Exeter college & "the old gang"

[raolin1 at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 29484

First, just a quick note on the JKR faq.  It says there that JKR went 
to Exeter University, which is a slight mislabeling.  Exeter College 
is the language and linguistics school of Oxford University.  It is 
also, as a note of trivia -- where JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis taught, 
although many years before JKRs time there, obviously.

Now, my real question.  I just finished GOF recently, and I was 
struck by Dumbledore's instructions to Sirius at the end: gather up 
the old gang (and then he mentions a few names, including Arabella 
Figg!) and lay low at Lupins.  Who is "the old gang?"  Certainly 
not "the old school gang" because Arabella Figg is not Black's age.  
And what is Dumbledore's connection to "the old gang?"

Here's my speculation: and let me be upfront is saying that it is 
completely unsupported by any textual data.  "The Old Gang" is 
probably an underground resistance-type organization that Dumbledore 
assembled in the worst of Voldemort's initial rise to power.  Quite 
possibly, James Potter figured very prominantly in this "old gang," 
making him a prime target for Voldemort.  Also, quite possibly "the 
old gang" is synonymous with the Order of the Phoenix, and will 
feature prominently in future books, including new members Harry, Ron 
and Hermione, as well as others.

Well, there you have it... any comments?

Joshua Dyal