Unplottability & Hogwarts' Location (was: Where's Durmstrang?)

[Ashfae]

No: HPFGUIDX 48470




> From: GulPlum <hpfgu at plum.cream.org>
> 
> The way I see "unplottablity", it's not about some kind of "alternative 
> geography" or parallel dimension. Buildings and other artifacts could be 
> fitted on Muggle maps, *if* they could be identified. The issue as I see it 
> is that unplottable areas are "shielded", rather than non-existent, to 
> Muggles. For instance, the main defence for the QWC pitch was that any 
> Muggle coming close would suddenly remember they need to be elsewhere.
> 
> "Unplottablity" therefore comes not from the place not being identfiable in 
> terms of latitude and longitude, but from its contours being 
> unidentifiable, and thus there is no object to be plotted.

	I confess to being perplexed by the idea of unplottability, or at
least how it applies specifically to Hogwarts. I agree that it causes an
area to be shielded rather than nonexistant, but I've been under the
impression that they affect wizards as well as Muggles. In Fantastic
Beasts and Where To Find Them it's stated that the Isle of Drear, where
Quintapeds dwell, is unplottable; it's implied that this is because
they're dangerous for *everyone*, Muggle or wizard, and that people
deliberately going there would be a very stupid idea.

	The thing is, Hogwarts is right next to Hogsmeade, which is famous
for being the only entirely wizarding village in Britain. Is Hogsmeade
also unplottable? Is it generally known that Hogwarts is located right
next to Hogsmeade? The natives of Hogsmeade themselves *must* know, and I
can't imagine that word doesn't spread. Is Hogsmeade completely isolated
from the rest of the wizarding world? We haven't seen anything to indicate
this, but if there are efforts to keep Hogwarts location a secret from
rival schools, the existance of Hogsmeade would seem to render such
security measures moot...

	But then, this is also coming from the girl who wants to know why,
if owls can track down any wizard, the Ministry doesn't just send an owl
with a letter to Sirius Black, and then trace the owl. *gryn* A good thing
for Snuffles that they haven't, though.

	Ashfae