[HPforGrownups] Why does Hermione's age matter?

[Penny & Bryce]

No: HPFGUIDX 29806

Hi --

Surfacing briefly ...

Amy Z wrote:

> Okay, we have a new crop of impassioned 1979- and 1980-advocates, so I'm
> going to ask them:  what do you think it tells us about Hermione if she is
> born in one year as opposed to the other?  L.O.O.N. that I am*, I can see
> the attraction of picking at canon for clues, researching Scottish cutoff
> dates, etc., but none of that explains the *meaning* of her age.  Can
> someone explain?

As best I can tell, it matters only in that it gives us insight into 
whether the Hogwarts Quill operates on a calendar year or a school year. 
  Not an earthshaking question, but there you go.  In other words, if 
you believe that Hermione is 10 months older than Harry (born 1979), you 
believe that Hogwarts has a Sept 1st cut-off date.  If you believe that 
she is 2 months younger (born 1980), you believe that Hogwarts operates 
on the calendar year system (everyone born in 1980) receives their 
letter at some point in the summer of 1991 (a mass mailing as someone 
suggested).  The question of her age bears, as best I can tell, only on 
how one interprets the JKR chat response regarding the Magical Quill 
recording the names of magical children & *when* the Hogwarts letter 
arrives for them.

Penny
(who believes Hermione was born in 1980 ... gut instinct & 
interpretation of calendar year operation of the Magical Quill)