Harry Potter author JK Rowling reveals more details about the American Ministry of Magic

It's the third (and final) new tale from Rowling, giving readers more background on the American wizarding world while we wait for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to hit cinemas.

The story, called The Magical Congress of the United States of America, revolves around the US version of the Ministry of Magic. MACUSA plays a crucial part in the story of Newt Scamander – the central character in Fantastic Beasts. We learn about the organisation's founder, Josiah Jackson, as well as its origins and how the wizarding community tackled anti-magic attitudes following the Salem witch trials.

Rowling also reveals that the American revolution was a tricky time for wizards, as they found themselves struggling to decide whether to align themselves with their new country or the magical brotherhood.

It all forms the background to the strange new world that Hufflepuff alumnus Newt finds himself in when he crosses the Atlantic in 1926.

“Newt’s been across pretty much every continent, but magic developed very differently in America,” explains Rowling, who also wrote the film's screenplay. “Newt accidently walks right into the middle of MACUSA. He gets caught up into a society he doesn’t understand.

"After the Potter books, this was always where I was interested in going. If I ever did anything, this is what I wanted to do.”

Read the full story over on the Pottermore website.