Meaning of FLINT

[davewitley]

No: HPFGUIDX 39637

Grey Wolf wrote:

> A quick visit to Inish Alley (our database of ever-growing number 
of 
> acronyms) reveals: 
> F.L.I.N.T. (Flint-Like Inconsistencies Nitpicked Triumphantly)
> (reference to the Slytherin Quidditch captain, whom JKR 
accidentally 
> kept on as captain after he should actually have left school: a 
genuine 
> admitted mistake).
> 
> FLINT is invoked at any time someone believes JKR has made an 
internal 
> inconsistency of the Potterverse: something that goes against the 
rules 
> she has set herself. Sometimes, it's interesting to note, those 
errors 
> can be explained even when JKR herself admits it wasn't thought out 
to 
> be like that: Flint, Marcus, failed his OWLS and had to repeat a 
year, 
> which is why he's still around in PoA.

>From www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/transcript1.htm

"Q: In the first book you said Slytherin house Quidditch captain was 
sixth year Marcus Flint. If there are only seven years of Hogwarts, 
why is he in the third book?  

JKR: He had to do a year again! :-)  "

courtesy of the Goat search engine 
(www.geocities.com/aberforths_goat/)

Unless there is another interview I've missed, she ain't admitting 
nothing, so it seems we may have a Flint in the Alley.  The most 
likely reason for doing a year again would be a NEWT failure, though 
OWL failure is a possibility.  (As an aside, we don't yet know if 
leaving school after completing OWLs is an option for Hogwarts 
pupils, as it would be in Muggle schools.)

The Inish Alley quote is from a post by Tabouli (32909) - I will try 
to remember to ask her about it when she Apparates here in a few days 
time.

David