This weeks thoughts:

So to preface if u don't know what happens in 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (I spelt that without any help) go watch/ read it and come back for context (or not, it doesn't rly matter I'll do an intro anyway 🙃).

General intro to the knight bus:

In 1865, the Minister for Magic Dugald McPhail (who was a Hufflepuff!! I think that speaks to the amazingness of Hufflepuff house) introduced a new 'bus service' called the Knight Bus to the magical community. The Knight bus is a purple, triple-decker bus fit with seats for the day and beds for night. It is a mode of transportation or place of refuge for witches and wizards in the Harry Potter universe. It is obviously magical, so it can travel rly quickly, jump from place to place in an instant, is invisible to muggles, squeeze though objects and probs do a lot more that my muggle brain does not know about.

The interesting alludes in the name 'Knight bus' that I think everyone knows but it adds to y it's cool:

1. 'knight' is a homonym of night which alludes to the bus's constant 24/7 service.

2. 'knight' gives hints to coming to the rescue and protection which is it's purpose as a place of refuge for witches and wizards in need.

Purpose:

So the whole notion of the Knight Bus is so amazing because it's purpose is not only to provide transport to people who don't enjoy apparition, flying or portkeys (which quite frankly is fair) but to also to help out and provide a place to stay to anyone who needs it (no matter how far away they are). The witch or wizard must simply raise their wand arm (in a desperate way) and the bus will turn up within a few seconds. I think the general notion of having such easy access to help or a service in a community is smth that I wish could be implemented into the real world. Unfortunately, even though resources and support are available in many aspects, I think we still have a long way to go😢.

Acceptance in society and our world:

So the Knight Bus wasn't accepted by some 'pureblood' wizards (although most people welcomed the change) because they said that it was 'a muggle invention' etc. and that it was a disgrace to society. Given the context of JK Rowling's vocal transphobia this really brings up how fiction reflects the world we live in as well as the conversations around separating the art from the artist (click here if u missed last weeks post on that).

Side note of smth I want but probs will never get:

These National Geographic maps. I rly want to put them on my walls but like it's kinda expensive and I feel like I don't really 'want want' them. Shout out to this Alps one it's cool.

Hope you have a charming week

C