Weasley accents/regional clues

[a_reader2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 81913

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jeffl1965" <jeffl1965 at h...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "a_reader2003" 
> <carolynwhite2 at a...> wrote:
> > Also, on the Devon location, I've pointed out before (and so have 
> > others) that it would be difficult for Muggle taxis to drive to 
> Kings 
> > Cross from Devon in the few hours described in GoF (they leave 
> about 
> > 8.30 am maybe, and get there in time for the 11am train). It 
would 
> > take more like 4-5 hours, and that's assuming the London traffic 
> was 
> > not too bad (and it always is - trust me, I live in London !!).
> 
> 
>    Jeff:
> 
>    Is it possible that they took a portkey first? Since Arthur has 
to 
> go to work in London, wouldn't there be one nearby that would take 
> him somewhere in London, then they could take a taxi to the 
station? 
> I know he could take a broom or use floo powder, but I don't recall 
> any mention of that.
> 
(Carolyn again):

No, not on that one occasion, which is going back to school in GoF. 
All the other times they had some sort of magic help, but this time 
Molly ordered some muggle taxis from the village to take them. Arthur 
had had to go off and sort out the little local difficulty with Moody 
and his dustbins.

Another reason for thinking they don't live so far from London as 
Devon is that the cost of hiring 3 muggle taxis from Devon to London 
would simply be prohibitively expensive, and they are a poor family. 
The cost would run into £££s. I think it would only be feasible if 
they lived say half an hour to an hour away from Kings Cross. 
Normally of course, the adults apparate to wherever, so location is 
not important (sigh, wish I could apparate........)

Because of the hills mentioned near The Burrow (eg Stoatshead Hill), 
this would indicate a location either to the north or north-west of 
London - Herts or Bucks, or maybe Hants. All of these counties have 
quite large patches of wooded, hilly and quite rural countryside, 
despite their closeness to London. However, living in these counties 
would not have given Ron much of an accent, northern or otherwise.

Also, another clue is that it seems to take them an hour or so to get 
to the Burrow from Little Whinging in Surrey when Harry is rescued in 
the flying car. This might be about right to fly north and west 
around London into say, the Chiltern hills.

Of course, JKR may not have thought this through in so much detail as 
we have, and just randomly picked a Devon-y sounding location because 
she liked it !