Sketch Topic: Travel/Transportation

[Zarleycat at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 24684

This week's topic concerns methods of travel in the Potter universe.  
I'm giving a quick overview, rather than trying to create something 
all-emcompassing, as there have been a number of threads on the list 
about various aspects of methods of transportation - the Hogwarts 
Express, the Knight Bus - so hopefully, this summary won't bore 
people to tears!  Any page numbers refer to the US editions.

Travel and Transportation: How do people get from Point A to Point B 
in the Wizard World?  Transportation methods can be broadly 
categorized:

A. Use of Magical Vehicles - the Knight Bus, the Hogwarts Express, 
MoM cars, the boats and horseless carriages at Hogwarts, the 
Gringotts carts, the Beauxbatons flying carriage complete with giant 
flying horses, and the Durmstrang ship that rises up from the lake at 
Hogwarts.

These vehicles go where they are supposed to go, without apparently 
receiveing much steering from anyone.  The Gringotts carts just 
go "at one speed only" - very fast (SS p. 75).  The Hogwarts' boats 
and carriages move of their own accord to bring the students to their 
proper destinations, and Ernie Prang, the Knight Bus driver, makes 
sure somehow that the Bus BANGs from one geographic location to 
another, but he's not actually driving in the way we Muggles 
understand the concept.  The Ministry of Magic cars (PoA p. 71) have 
drivers, but it's not clear from canon if the drivers are engaged in 
the act of driving as we know it.  Remus Lupin says he must speak to 
the driver of the Hogwarts Express, after the Dementor had made an 
appearance (PoA p. 85).  "Driver" seems to be an odd job description 
for a person running a train on a set of tracks.  How do these 
vehicles work? I agree with what others on this list have posted, and 
with the overview on Transportation on the Harry Potter Lexicon  - 
that magic vehicles share similarities of appearance with Muggle 
devices, but they run by magic.


B. Use of Enchanted Muggle Vehicles - Sirius' motorbike(?), Flying 
Ford Anglia

Whenever Sirius' motorbike is mentioned (SS p. 14, PoA p 206), no one 
actually comments that it's a Muggle vehicle that's been tampered 
with to make it able to fly.  I'm making the assumption that that is 
indeed the case.  The only other flying vehicle with a motor that 
we've seen is the Ford Anglia, which Arthur Weasley tells us has been 
enchanted.  

These are clear examples of misuse of Muggle artifacts and are not 
approved of by the Ministry of Magic.  I'd like to think that there 
is an entire sub-culture of witches and wizards out there who have 
figured out how to use various charms and spells to make Muggle 
vehicles fly, make them invisible, and endow them with other magical 
properties, such as being able to expand their dimensions when 
needed. (CoS p. 66).  This is another reason why I think Sirius' 
motorbike has been converted.  The size of the bike needed by a grown 
wizard is probably still too small for a giant like Hagrid to use.  I 
think the bike also has the expandable-dimension property.

C. Direct Transport of One's Body - Apparition, Floo Powder, Portkeys

The methods of direct transport are all regulated in some way by the 
MoM.  Apparition (GoF p. 66+) is difficult magic.  Wizards must pass 
a test to earn an apparition license.  If done incorrectly, one might 
not get all of one's body parts to arrive at the same destination at 
the same time, thus splinching oneself.  The Floo Network allows 
travel via fireplaces which are connected to the Network.  Even 
Muggle fireplaces can be temporarily connected to the Network, 
although according to Arthur Weasley, they shouldn't be. (GoF p 45).
Portkeys (GoF p. 70,73,635) are innocuous objects that are charmed so 
that when touched, people will be transported from one precise 
location to another at a prearranged time.  It is very useful for 
transporting groups of people at the same time, and it also provides 
a way for those who can't Apparate to get to a destination quickly.

Since Harry cannot yet Apparate, we have not been given a sense of 
how it feels.  Travel by the Floo Network and by Portkey have the 
potential to be somewhat dirorienting for the traveler.  Plus, when 
Flooing, one runs the risk of falling out of the wrong fireplace.

D. Other - brooms, animals

Brooms are a preferred method of travel by many witches and wizards 
(GoF p 67).  Although slower than Apparition and Floo, there is not 
risk of injuring oneself, unless one is careless enough to fly smack 
into a tree or a building.  Traveling by broom also allows the rider 
to get where (s)he wants to go, without the chance of ending up at 
the wrong location, which is possible when using the Floo Network.

There are a number of fantastic beasts with wings - hippogriffs, 
dragons and some breeds of horses.  We've seen the hippogriff 
Buckbeak used for transportation, and the flying horses pulling the 
Beauxbatons' carriage.  However, it doesn't seem that animals play a 
big part in providing transport in the magical world.

Questions:

1. What is the fascination with bright colors for Wizard vehicles - 
the scarlet Express, the violently purple Knight Bus, the powder blue 
Beauxbatons carriage?  Is this simply a method JKR uses to make us 
look at common Muggle vehicles in a different light?

2. Does the Beauxbatons' carriage need to be pulled by Abraxan (FB), 
the giant, palomino, winged horses?  Or are the horses used merely to 
give a more impressive appearance to the carriage?

3. Why does the Durmstrang boat rise up from the bottom of the lake 
at Hogwarts?  Is there some sort of watery network that allows boats 
to submerge in one body of water and emerge in another - sort of a 
Floo Network for ships?

4. What is the power source for enchanted Muggle vehicles?  Is it 
simply a spell that enables the vehicle to act in magical ways?

5. The Ford Anglia lost power as Ron drove it towards Hogwarts, yet 
later in the book it is careening around the Forbidden Forest.  How 
did it rejuevenate itself?  (Chap 15, CoS)

6. Did the pre-Azkaban Sirius have a problem with Apparating? We know 
he used his motorbike to get to the Potters' house the night they 
died.  Wouldn't Apparition have been quicker?

7.  As Hermione repeatedly tells us, you can't Apparate into 
Hogwarts.  Can anyone, perhaps the Headmaster, lift whatever charms, 
wards, spells, etc., that exist that prevent (Dis)Apparition?

8.  Could fireplaces in Hogwarts be hooked up to the Floo Network?

9.  Can wizards make themselves invisible when flying on brooms so 
that Muggles won't notice them should they be flying in daylight?  
OTOH, since we don't notice the Knight Bus, maybe we're too involved 
in our mundane world to look up and see someone in emerald green 
robes zooming across the sky.

10. Do you think flying horses are used in some sort of aerial 
equestrian sport?

11. Do Charlie Weasly and Hagrid wish they could ride dragons?

12. What would your favorite method of travel be?

Marianne, who must now Apparate to work...