[HPforGrownups] Re: Fertility, babies and such like

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 370

Vicki wrote:

>That basically sums up every student with whom we have a really close 
>relationship and would know about their parents.  Plus, Seamus and 
>his parents (I think they are still married); The Longbottoms, 
>several couples mentioned in voldy's gang; Cedric's parents; Justin 
>Finch mentioned his parents.
>
>I think there are lots of couples mentioned in HP.  In fact, I 
>conclude the opposite from what you seem to conclude, rather than not 
>having many couples, there are actually far more couples in the 
>wizarding world than there may be in the muggle world.  Dumbledore 
>mentions several pairs from "the old days."

Yes, with a few exceptions (some of the old gang, you're right), the couples
we encounter are the parents or guardians of the main characters and we can
assume that most of the other children, being children, have two parents
'behind the scenes'.  I was thinking more of the teachers and other
characters.  I don't agree that there are *more* couples in the wizarding.
In fact, my point was less about the number of couples [let's not have
another 'numbers of...' debate] and more about how strange it is that so
many of the key adult characters appear to be on their own and childless.     

>Actually, I don't think that JKR has thought about this in such 
>obvious terms, because it is exceptionally amazing that the 
>professors we know the best stay for Christmas and the ones that are 
>nothing but names go away for the holidays, but still, this is an 
>intra universe explanation that works.

I agree.  It's that old 'Star Trek' ensemble cast thing again [that's what
you mean by intra universe, I suppose].  There's no point in putting
Professor No-name, teacher of Ancient Runes, at the Christmas dinner table
unless you give him a few lines - "pass the salt, please" - so, he
conveniently shuffles off to slice the Yule Log with the unmentionable Mrs
No-name.  

**A knocking shop, since you asked, is slang meaning a place [workplace,
club, bar] where people seem to end up pairing off for sexual activity on an
unusually regular basis. Hogwarts Castle is not, therefore, a knocking shop. 

Neil
            Flying-Ford-Anglia

 *****************************************

   "Then, dented, scratched and steaming, 
   the car rumbled off into the darkness, 
   its rear lights blazing angrily"

 [Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]

 *****************************************