Map of Hogwarts drawn by JKR

[Steve]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "carolynwhite2"
<carolynwhite2 at a...> wrote:
> 
> I was just looking at the map of Hogwarts which TLC put up (from the 
> DVD I think). Has anyone deciphered all the wording ? JKR's writing 
> is difficult to read.
> 
> The bits that are defeating my eyesight at the moment are:
> 
> - the labels on the areas to the right and left of the castle. 
> ...edited...
> 
> - the label on the road at the bottom of the map.
> 
> I was trying to see if there was any mention of where the (rumoured) 
> graveyard was, but it seems not.
> 
> Carolyn

bboyminn:


As far as the readability of the map, I downloaded it and pulled it
into a photo editing program, and the writing is so pixelated that
Sharpening and Enlarging didn't do much to improve it. Others with
sharp eye have done better than I could with my Photo Edit program.


Next, I think we need to be cautions about reading too much into this
Map. We don't know if this the THE OFFICIAL FINALIZED HOGWARTS MAP or
just an early sketch she made as a quick reference.

For example, I, and I know others as well, have read the story in a
way that places the rail station and rail tracks between Hogwarts and
Hogsmeade. This new map doesn't appear that way. 

Also, when Ron tries to put the 'Eat Slugs' curse on Malfoy and it
backfires, Harry responds by saying that Hagrid's cabin is closer than
the castle. Although, in the past, I have cautioned people against
that being taken literally. I have suspect, Hagrid's wasn't
necessarily closer, but quicker when the sloping lawns and the many
stairways were taken into consideration. None the less, Harry does say
that Hagrid's is closer than that castle in that incident.

All that said, JKR's Map does look very close to the way I pictured
Hogwarts. Again, the exception is, assuming the top of the Map is
North, that the lake, the train station, and Hogsmeade are all south
of school grounds.

For another fan based reference map of Hogwarts that supports my view
that the lake, train, and village are all south of the school see the
HP Lexicon.

http://www.hp-lexicon.org/images/maps/hogwarts_map.html

So, again, my main point is that since we don't know when in the story
development cycle this map was created, we should be careful about
considering it absolute truth.

Just a thought.
Steve/bboyminn (was bboy_mn)