Do all wizards go to school?

[gwendolyngrace]

No: HPFGUIDX 37432

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "flower_fairy12" <graceofmyheart at h...> wrote:
> I don't think Stan did go to Hogwarts, for the simple reason that if
> he is only a few years older than Harry (about 18) then he would have
> seen Harry in his first year at Hogwarts at least.


Several things on this one.

First, Stan may have gone to Hogwarts, graduated in Harry's first or
second year, and Harry still may not have ahad any reason to notice
him. If Stan was in a different house (we're guessing Hufflepuff) and
at least 5 years older than Harry, why would Harry have seen him among
the sea of other students (250 or 1000, if you don't have contact, you
don't have contact)?

Second, Stan may have gone to Hogwarts, but not every student may stay
for NEWTs. If a student isn't planning to try for a difficult job, and
especially if there is no higher education (Rowling says there isn't),
and furthermore with the more old-fashioned culture of the wizarding
world, it's entirely possible that many students leave after their 5th
year and their OWLs. "Ordinary Wizarding Levels" sound a lot more like
comprehensive low-level exams than "Nastily Exhausting Wizarding
Tests." So it's possible Stan left before Harry arrived, if only just.

Third, Stan could have finished out a full 7 years and Harry may just
be underestimating his age by a year or two.

And fourth, it's possible that only a certain number of wizard kids
attend school, and others who are less magical go through some type of
guild training--apprenticing and then becoming a journeyman labourer
in their field. Stan may be a journeyman on the Night Bus, and he'll
take over driving when Ernie shuffles off his mortal coil.

Gwendolyn Grace