Has it been established where Godric's Hollow is, beyond just the West Country? If not, does Somerset sound like a plausible location?

 

It's supposed to be pretty vague so tourists don't beat a path through people's quiet neighborhoods like they do with Platform nine and three quarters. I know they shot it in Lavenham, but that's on the east coast, so they were going for a certain feel rather than a hint from Rowling. This stack exchange question speculates a possible location. https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/117110/where-is-godrics-hollow

 

Well based on that it sounds like Somerset does actually work pretty well. That's good, I didn't want it to be in Devon because another character already lives there.

 

I hadn't realised this until today, but apparently when Harry was coming back from his first trip to Diagon Alley with Hagrid, he took a train home from Paddington. The problem is you can't get to anywhere in Surrey from Paddington, at least not directly. Am I missing something?

 

Not sure if this is a film question, since I can't see the reference in the books. I'd assume Paddington station was used as a visual substitute for Waterloo.

EDIT: missed the obvious reference two paragraphs up from where I was looking.

 

The only place you could change to go to anywhere in Surrey would be Reading, though, and that's a ridiculously roundabout route versus going from Waterloo.

Don't try to tell that to a train spotter.

 

The follow-on paragraph that was no doubt edited out:

Harry then realised that he was in the wrong station to get a route back home. Perhaps Hagrid expected him to fly home from Heathrow, but Harry just shrugged and settled himself to hiring a hack to get him to Waterloo station using the ten pound notes Hagrid had been using as napkins.

 

Exmoor is where I was gonna put it too, even before you said that. Hopefully if we keep doing it'll become fanon.

Doesn't surprise me. I like @wordhammer's solution better. Thanks for the website--it's impressively eyewatering. That said, I'll just avoid it because I need to get Harry to Godric's Hollow by muggle transport, so I'll just have him take the North Downs line to Reading, and then go on the Berks and Hants to Taunton, bypassing London entirely, and thus avoiding the issue.

 

Have there been many references to the kind of liquor wizards drink? I know about firewhisky, but that's a bit too high octane for what I have in mind, while butterbeer seems to be barely alcoholic at all. Is there any reference to anything in between.

 

Snape serves Narcissa and Bellatrix elf wine in HBP.

 

Made from elves? That sounds repulsive tbh. I'll make up some zany and funderful variation on cider (which is disgusting too, but more appropriate for what I want), which is something that'd get passed around on a common room party.

 

I was.

 

I feel like Fred and George could corner the market in bootlegging alcohol at Hogwarts. Not only can they easily access Hogsmeade, but in fanfics they are often depicted as good/experimental potioneers. Why not have them into distilling and home brew? Fred and George’s Invisible Pale Ale—doesn’t make you invisible but the liquid can’t be seen so good for pranks and skirting the rules at Hogwarts. They could distill a gin—use it as a play on Ginny’s name or on the word djinn. Maybe if you light a shot it resembles a bat a la the Bat Bogey Hex.

 

There was also elf mead mentioned, and gillywater. Its not clear what gillywater is, though the name suggests it might involve gillyweed?

I've often thought it would make sense that if butterbeer is alcoholic, even slightly, there's probably stronger versions available for adults. It might only be a percentage or 2 for kids, but there's got to be a market for something that tastes the same but actually gets your drunk as an adult.

 

For my own purposes, I created goblin cider. Something rough and cheap that would be a teenagers' first drink.

 

Every culture needs their own White Lightning and Buckfast!

 

I did not say that