Doesn't she know?

[macfotuk at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 120342


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Inge" <Elvishooked at h...> 
wrote:
> 
> This may have been brought up before. If so, sorry for repeating 
> stuff.
> The headline of this post was written with a smile (just so that 
you 
> know....) !
> 
> I found this map of Hogwarts / Hogsmeade that Rowling made for the 
> POA movie - and much to my surprise I had to wonder: "How wrong 
she 
> is - doesn't she know better?"

Mac interjects:

Having bought the 2-DVD edition as a late November birthday present 
for my neice I just HAD to 'look it over' before she got it, and I 
discovered said map on the 2nd disc. Unfortunately I've found your 
link broken (maybe it's just me) so can't re-check my facts. 
However, and anyway, since JKR drew the picture and the films have 
made heavy reference to this map (so they said in the documentary 
bits), I'm happy to consider it 'canon' (as opposed to Steve's best 
guess version).

> I know - I know.... it's her story etc. etc. etc. Of course she 
knows 
> best.
> But! (and here's the link 
> 
http://users.atw.hu/mkepek/galleries/filmek/azkaban/extra/038_by_jkr.
j
> pg (hope it works?) - why does she place the Whomping Willow on 
the 
> route from the castle to Hagrids hut? Is that really where the 
tree 
> is? If so - why didn't anyone warn the 1st years to be aware of 
the 
> dangerous tree? And why is it that Harry and friends never mention 
it 
> prior to hitting it with the Ford Anglia? 
> Curious! Very curious!

Mac again: Not really. JKR like Agatha Christie before her never 
gives us clues until she just isn't able NOT to. Only in book 7 will 
you really get a proper set of information that will allow answers 
to key questions such as what is Snape REALLY up to? what REALLY 
happened at Godric's Hollow and 'whodunnit' (and why). Again and 
again she hasn't told us things that are key to the overall (books 1-
7) plot, such as what Lily and James did for a living, is Petunia a 
witch, a muggle or what? and the reasons are that she has a mystery 
to keep mysteriosu -the reason we're still reading and madly 
speculating.  

> 
> I compared Rowlings map to the one by Steve (Lexicon) and found 
> Steve's version much more to my own liking. Here the Willow is 
placed 
> so that you don't have to pass it to get from the castle to 
Hagrid's -
>  but also closer to Hogsmeade than on Rowling's map - which I find 
> more beliveable because of the tree's use as a tunnel for Lupin - 
> back in the old days of course.
> 
> On Rowling's map the Lake is placed 'behind' the castle. Meaning 
that 
> Hogsmeade is to the north of the castle while the Lake is south of 
> the castle. Now that seems odd - because 1st years go by boat from 
> Hogsmeade - crossing the Lake and beneath the castle.

Mac: No!!!!!!!!! They go from Hogsmeade STATION. Like many railway 
stations in Britain this needn't be anywhere near the village itself 
and, in fact (i.e. on JKR's map) the station is south of the lake, 
Hogwart's School (of W&W)/castle and Hogsmeade village (in that 
order, going north).

> Rowling putting the Lake the way she did in the map the 1st years 
> would have to go all the way around the castle to get to the Lake -
> only to sail back again..... that doesn't make much sense - does 
it?

Mac: No. you missed the station's location.

> 
> Once again - comparing to Steve's version. He placed the Lake 
BETWEEN 
> Hogsmeade and the castle which is more convincing when considered 
1st 
> years by boat.
> 
> So my question once again (with yet another smile) - doesn't she 
know?
>

Mac; yes, in fact (of course, as I know you know), she does.

> Inge