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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/36309
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/36309
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

+1 to DPT and EBH, this is the only point I can think of to add to theirs. As the OP's link alludes, Magic appearing is typically (not always) a metaphor for puberty and the appearance of sexual desire, a mysterious life change for nearly all of us (even if we were warned).

Considering sexual desire, there are two social ways of dealing with it; one is to deal with it openly (by parents or school), with sex education and a more explicit detailing of the problems and dangers, ways to prevent them.

The other is more closed, to not detail anything at all, demand abstinence, deny the feelings are "real" (e.g. diminish them as puppy love, infatuation, hormonal imbalances), treat them as an "illness" or inflicted evil (e.g. supernatural temptation) that must be cured, and employ various kinds of threats to enforce chastity and abstinence (religious and secular threats) until sexual engagement is socially approved (eg marriage).

But then consider **homosexual** desire: Rather few will have it (perhaps 15% of persons), and IRL a smaller percent of self-identified homosexuals have **expressed** they felt lifelong and pre-pubescent homosexuality.

Without **certainty** on whether or not a child is homosexual, do we educate them on how homosexuals have sex and how to do that safely, or do we wait until we have certainty?

That might be the better metaphor for Magic: If only a small percentage of children exhibit ability before puberty, then perhaps guardians leave an uncomfortable (to them) conversation for if and when it becomes necessary.

This could be due to their own discomfort in talking about it (and lack of answers), or due to the culture in general having a magic-phobia, a dislike of magical people, or even laws against the use of magic (e.g. as in the TV Series Merlin).

If the culture prefers its magicians "in the closet" or actively prohibits and persecutes magicians (or even treats them as criminals to be jailed or put to death), guardians would likely not mention to their ward any possibility of the ward being magic. If the guardian also _shares_ that phobia, they might even be disappointed (or horrified) to learn their child is magic, and try to deny it or force them to suppress their magical ability.

Presuming pubescent children are not entirely stupid, in that situation the child might **also** hide their ability, and develop a feel of magic to help them seek out the small percentage of other children that have it, until they find the wider underground community of magicians.

Original score: 4