[HPforGrownups] How wealthy is Harry Potter?

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 16741

Rena said:

<<I don't know about the very large fortune part, because when Harry saw the
firebolt for the first time, he wanted it, but then reconsidered. He had to
make the money last through another five years of schooling. This makes me
think, that his fortune might be enough to get him through school and maybe
a year or two afterwards if he's careful, but definitely not enough to grant
him unlimited spending.>>

That's a very good point, Rena, and if he did have a vast fortune, he might
have considered buying, or been advised to buy, himself a house and get away
from the Dursleys for good (or perhaps become a permanent tenant  at The
Leaky Cauldron?).  It wouldn't make sense for someone so independently
wealthy to be living in a poky bedroom at his Aunt and Uncle's house, would
it?

I think this ties in with the POV discussion we were having: i.e., to what
extent does Harry realise the extent of his wealth and to what extent is
this concept of "a small fortune" a third person perspective?  Is it
possible that he is more wealthy than he realises?

With regard to the school fees, I suppose we can assume they are not
exorbitant, since the Weasleys have four or five of their children at the
school at any one time and will have put all seven of them through the
school by the time Ginny leaves.  I guess we could conclude that the
Weasleys are so poor *because* they've had to put their children through
Hogwarts; if not, where on earth do they find the money to do it?  How,
indeed, do any of the parents of Hogwarts' students find the money, and what
happens to the children of those who can't afford it?

When Harry handed over his Triwizard winnings to the twins at the end of
GoF, he obviously wanted them to have the money and it did seem to be in the
spirit of generosity, but how much did he realise the value of this gesture?
Did the money represent, say, a year's schooling to him, or a molehill in
his mountain of Galleons?

Neil
________________________________________

Flying Ford Anglia

"Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose,
was rising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint
of gold in his hand." ["The Quidditch World Cup", GoF]

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