Numbers & JKR (WAS Hermione's Age)

[maria_kirilenko]

No: HPFGUIDX 55682

Devika wrote:
>As far as the reasons for JKR's approval of the timeline are 
>concerned, the fact is that she *did* approve it.  It is now 
>official.  I think that a lot of us forget that this is JKR's work 
>first and foremost.  The fact that we are obsessed fans does not 
>mean that we have more information, or even as much information, 
>than JKR does about the world that she created.  

Me:

I don't think that the fact that merchandise is JKR-approved makes 
the information in it indisputable. Yes, it certainly is possible 
that Hermione is indeed younger than Harry, and since, according to 
someone's information, JKR edited in the date herself, that's 
probably true. However, the the truth remains that we don't know 
exactly how much input JKR had in the timeline, the amount of 
attention JKR had given it, and exactly how attentive the time-line 
writers (or, possibly, copiers) had been to her comments.  

>Many people have said that JKR is not very comfortable with numbers 
>based on her estimate of the Hogwarts population.  <snip>

Me:

Well, if you don't like the Hogwarts population example, there's a 
nice one of JKR not being careful with *days,* let alone with months 
and years. It's in GoF. The day before HHR go back to Hogwarts is 
said to be a Sunday, making the day of the Hogwarts Express trip a 
Monday, and, consequently, the first day of classes a Tuesday. But 
when HHR have breafast in the Great Hall on the said first day of 
classes, Ron looks at the *Monday* column of the schedule, and it 
becomes apparent from his words and the later events that the day is 
indeed a Monday.

I'm sure that someone can provide us with a long and comprehensive 
list of all number discrepancies.

I also vaguely recall that Moaning Myrtle's bathroom is said to be on 
the first floor in one instance in CoS, and on the second floor in 
another... but that, as someone (bboy_mn?) suggested, could be an 
inconsistent translation from the UK version to the US version.

As for Hogwarts numbers, one definitely does not need to be a math 
genius to figure out that 1000 students at 10 students per House per 
year is impossible. I'm inclined to believe JKR here, although I 
interpret the number 1000 as 'over 700.' I just think that harry's 
year is unusually small, due to murders of either children, or adults 
in the right age bracket.

>There could be any number of reasons for why JKR chose to give 
>Hermione a September birthday and make her younger than Harry and 
>Ron.  

I agree.

>Whatever the reason is, it is JKR's reason, and these are her 
>books and her characters, after all.  While many might disagree with 
>it, there doesn't seem to be any compelling reason for why it is 
>impossible.  

Impossible? No, there is no reason to think that, but some people 
think that it's unlikely.

>Whether or not WB and JKR used Steve's timeline as a 
>model is irrelevant to the debate on Hermione's age.

Yes, as Steve, apparently, did not have the date on his timeline.

>No one forced 
>JKR to accept all of the dates in the timeline.  If she had had any 
>major reason to make Hermione 13, then it would not have been 
>difficult for her to change that on the DVD timeline.  If JKR 
>verifies a timeline saying that Hermione turned 12 during her second 
>year, then I'm inclined to believe it, regardless of what we think 
>we know about JKR's mathematical abilities.  

Me:
Well, that timeline does have at least one definite mistake in it... 
<g> And you know what? With this new information about the timeline 
creation process(that JKR made notes on it, etc), I'm inclined to 
believe the date, too. Although I like to think that Hermione is 
older than Harry.

Maria, who loves JKR and finds Flints endearing.