1. DLP Flash Christmas Competition + Writing Marathon 2024!

    Competition topic: Magical New Year!

    Marathon goal? Crank out words!

    Check the marathon thread or competition thread for details.

    Dismiss Notice
  2. Hi there, Guest

    Only registered users can really experience what DLP has to offer. Many forums are only accessible if you have an account. Why don't you register?
    Dismiss Notice
  3. Introducing for your Perusing Pleasure

    New Thread Thursday
    +
    Shit Post Sunday

    READ ME
    Dismiss Notice

HP Questions that don't deserve their own thread V2

Discussion in 'Fanfic Discussion' started by Sesc, Oct 22, 2014.

  1. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    Has it been established where Godric's Hollow is, beyond just the West Country? If not, does Somerset sound like a plausible location?
     
  2. Silirt

    Silirt Chief Warlock DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2018
    Messages:
    1,526
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Georgia
    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
     
  3. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    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.
     
  4. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    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?
     
  5. wordhammer

    wordhammer Dark Lord DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2010
    Messages:
    1,916
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    In the wood room, somewhere flat
    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.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2020
  6. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    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. :p
     
  7. wordhammer

    wordhammer Dark Lord DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2010
    Messages:
    1,916
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    In the wood room, somewhere flat
    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.
     
  8. Sesc

    Sesc Slytherin at Heart Moderator

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2007
    Messages:
    6,216
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Blocksberg, Germany
    @Mordac,
    #1: It hasn't been established. For my latest story, I put it in Exmoor -- that'd be either Somerset, or Devon (the north of Devon, at the Bristol Channel, while the Weasleys live near the south cost). Some points of order: The best reference is Hagrid, when he mentions they flew over Bristol, and that Traitor!Sirius might've dumped Harry halfway out at sea. Both gets you near coastal areas, in order for a route Godric's Hollow -- Bristol -- Surrey to make sense. Another thing: The Potter ancestor was Linfred of Stinchcombe, which is in Gloucestershire. That fits less well with Bristol, even though Gloucestershire is occasionally included in "West Country". I went with Exmoor, because of the etymology of "combe" -- it's old English, resp. Brythonic (i.e. not French/Norman), means steep valley or hollow, and you'll find a fair few in the area.

    #2: Yes, this is known, and has been the source of various essays. TL;DR, it doesn't work out. I think the best solution was ending in Berkshire, and Harry then having still quite some ways ahead of him. Alternatively, he didn't travel to Privet Drive (recall that we left the Dursleys at Hut-on-the-Rock earlier that day, maybe they met up somewhere).

    Finally, your number one source on any location: http://members.madasafish.com/~cj_whitehound/Fanfic/Location_Location.htm
    I regularly disagree with their conclusions, I think they take little things too literally, however, it's impeccably sourced, and you can always draw your own conclusions. Enjoy your lost evening :D
     
  9. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    Exmoor is where I was gonna put it too, even before you said that. Hopefully if we keep doing it'll become fanon. :D

    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.
     
  10. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    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.
     
  11. Shinysavage

    Shinysavage Madman With A Box ~ Prestige ~

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2009
    Messages:
    2,059
    Location:
    UK
    High Score:
    2,296
    Snape serves Narcissa and Bellatrix elf wine in HBP.
     
  12. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    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.
     
  13. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2007
    Messages:
    6,036
    It was brewed by house-elves, not made from the body of elves. Unless you're being silly.
     
  14. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    I was. :p
     
  15. Gaius

    Gaius Fifth Year

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2018
    Messages:
    145
    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.
     
  16. Mordecai

    Mordecai Drunken Scotsman –§ Prestigious §– DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2005
    Messages:
    559
    Location:
    Englandshire
    High Score:
    5,725
    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.
     
  17. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    For my own purposes, I created goblin cider. Something rough and cheap that would be a teenagers' first drink.
     
  18. Mordecai

    Mordecai Drunken Scotsman –§ Prestigious §– DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2005
    Messages:
    559
    Location:
    Englandshire
    High Score:
    5,725
    Every culture needs their own White Lightning and Buckfast!
     
  19. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2007
    Messages:
    6,036
    VGhhdCB3b3JrcyBJIGd1ZXNzLiA=
     
  20. Mordac

    Mordac Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2006
    Messages:
    1,318
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, England
    I did not say that
     
Loading...