二刷 | (Mainly) Observations and (a few) Questions

1 The name Porpentina relates to "porpentine", archaic term for porcupine, a rodentian mammal with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that protect against predators.
Appearance in literature includes:
  - The Porpentine, an inn in 威廉 Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors
  - Porpentine, a fictional character in 湯瑪士 Pynchon's spy novella "Under the Rose"
  - The Porpentine, a magical jewel in Neil Gaiman's graphic novel The Sandman: A Game of You
  - Frederico the Porpentine, a fictional character in Dan Wickenden's children's fantasy novel The Amazing Vacation (Wikipedia)
  - T.S. Eliot's "Five-finger Exercises": "and a porpentine cat / and a wopsical hat."

2 Newt and Tina Scamander are the grandparents-in-law of Luna Lovegood.

3 Newt Scamander's name is translated as "Norbert Dragonneau" in French - a choice that bewilders me. There is, however, an interesting connection with the original Harry Potter series. "Dragonneau," according to its definition on wikitionnaire, can mean "petit du dragon" - small dragon. Norbert, on the other hand, is the name of Hagrid's baby dragon (later re-named Norberta) from Philosopher's Stone. Essentially, Newt's name in French means "Norbert the small dragon." Hagrid should be pleased.

4 Gellert Grindelwald (as Mr. Graves) asks Newt why was Albus Dumbledore especially fond of him. Jealous? (*winks*)

5 Gellert Grindelwald is not skinny as the typical 21st century movie bad guy is - so that's where Albus got his sweet tooth.

6 In a rather sad retrospect: the events in Fantastic Beasts take place in 1926 - during the Roaring Twenties, lovely time. Later, in 1929, came the Wall Street Crash. Jacob Kowalski's Bakery probably went bust after all. Perhaps he and Queenie moved to England with Newt and Tina?

7 Love the nod to actual historical background - flappers, jazz and speakeasies.

8 It might be just me but when Abernathy asks Newt, "where did she pick you up?" - the ironic undertone is hilarious.

9 A wild stab in the dark - may be completely wrong: is Ariana Dumbledore an Obscurus?

10 I did not know this because I don't think they ever mentioned his first name in the film, but Gellert Grindelwald uses the name Percival as he assumes the Mr. Graves persona - Percival, as in Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. I'm touched.

Questions:

1 Why can't Newt use an apparition charm to get to America? Is there some sort of wizard passport control law that prohibits international apparition?
Note: according to Quidditch Through the Ages, intercontinental apparition should only be attempted by the most highly skilled witches and wizards. Still, that doesn't explain why can't he divide the trip into several junctions and apparate several times? Surely that's faster by taking the ferry, which used to take more than 3 days in the 1920s.

2 Why can't the characters use the summoning charm (accio) more often, instead of scrambling here and there to find things?

3 Why do they already have some sort of an organised wizard UN in 1926, when the muggles were still struggling with the impotent League of Nations? Are wizarding politics more advance somehow? And why does the entire wizarding world seem to be under the dictatorship of the US president? Why doesn't the English Minister of Magic speak up for Newt - at all - in court?

4 Why is no one suspicious of Mr. Graves at all? Gellert Grindelwald disappears, and this American dude - who didn't even have school records at Ilvermony - just walks in to MACUSA and is given a high position? The whole situation seems a bit backwards to me. (I'm thinking they should have at least registered all the employee's wands - someone must be able recognise Grindelwald's wand, no? They already have an entire office for that, may as well use it for what it's for.)