Latin lovers, DE dress code, Molly's age

[pigwidgeon37 at yahoo.it]

No: HPFGUIDX 21354

Thanks to everybody for having revived the "Why latin?" discussion. I 
simply love that language and liked the spell formulas JKR has 
imagined. Thinking a bit more about it, frankly I wouldn't put it 
past her having consulted medieval sources and having taken formulas 
directly from there. Having done not only classic, but also medieval 
latin (even if that was hundred years ago), I remember most clearly 
how incorrectly the more popular medieval texts use latin. 
There would be a lot of wrong verb endings and lots of influences 
from other languages (e.g. "Alohomora" strikes me more as an arabian 
influence)

Eric wrote:
"For that matter, how did they get into their robes so quickly?  I'm 
sure
that it would be a _tad_ suspicious for (spoiler) who destroys 
dangerous
beasties for the Ministry of Magic, if the cleaning staff found his 
Official
Death Eater Robe(tm) in his closet at work one day.  Places like the
Malfoys' manor probably have enough hiding places for tons of DE 
gear, but
not everybody's got a manor to play with."

GoF is certainly the one of the four books I've read most times, and 
I don't remember any indication about special robes the DE wore. 
Wouldn't it be just a *bit* ridiculous to imagine everybody dashing 
through the house (if he or she is at home!) in search for 
his "uniform" in order to Apparate correctly dressed? I think you 
have done quite a job of a"Ridikkulus" charm about that. 

still Eric:
"And, one final thought---is it a requirement that DEs must be able to
Apparate?  It would certainly come in very handy, but I don't think 
Wormtail
could, otherwise he'd have done it when he set up Sirius Black.  
Maybe this
is a requirement only for the highest ranks of the organization---as 
I've
said before, I do not think for a second that the people we saw in the
graveyard are anything like the total number of DEs.  Voldemort would
probably only summon the highest-ranking members to him at such an 
occasion."

IMHO, DEs *are* the most powerful wizards around and to them, 
Apparating is just a piece of cake. Wormtail never was part of the 
group and will be admitted as long as he is useful and obedient. 
Although I have no warm feelings towards him, I'm a bit afraid for 
him. IMO, he will die in a rather nasty way.

Rita wrote:
"During that digression, I was checking my time-line, which says that 
Percy was born during Bill's first year at Hogwarts and the twins 
were born during Charlie's first year at Hogwarts, so if child[ren] 
born between Charlie and Percy were killed while Bill and Charlie 
were at school, such as while Mrs. Weasley had gone to hospital to 
birth the twins, the question would be 'why did Percy survive?"

well, because he probably bored his murderer to death before he could 
harm him.
But seriously: How did you get those time lines? I agree with you 
that it's much more sensible to reconstruct relative time-lines 
without exact dates, but did you take into consideration that,if 
yours was correct, Mrs. Weasly in GoF would have arrived at the 
venerable age of about 58? She certainly strikes me more as an about 
45 year-old.

Susanna