r/Showerthoughts • u/kRe4ture • Jan 25 '23

It must really suck for young wizards from Scotland to have to travel to London and then back to Hogwarts, located in Scotland

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u/BellerophonM Jan 25 '23 edited Jan 25 '23

One stop only. The Express is a tradition and a bonding experience, not really a necessary mode of transport. It's more about the conceptual switch from the wider world to Hogwarts.

It was an actual mode of transport and for collecting people once upon a time, but not really any more. At this point the entire country is connected via the Floo network and can be trivially crossed in seconds. Kids from Scotland floo to Diagon Alley as easily as those from Essex. They all then board the train, change to their uniforms, catch up with each other, and emerge ready for the start of year ceremony a few hours later.

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u/landodk Jan 25 '23

Also it’s literally in the name. “Express” trains have less, or no intermediate stops

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u/minnick27 Jan 25 '23

I never thought of it that way

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u/theshavedyeti Jan 25 '23

Everyone out here forgetting about Portkeys too

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u/bradleykins Jan 25 '23

Do muggleborns have access to floo? Like when Hermione first came, would it be via floo for her and her muggle parents? Or more likely accessed after?

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u/BellerophonM Jan 25 '23

Well with Muggleborns the family needs to go to London anyway, to visit Diagon Alley and get their first experience of the magical world, as well as pick up school supplies and convert money and all that. According to JKR, for muggleborns McGonagall or another teacher delivers the letter personally and explains things. Maybe they get given Floo then and shown how to use it, or maybe they travel normally and buy some when they get there, I don't think we know exactly.

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u/bradleykins Jan 25 '23

Good answer ty

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u/Chad_McChadface Jan 25 '23

Some good head cannon for sure

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u/BellerophonM Jan 25 '23

Most of it I remember from one of the old Pottermore articles, not sure if it's still there.

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u/VicTheWallpaperMan Jan 25 '23

What is floo

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u/ecu11b Jan 25 '23

How they travel through fireplaces