Why the Knight Bus?

[Susan Miller]

No: HPFGUIDX 45778

Leon Adato <adatole at y...> wrote:
> I think there is a simpler explanation, although I'm using my 
rather limited experience with European transportation here: When 
living in Switzerland, there was a "night bus" service - a bus that 
started running around 8:00pm and ran until the wee hours of the 
morning. Where I was, this was specifically for younger teens who 
wanted to go out but had lost their ride home, etc. The night bus had 
a basic route, but the stops were designated by the people on the bus 
at the moment.
> 
> I just assumed that the Knight Bus was JKR's "magicification" of 
that normal concept. No class distinction, it was just for people who 
were stranded or couldn't get around any other way due to age (like 
Harry) or inability (like the drunk/sick witch).
> 
> Leon
> 

Thank you, Leon. In my original post, I acknowledged that the purpose 
of the Knight bus was for "stranded" wizards. My concern was that 
having a business that was purely based on that clientele would not 
seem to be fiscally feasable. Maybe I'm wrong. Is it a business in 
Switzerland, or some kind of government service? 

But then, there doesn't seem to be much in the WW that is based on 
fiscal feasability. After all, could a wandmaker stay in business, if 
the average wizard purchased only one in a lifetime? Agreed, Lilly 
was described as buying "her first wand", which could imply multiple, 
but I get the opinion that wizards buy very few in a lifetime. What 
keeps Mr. Ollivander in business? And while I'm on the subject of 
wands, if a wand is such a personal item, how could Mrs. Weasley get 
fooled by the fake wands of the twins?

OK. Now I'm really wandering off post-topic.

~ Constance Vigilance