Coming Of Age

[harrypotterfanatic2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 75671

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Susan Atherton" <suzloua at h...> 
> 16 - legal to: get a National Insurance card, and therefore get a
job better than a paper round
>                 : be in a pub and order a soft drink 
>                 : be in a pub and drink an alcoholic drink with a
meal if someone over 18 buys it for you.
>                 : have sexual intercourse (heterosexual)
>                 : buy cigarettes


16 is legal for sex in the UK?  Isn't it 17 in the US?
JKR has said that her characters would be 'growing up' realistically.

 So would this mean that technically, in Book 6 (assuming that they
are dating), Krum (19) can sleep with Hermione (16) without social
stigma or legal statutory rape??

Maybe it's the legalistic, "16 is too young" mentality in me, but 
that strikes me as wrong...I mean, 16 is too young to drive, but old 
enough for sex with a 20, 30 year old?  

I guess the legislators in Britain have set this age for a reason, but
would this be crossing the line for Harry Potter??