The MoM & Hogwarts

[rinceceol]

No: HPFGUIDX 48502

Jim Ferer wrote:
<<The size of the MoM is important to understanding the wizard world.
Are there two or three, five or ten, or hundreds and hundreds in each
of these bureaus, offices, and squads?  The answer to that is an
important clue to the size of the wizard world in Great Britain at least.>>

I responded:
I don't remember exactly where it's said, but it IS said that Arthur Weasley and another assistant (or maybe two...) were the only staffers in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office.  Dunno if that's indicative of the other offices, or what. But also, when Crouch Sr, wnt missing, instead of handing over his duties to a more senior official, Percy (a VERY junior staffer) took them over...indicating to me that there weren't many people in that office either. 

And just to put in my two knuts, I always imagined the MoM as covering all the British Isles...Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, but not any farther than that.  Otherwise, why have we never heard mention of any MoM workers who weren't British?  I would imagine that if JKR had wanted us to think it were more multinational, she would have mentioned someting along the lines of a Russian, Bulgarian, American, what-have-you working at some post...or of Fudge having to travel to other continents on business. *shrug*

Ashfae wrote:
<<I confess to being perplexed by the idea of unplottability, or at
least how it applies specifically to Hogwarts>>

I replied:
pg. 166 GoF US Hardback: 
"'But Hogwarts *is* hidden,' said Hermione in surprise.  'Everyone knows that...well, everyone who's read *Hogwarts, A History,* anyway.'
'Just you, then,' said Ron.  'So go on--how d'you hide a place like Hogwarts?'
'It's bewitched,' said Hermione.  'If a Muggle looks at it, all they see is a moldering old ruin with a sign over the entrance saying DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE.' "

So, that's how they hide Hogwarts from Muggles anyhow...although I don't know what's to keep people who've been there (or to Durmstrag or Beauxbatons) from telling others where it is.  And, come to think of it, Karkaroff and Maxime SHOULD know where it is...otherwise, how they have travelled there for the tournament?  It would have made more sense, to me anyway, if the delegations from D&B had travelled to a location away from all the schools and then Hogwarts had provided transport from there, if they're so desperate to protect "their secrets."  

~rinceceol


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