Hermione's age - why it matters (was Canon disagreement; author intent)

[Penny Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 39444

Hi --

Haven't read Dave's original post in full yet but ....

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., dfrankiswork at n... wrote:

<<Another hoary debate is over Hermione's age: is she nearly 11 or 
nearly 12 at the begining of PS?  It has produced some pretty 
impassioned writing on both sides.  However, when interested listies 
outside the debate asked (more than once) why it mattered, hardly 
anyone was able to explain it - only Penny really rose to the 
challenge, and she struggled, IMO.>>

Gee, thanks, Dave!  Struggled??!  

The significance of the question, as I see it, is that it bears on the question of whether students receive their Hogwarts admission letter during the calendar year in which they turn 11 (which would make Hermione 2 mths younger than Harry) or only after they've turned 11 (which would make Hermione 10 mths older than Harry).  That's not an earth-shattering issue, to be sure, but as Ali says, it ought to be one of those things that we just "know."  It's pretty factual, and fanfic authors would certainly be interested in getting it right.

Although I've typically argued that Hermione is 2 mths younger than Harry (1980 birth year) because I believe that the Hogwarts admission letter operates on a calendar year basis (there's that bit in the interview where JKR says that each *year* the Magical Quill records the birth of magical children -- rough paraphrase) .... I do note that I found a bit of 1979 evidence while recently re-listening to GoF.

Regarding the age line, Dumbledore says "only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years of age or older -- will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration......and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them....."

This implies that 6th year students can be 17 yrs old.  I see that Alicia Spinnet is a 4th year in CoS, so she's a 6th yr in GoF.  But, Angelina Johnson, who has her birthday in late Oct & puts her name in as a legitimate 17 yr old -- do we know if she was a 6th or 7th year student?  Since she went to the Ball with Fred and it just "seems" like all 3 chasers are the same age, I'd be inclined to think that Angelina *was* a 6th yr in GoF.  Anyone have any canon to contradict that?  Oh Angelina Johnson Expert Extraordinaire, Ebony???

*If* Angelina is a 6th year in GoF, then it would seem pretty solid proof that Hermione is 10 mths older than Harry as the system must work so that a student doesn't get his letter until he turns 11 & must wait until the beginning of the next term to start at Hogwarts.  Hermione would have been forced to wait nearly an entire year if she received her letter in mid September 1990!  One can imagine that *this* might explain how she has all the coursebooks memorized, yes?  <g>

In any case, it appears that Dumbedore believes there *are* some 6th year students who would be 17 in time to enter the Tournament ... so even if Angelina is a 7th year, I think the argument still holds.  

I also note that 17 is apparently "of age" in the wizarding world.  So, Harry will be an adult at the beginning of Book 7.  :--D

Penny
(who's still muttering about having her argument labelled a "struggle" ....)





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