Number of Students

[pt4ever]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C6422
From: pt4ever
Subject: Re: Number of Students
Reply To: [Yahoo! #6404] Number of Students
Date: 8/9/00 2:50 pm  (ET)

>>>
I still think the *preponderence* of the evidence suggests a student body
of 225-300 students. That would still qualify as "hundreds" of faces
watching Harry being sorted from SS. It probably looked like hundreds
in any case -- he was completely nervous at that point.

I'm with Joywitch -- the 200 Slytherin supporters at that Quidditch match
must have included a fair number of alumni and/or Hogsmeade residents.
>>>

This is from Chapter 31, "The Third Task," on page 620 of the First
American Edition of GoF:

"Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full
of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students
filed into their seats."

Note that it says hundreds of *students* rather than hundreds of *people,*
therefore excluding faculty, alumni, family, etc. (Although I'm sure
faculty, alumni, family, etc. were present as well). This means that
there has to be at least 200 students to constitute usage of the word
"hundreds." I think I agree with Penny and Joywitch's theory as well! :-)

-- JoAnna