The Quality of a Hogwarts Education

[bboyminn]

No: HPFGUIDX 188165



--- "Rick H. Kennerly" <rhkennerly at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> > Modern wizard education may be failing to turn out well rounded
> > people, but it is failing no worse than common modern muggle
> > education.
> >   
> 
> ...
> 
> I read Jane Austen books (and see the movies) and I can't 
> help but think how boring life was for those people living 
> it, not to mention somebody that had experienced life in the
> late 19th or 20th century.  There are no really clear 
> advantages (other than finding love) for Hg to choose 
> the WW over Muggleville. 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Rick Kennerly
> Virginia Beach, VA
> www.mouseherder.com 

bboyminn:

But you assume the only choices are one world or the other, 
I suspect there are many who live quite comfortably in both
worlds. 

As to washing clothes, you can simply charm them clean; no 
waste, no water, no pollution, no energy resources.

And how is casting a charm to start the dishes washing 
themselves any different than chucking them in the dishwasher
and pushing a button? 

Back to the point of living in both worlds, I've always 
suspect, though have no direct canon to prove, that there
are people who specifically make their living standing on 
the border of both world. Say for example a green grocer
who is a muggle-born. He may sell fruits and vegetables into 
the wizard world under the table and make a very handsome
profit. 

I'm sure there are many other goods and services that
are discretely transferred between the worlds. Though 
obviously nothing enchanted could make its way into the 
muggle world.

Think of cabinet making, a fine crafted old-world cabinet can
be make with magic, but at the same time not have any actual 
magic in it. That could certainly be sold in fine custom muggle
furniture shops.

The wizard world needs countless mundane things, that could be
brought in from the muggle world for a very low price and sold
for a profit. 

Food and other parishable seem the most obvious object to 
transfer between worlds. If there is a demand, then you can
be sure there is a wizard, probably muggle-born, ready to fill
the need. 

Housing is another example, we know most wizard live quietly
among muggles, as in Godrics Hollow. There is only one true
all wizards village and that is the remote Hogsmead. So, how
to magical people manage to navigate the world of muggle
real estate? Simply, they have help from muggle-borns who are 
familiar with the process. There could even be a dummy 
corporation, that acts as an agent for wizards in various
transactions. 

The possibilities for people who straddle the line between
worlds is near endless. Consider Petunia's letter to Dumbledore
that was sent by common muggle post, that none the less made it
to Dumbledore. While it is not clearly stated, it seem
inevitable that there are many people who work across the 
boundaries of both worlds. 

So, like I said, if Hermione wants to go to a muggle university
and make a living as a muggle, there is really nothing to stop
her but a few details that she could surely overcome. 

Harry to could easily intergrate himself in to some muggle
job, though he seems to have done well in the wizard world,
ultimately becoming the head of the Magic Law Enforcement
office. 

I've even speculated that Fred and George, or I guess only 
George now, who do not seem adverse to the muggle world, might
try to find products they could market to muggles. The wizard
world seems small, and if an enterprising wizard could find a
legal way to make money off of muggles, I'm sure there would
be nothing to stop them.  

I guess my point is that the world of Muggle-borns is not 
as limited as you are making it out. Pureblood magical people
like the Weasley are certainly out of their element more in
the muggle world, but Ron did manage to get a driver's license,
even if he did cheat a bit. So, it is not impossible for a
pureblood to interact sucessfully with the muggle world,
especially not 20 years in the future. 

If anything, I think muggleborns and those in close association
with them have an advantage in both worlds, that could easily
turn to, if not profit, then certainly to their benefit. 

Many millionaires are failures as students. The academic world
was just too stiffling and ridged for them; moving much too
slowly. So, they get there education in the field, and turned
knowledge and ambition into wealth. 

I honestly don't think Hermoine's lack of a full muggle
education slowed her down in any way. I suspect she is more
than capable of doing whatever she wants.

Steve/bboyminn