Ages of Hogwarts First Years (was Ron & Quidditch)

[Trina]

No: HPFGUIDX 11860

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Ebony Elizabeth Thomas" <ebonyink at h...> 
wrote:
> 
> I think if she was a seventh year at the time, it would have 
automatically been assumed that she is seventeen, and Harry would 
have never thought to ask if she was.  I read the conversation as 
rationalizing to the reader *why* someone previously assumed to have 
been in the same year as the twins/Chasers was able to enter the 
contest.
> 
> This gets right back into our debate about the Hogwarts cut-off 
date for entrance.  *Must* the child be 11 on September 1?  If so, 
then Angelina is a sixth year in GoF.  However, that means that 
Hermione's almost a year older than Harry and perhaps older than Ron 
as well, since JKR has expressly stated that her birthday is 
September 19.  (Sidenote--*why* hasn't anyone asked JKR about Ron's 
birthday?)
> 


I believe Hermione was a "young" first year student and was 10 years 
old for the 1st two and a half weeks of term.  My basis for this is 
that *my* birthday is September 18 (oh if only Jo had made Hermione's 
birthday on the 18th!)  and I was only 4 when I started kindergarten, 
but soon turned 5.  I was always one of the youngest in my class and 
graduated high school at age of 17.  

Also, Jo has said that a magical quill writes the names of all 
magical children born and they are then notified the *year* they turn 
11.  So I think that, for example, all children who turn 11 in 2001 
would be first years in the 2001-2002 school year.  (Just because the 
Muggle schools have a cut-off date of September 1 doesn't necessarily 
mean that the wizard schools do.)  

My two knuts.

Trina