International Statute of Secrecy

The International Statute of Secrecy is a set of laws in Earth's magical community originally signed in 1689, then officially enacted in 1692. The laws were laid down by the International Shadow Confederation to safeguard the magical community from the rest of humanity and hide its presence from the world at large.

History
By the seventeenth century, the persecution of Shadowkind was at its worst. Inquisitions and "witch-hunts" were becoming almost commonplace, and many species of Shadowkind were nearing extinction. In Great Britain, the newly-created Ministry of Magic lobbied to gain official recognition and protection from the British Monarch (jointly William III and Mary II at the time), but the attempt met with failure, leading Shadowkind to move toward secrecy of their own accord.

Enactment
After a series of heated discussions on the topic by the International Shadow Confederation, the Statute of Secrecy was signed in late 1689, but would not be officially established until three years later in 1692.

Many of the oldest families of Shadowkind, most notably the Malfoys, were fervently opposed to the Statute. However, when the Statute was passed, the Malfoy family abruptly shifted positions, becoming one of the most vocal supporters of the law.

The passing of the Statute of Secrecy further alienated Shadowkind from the rest of the world's population, and Shadow-only communities began to spring up across the world, often confined to a particular area of an otherwise mundane city. These "Shadow villages" were among the few places where Shadowkind could openly practice magic without violating the Statute.

Contents
The International Statute of Secrecy states that each individual country with a Shadow community must have a governing body for that community. This governing body - such as the British Ministry of Magic - is held responsible for the control of magical creatures, preventing or obfuscating public displays of magic, and ensuring that the Shadow community continues without risk of discovery.