The marketing machine for the upcoming Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is in full swing, and to accompany it J.K. Rowling has released another Pottermore short story in her Magic in North America series to continue to prepare fans for the new areas of the wizarding world the film will explore.

The latest installment is about the early history of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA), joining the earlier shorts on the general backstory of North American magic and the American version of Hogwarts, Ilvermorny.

latest installment explores the early history of the Magical Congress of the United States of America

The background information on the American magical government is interesting from a fan perspective, especially in setting the stage for the political and social climate of Fantastic Beasts. But the short fails to explain how the MACUSA, established in 1693 and predating the actual US Congress by 83 years, manages to both include the name of the as-yet unfounded country or base its political structure off of the nonexistent governing body.