FLASH: Wizarding School found in Philly's woods (was: US Magical Gov't/Schools)

[blpurdom at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 27136

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., conshydot at e... wrote:
> All of those places would be a great place for the US magic 
> Academy, but consider this: Elfreth's Alley in Philadelphia is the 
> oldest continously inhabited street in the US. Elfreth's Alley 
> could be the "front" for the academy or it could be the Leaky 
> Cauldron which is the entrance for US Diagon Alley.  

I agree that Elfreth's Alley would make an excellent portal for the 
Philadelphia wizarding "shopping district," but there is probably an 
equivalent of Diagon Alley in most cities in the US.  This would 
hardly be the "US Diagon Alley."  

At any rate, if there is a wizarding school in Philadelphia, I think 
I have inadvertantly seen it.  We have here the largest municipal 
park around, Fairmount Park, which covers large parts of the city.  
It includes Valley Green, along the banks of the Wissahickon Creek.  
When I was in junior high school, we were on a class trip to Valley 
Green (a short walk from our school) and I became lost in the woods 
with three friends of mine.  At one point, we emerged from the trees 
into a very large field; about 200 yards away was an enormous stone 
house.  We had no idea where we were.  No streets were visible.  Then 
a pack of very angry dogs came around the corner of the house, 
heading right for us.  We hightailed it back into the woods, and 
thankfully the dogs did not follow us (I believe their job was only 
to keep us off their property).  

Clearly, the dogs served as the anti-Muggle protection for the 
wizarding school in the large stone house that could only be reached 
(by Muggles) through a very circuitous route through the woods...It 
would be very easy to play Quidditch or Quodpot in such a secluded 
place without Muggles noticing...

--Barb

Got art?
http://philart.net