The
fictional universe of
J. K. Rowling's
Harry Potter series of fantasy novels comprises two distinct societies: the
wizarding world and the
Muggle world. The Muggle World is the series' name for the world inhabited by the non-magical majority, with which the wizarding world exists , albeit mostly remaining hidden from the non-magical humans. The plot of the series is set in 1990s
Britain, but in a veiled and separate shadow society wherein
magic is commonly used and practiced, and those who can use it live in self-enforced seclusion, hiding their abilities from the rest of the world. The term "wizarding world" refers to the global
wizard community that lives hidden in parallel with the Muggle world; the different terms refer to different communities within the same area rather than separate planets or worlds.