Number of Students

[vjmerri]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C6963
From: vjmerri
Subject: Re: Number of Students
Reply To: [Yahoo! #6886] Number of Students
Date: 8/16/00 12:54 am  (ET)

By: plinsenmayer
Date: 8/15/00 9:40 am

If only JKR knew how much we all debate this particular subject --
it would make a great interview question for her!
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Definitely. We could really use an answer to this one.

I wonder too if the gap between Charlie & Percy could also be partially
explained by the Voldemort years. That could well be the reason for the
"2 Weasley families."

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My problem is that I think the "2 weasley families" are more accurately
explained by JKR just not being able to keep track of every little
comment that each of her characters makes. More prosaic, less romantic,
but there you go.

<<<There are five boys, and we have only heard of three girls, but we
haven't been told that's all there are.>>>

Well, we may not have been told explicitly, but surely new Gryffindor
girl(s) aren't going to be introduced all of a sudden in Book 5.
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Actually, I think male wizards grow tails after they become adults around
age 18. We haven't heard that they don't.

After four books, it would be odd for her to suddenly mention more
students in Harry's house/year. In my opinion, it would seem almost like
trying to make a change to her previous four books, and she really does
seem to know where she is going most of the time. There would need to be
a really good reason as to why she hadn't mentioned the other students
previously, at least in passing, such as "Seasmus paired with another
griffindor 2nd year after Dean teamed with Ron and Harry with Neville."

>While we really have no idea for sure how many Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs &
Slytherins there are in Harry's year, I do think JKR has gone to some
trouble to describe Harry's fellow Gryffindors (the ones in his year
that is).

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I agree. I just can't see her introducing new Griffindor characters from
Harry's year at this point. After four books, she would surely have made
mention of others, even if only in passing, if she wanted us to think
they existed.

Brooks' concept has merit and explains small classes. There should be a
population explosion after Voldemort lost power which would mean larger
1st and 2nd years classes in the GoF year.

However, I was really surprised at someone's post that estimated
an english population of 10,000 based on 300 students and a world
population of 4,000,000 presumably based on their knowledge of the
relative populations of england & the world.

That's a LOT of witches/wizards, actually. If that's what 300 children
between 11 & 17 equate to, then there are a lot of wizarding folk out
there. That would also explain why 100,000 could come to the world cup
and yet the tickets would be tough to come by. 10,000 people could easily
support Hogsmeade & Diagon Alley.

vicki