Coming of age in the WW

[gulplum]

No: HPFGUIDX 86913

Geoff Bannister replied to my previous comments:

> Returning to Gred and Forge. They are two years ahead of Harry and 
> Ron in Hogwarts, so they are in the Upper Sixth in OOTP - they 
> already had their OWL results at the beginning of GOF.

Apologies. I made a mistake in my previous post, and should have 
stated that under Wizarding World rules, Gred & Forge would have been 
considered adults from the middle of *GoF*, not *OoP* (that's what 
happens when one attempts to be coherent at 2.30am). 

Technically, they could have given up on Hogwarts at the end of 
PoA/beginning of GoF, after getting their OWL results (if it is to be 
assumed that the legal implications of having sat OWLs mirrors the 
real-world implications of having completed GCSEs). It's clear to me 
that they really would have liked to have done so, but as they had no 
capital at that stage to start their business (and nowhere else to 
live), they were dependant on their parents' hospitality and thus had 
to accede to Molly's evident desire that they sit their NEWTs. 

Of course, they got their capital at the end of GoF and took 
advantage of their being at Hogwarts to have an opportunity test 
their new products during OoP, but otherwise they had no educational 
reason to remain at Hogwarts. 

Despite their child-like natures, they're clearly mature enough to 
have considered their options and knew that their best course of 
action was to bear Hogwarts as long as they could, and their age 
wasn't really a factor in determining at what point they'd leave. 
Without Umbridge's interference, they probably would have stayed 
until the end of the year (and done very poorly at their NEWTS). 

Despite everything, they love their parents and wouldn't deliberately 
do anything to hurt them. They know that Molly is aware that they're 
a bit wild and take advantage of the leeway she accords them, but 
they do know their limits. 

I find it interesting that their "Accio brooms" worked - I would 
assume that pupils' property confiscated by Hogwarts staff would 
somehow be impervious to magical methods of getting it back 
(otherwise there'd be no point in confiscating it). The fact that 
these assumed protections are "suspended" in this case indicates to 
me that the school itself somehow knows that some pupils have a right 
not to be there and thus school rules no longer apply. 

Before making the incantation, they make it clear (in not so many 
words) that they have no desire to be there, and thus should no 
longer be considered bound by pupils' obligations.

-- 
GulPlum AKA Richard, who eagerly awaits the moment Harry gets his 
Firebolt back.