Wizard fertility (Re: Wizarding Life Span vs. Muggle Life Span)

[ats_fhc3 <the.gremlin@verizon.net>]

No: HPFGUIDX 47969

chthonia9 wrote:
It appears that in their youth, (up to their 30s - Sirius, Snape 
etc), wizards age similarly to Muggles."

Actually, it's been discussed, a long time ago, that the reason why 
Snape, Sirius, Lupin, and Peter look older than they really are, is 
because in their short lives, they have been through so much stress 
and tragedy and grief. Just look at Lupin. It's noted that he's a 
young-looking man, but his hair is grey. That's atrributed to the 
strain on his health when he transforms, but he has also lost all of 
his friends and left completely alone. 

Peter has spent the last 13 years in fear, and hiding as a rat. That 
explains everything.

Sirius has spent the last 13 years in Azkaban, living his worst 
nightmares over and over, knowing that he was indirectly responsible 
for his best friends' death.

Snape was a DE and probably relives his experiences in nightmares, 
and he's stuck in a job he hates. He's seen a lot of action, and is 
probably a little scared that V-Mort will catch up to him and kill 
him.

These four are really the only adults we know of in their mid-
30s...unless I'm missing someone.
   
"Given the small size of the school compared to the (assumed) size 
of the wizard population, presumably witches do bear more children 
than their muggle counterparts, over a longer period?  But wizard 
children can start their own families after a relatively short 
period."

Well, the Potters went and had a baby about 2 or 3 years after 
Hogwarts, so they do start their families quick. However, the 
families we have seen pretty much only have one child. I think all 
the boys in Harry's year, with the exception of Ron, are only 
children. Draco and Friends appear to all be only children. 

"So why do we hear so little about great-great-grandparents?
The extended family dynamics must be fiendishly complex..."

Well, I think we hear something of Ron's family and how big they 
are. Neville's family is quite large. But, yes, determinng who your 
great-great aunt, twice removed is must be interesting. I have a 
somewhat smaller family, and I still have to ask "who's that" after 
someone comes up to me and tells me that the last time they saw me I 
was "this" tall. Imagine if my relatives lived to be 200 years old...