A remarkable conversation. Rowling rules:

"When we think about the [past] witch trials... the idea that they would be strenuously adhering to the rules of evidence and things that they had in place at the time... They were trying to do the right thing. ...we can see them grappling wihth their consciences and grappling with the testimony. Arthur Miller actually makes a great point when he's talking about the crucible...and he talks about something, which is so true in Salem, which is that in the course of these kinds of prosecutions, you can take the characteristics of the thing that you abhore. You become the thing that you most fear. That's really the scariest part of this, that you could have people who are smart, well educated, dedicated to justice and want to do the right thing as they search themselves for the right answer and how they should behave. And yet still come to this horrifying conlcusion where you have 19 people hanged. It's a terrifying thing to realize about what it means to be human."