How do Muggle-born students find Diagon Alley?

[Maria]

No: HPFGUIDX 34257



--- Rachel wrote:
------------------------------------------

> How do Muggle-born students (first years) know how to
find
> Diagon Alley to get their hogwarts supplies? Do they
> perhaps recieve something extra with their letter to
> explain about the Leaky Cauldron?? I haven't found any
> clues to this in canon - has anyone else found any
> information on this?

--- And Marianne responded:
--------------------------------

k> I think that Hogwarts has to do something, whether they
k> send extra explanatory information or actually send
k> someone to visit the Muggle parents. Otherwise, I'd
think
k> that most parents would assume that the letter their
k> child received from Hogwarts was some sort of elaborate
k> joke.

To which Alexander replied:

  I was addressing the issue in one of my earlier letters.
IMHO additional explanation is not enough to persuade the
parents that it's not a joke. There should be some kind of
introductory service, with a wizard or witch visiting the
family personally, to explain everything, and probably to
show the entrance to Diagon Alley.

  I got the impression that the Leaky Cauldron is not
invisible, but rather "unnoticeable", i.e. if you don't
know
it's here you won't see it, but if you know, then even if
you are a muggle you can enter the pub and then Diagon
Alley
as well.

 
One thing that i considered, although i still haven't found
all the answers regarding this idea is the following: They
indeed ask for a reply before July 31st by owl post. If
that reply is recieved, perfect, Hogwarts does nothing
else. If the reply doesn't come, it can mean two things.
Either the letter was not delivered like in the case of
Harry, or it can't be sent back by owl post, in case of
Muggles. But if Muggles could send a message by owl post, i
bet they would ask for more information, like some
reassurance on the kind of school this is, about magic, and
of course, about Diagon Alley. So, how do they send the
message by owl post? Imagine the following situation. The
Grangers are at breakfast one day and a letter with an owl
(or just dropped under the door) tells them their daughter
is accepted into Hogwarts. They don' t know what to do.
They think about it all day. Hermione is shocked, but then
she starts getting really excited. They need more
information, but how to ask for it?. Since they do not
reply, Hogwarts sends another later, in case it hasn't been
delivered (like Harry). They take advantage of having an
owl at home, and write a note, asking for more info and
stuff). And Hogwarts replies, and gives them also the means
to find an owl when they need it, so that they can continue
the comunication.

Of course, there are a million possibilities like this, but
that one could work.If one way or another the Muggles can
let Hogwarts know that they have no idea, i'm sure Hogwarts
would help, either my mail or by sending someone (i think
the last one is not common, it seems like Hagrid going to
pick up Harry is a pretty unusual thing; however, they
could always do it by mail and finally have some kind of
Muggle orientation at the Leaky Cauldron before going into
Diagon Alley).

Wow, i developed quite a theory here!! At last, some
significant contribution to this wonderful list!! Hope this
explanation pleases the minds of the experts...

Maria

=====
Maryblue
----------------------------------------------------------
"Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling
in love" - Eistein

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