witches whom he is believed to have worked with remained tightlipped about any teamwork, so details are sketchy at best. Among the names that have been associated with him are Amelia Wenlock, Merwyn Guy, Walter Finnigan and Joseph Prince (this last, if true, is an odd collaboration, as the Prince family was a noted pure-blood family none too fond of those who were not of pure-blood magical extraction)