Modern Plumbing (was Re: Heir of Slytherin and Dumbledore)

[David Burgess]

No: HPFGUIDX 58811


<quote who="Ersatz Harry" <ersatzharry at yahoo.com>">
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "stardancerofas" <glcherry at b...>
> wrote:
>> Now me Lorrie: This has been bothering me for quite awhile. How is
>> it, that a school that has been searched countless times by skilled
>> Wizards and Witches nobody noticed this? I mean we can reasonably
>> argue that the Bathroom wasn't always a bathroom. Modern plumbing was
>> installed at some point, and no one, not the Plumber or his assitant
>> noticed that there was a giant crater down there? Nobody ever
>> mentioned it to the Headmaster / Headmistress?
>
> It is kind of odd that the WW does not have electricity or automobiles
> or any number of other modern conveniences, but yet it does have
> plumbing.  You'd think that there might have been some sort of wizard
> outhouse technology...
>

"Any sufficiently advanced technology ..."

Wizards have Magic, which operates in a much less constrainted manner than
electricity, but provides the energy needs of the populace reasonably
well.  The Wizard Wireless is an example.  Magic messes up electrical
devices; the interference can't be a pure coincidence.  And we know from
canon that some wizards do, in fact, have cars; the MoM has them for
certain.  It coud be argued that some wizards (of Arthur Weasley's ilk)
could be exposed to wizarding conveniences and make up non-magic versions
using electricity....

Finally, as it turns out, I was watching the History Channel last night,
and they mentioned that ancient Rome had indoor plumbing (to a point). 
Many of the homes in Rome and all of the bath houses throughout the empire
had running water, "flush" toilets, and other "modern" conveniences thanks
to their extensive aquaduct system.  Both potable and inpotable water were
delivered at the rate of something like 200 gallons per person per day. 
Now, these bits of technology were largely lost on intervening
generations, but they did exist in the ancient past.

I'm waiting for something really silly, like a wizard arguing that flying
brooms are passe and that they need to update to flying carpet sweepers.

-- 
Dave Burgess
Bellevue, NE 68123