Hogwarts Graduation

[alhewison]

No: HPFGUIDX 37585

:
> 
> > GulPlum wrote:

> > Much as this may seem strange to most non-British ears, English 
kids 
> > just "leave" school, and in most cases there's absolutely no 
fanfare 
> > about it. Some schools (but more usually the pupils themselves, 
> > independently) might have an "end of exams" party, and I'd expect 
> > Hogwarts to be no different. But there is no big celebration, no 
> > speeches, no silly costumes, etc. 
> > 
> > Finishing one's compulsory education is perhaps the biggest anti-
> > climax in any English person's life. I expect the end of Harry's 
> > seventh year will be just a little more exciting, but that's only 
> > because it'll be the end of the story (and presumably, of 
> > Voldemort...). If they have any celebrations, it won't be because 
> > they're leaving Hogwarts, but because the war's over.

> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "finwitch" <finwitch at y...> wrote

> Quite interesting... but Hogwarts might have a tradition that's 
> different. Such as a special ceremony including only those 
recieving 
> their NEWT-results, their families and teachers. This would include 
a 
> few speeches, perhaps music and public recieving of their 
certificate 
> and possible scholarships. Formal dress-robes. And certainly a 
little 
> bit of magic. After all, there isn't any university. Hogwarts is 
the 
> highest education in Wizard World.
> 
> And... I think that the Weasley twins will organise a party if the 
> school doesn't! I guess they'd manage to gain Dumbledore's approval 
> for it... Say they'll give teachers some feedback in form of a song 
> and a gift. Such custom does exist in Finland at least.

The problem with this kind of party is that if it follows the English 
exam system, they will not get their results until the middle of the 
holidays, weeks after they have left Hogwarts. There does seem to be 
a bit of confusion in Canon on this though. I think from memory that 
Percy gets his OWL results in the middle of the holidays, but the 
twins get theirs at the end of the school term. We are not told when 
Percy gets his NEWTS.

I am sure you're right, and that the twins will have a big party at 
the end of term - and when they get their results. At my school we 
had a big party when we finished our lessons (i.e. before our 
A'Levels even started); alot more celebrating when the exams had 
finished, and still more celebrating weeks later when we got our 
results. It's not that I think that Hogwarts students won't 
celebrate, I'm sure that they will. It's just the idea of a 
formal "Graduation-style ceremony" that doesn't seem right.

I am also not exactly sure what the students would be graduates of. 
We have still not been told what exactly "qualifies" a wizard, as a 
wizard. Thus someone could finish at Hogwarts with only a few OWLs - 
would they then be a "graduate" wizard? Given that students leave 
English schools with Public Exams both at the age of 16 and 18, when 
would it be appropriate to have such a ceremony? Would you be a 
graduate if you got 1 NEWT or 3 NEWTS?

I think that you can expect a big party (assuming there are enough of 
them left to party), and maybe even a special meal just for the 
leavers, but nothing more.

Ali

who apologises for not taking the meaning of "wench" too literally in 
a previous post - and still feels very embarassed about it!