Is There Alternating Current in Harry's World?

[tommy_m_riddle]

No: HPFGUIDX 184178

justcorbly:
> So... is Hogwarts off the grid?  What about all the other houses 
and buildings that our cast 
> of characters inhabit or shelter in?
> 
> If there's no use of electricity and all the conveniences that 
depend on it, why?  Does 
> electricity pose a threat to wizards and witches? Are their 
kitchens powered with wood-
> burning ovens?  What about refrigeration?

Sarah:
I think it's more that witches and wizards pose a threat to 
electricity.

Hermione in GOF:
"All those substitutes for magic Muggles use - electricity, 
computers, and radar, and all those things - they all go haywire 
around Hogwarts, there's too much magic in the air.  No, Rita's using 
magic to eavesdrop, she must be. ... If I could just find out what it 
is ... ooh, if it's illegal, I'll have her ..."

Sarah:
Molly seems to just cook with magic.  Hermione once did an essay for 
Muggle Studies that was on "Why Muggles Need Electricity" or 
something to that effect.  Arthur is interested in electricity, but 
can't pronounce it.  Wizards don't seem to need it.

What I always wanted to know is how Kingsley was able to handle a 
high level desk job so efficiently.  He used the word "firelegs" a 
year earlier, and now he suddenly knows Windows 95?

justcorbly:
> Are their homes completely and always invisible?  If not, how do 
they avoid things like 
> council taxes or property taxes?  If they don't, how do they get 
the money to pay?

Sarah:
I don't think they're always invisible, but the postman doesn't know 
where the Burrow is.  No idea about taxes, but how to you tax someone 
if the postman can't find their house?

justcorbly:
> Are they all in the NHS?

What, so they could get absurd archaic treatments such as stitches?
  :)  Now why would they want to do that?

justcorbly:
> Come to think of it, what's the local school system's response when 
12-year-olds 
> suddenly drop out of school? 

Sarah:
I'm not the best person to give a "real world" answer to this, but 
they're 11, not 12, and I think that's when they'd be going on to 
secondary school anyway.  We see in the books that Dudley is going on 
to Smeltings the same year Harry is going to Hogwarts.

Sarah