Bill's Visit, other Bill questions

[greatlit2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 86931

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "meriaugust" <meriaugust at y...> 
wrote:

> I always thought, since the ages of the two eldest Weasly children 
> are so ambiguous, that it meant that five years ago was when he 
had 
> graduated from Hogwarts, making him about twenty three or four in 
> GoF and making Charlie about twenty one or two. And I know that 
> someone will come back with the quote about how Gryffindor hadn't 
> won the Quidditch cup for seven years since Charlie left, but it 
is 
> never said that the last cup they won was in Charlie's senior 
year, 
> so it is entirely possible that they won in Charlie's third or 
> fourth year (when he was about 14). 

But Charlie was supposed to be a great Quidditch player, a legend at 
Hogwarts. I think Oliver Wood told Harry in the first year that 
Charlie could have played for the national team if he hadn't pursued 
a career with dragons. So, I think that it is a safe assumption that 
Charlie, as the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, would have won in his 
last year (or at least in his sixth year). So Charlie would have to 
be at least 12 years older than Ron, making him in his mid 20s in 
GoF.  
I have some questions regarding Bill. Was he at Hogwarts when Snape 
first started teaching there? If not, how does Bill know Snape? In 
OoP, in Grimmauld Pl, when the kids are telling Harry about the 
Order, Ginny mentions that Bill doesn't like Snape either. (sorry I 
don't have my book with me for page numbers). This comment by Ginny 
has always seemed a bit odd to me, a bit out of place. The kids 
rarely talk about Bill or Charlie, and we know next to nothing about 
these characters' beliefs. A comment thrown into the conversation 
like that is just unusual. How would Bill, presumably spending years 
in Egypt, know Snape enough to dislike him? I think it highly likely 
that something permanently bad will happen to one of the Weasleys, 
whether they die or turn out to be a traitor. Percy is the obvious 
choice, so knowing JKR, it won't be him. I have noticed that in the 
past two books, a "cool" person has died. First Cedric, and then 
Sirius. Bill is also described as being cool in GoF. A clue or a red 
herring?

Any thoughts?

greatlit2003
awaiting Book 6 already