Random ideas

[ggershman77 <ggershman77@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51689

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mysmacek <mysmacek at y...>" 
<mysmacek at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tom Wall <thomasmwall at y...>"
> <thomasmwall at y...> wrote:
> > mysmacek writes:
> > - it seems to me, that during POA, there has to be about 10 first
> > years in each house - certainly less than 20. The canon for that 
is
> > that for R&H to miss the sorting ceremony, it would have to be a
> > really short one, since their calling off by McGonnagall does not 
seem
> > like a long one - and don't forget that the ceremony did not start
> > when they left.
> > 
> > Me:
> > Scholastic's website has several JKR Q&A sessions online.  
> > 
> > Here's the URL for the following canon:
> > http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/transcript2.htm
> > 
> > Q: How many students attend Hogwarts, and how many 
> >    students per year per house? 
> > A: There are about a thousand students at Hogwarts.
> ....
> > So, about 35 students per year per house.
> 
> I know the above quote. But, IMHO, what's in the book takes 
precedence
> :-) - and I tried to show above that at least in the year I 
mentioned,
> there had to be < 20 first years per house. Do you have better
> explanation?
>  
> Mysmacek

In SS/PS, when they have their first flying lesson with the 
Slytherins, the text states:

"The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks 
lying in neat lines on the ground."

They had flying lessons with the Slytherins, so if we divide that up, 
it puts 10 students per year, per house.  The Gryffindors we know of 
are Harry, Ron, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Hermione, Parvati and 
Lavender.  So there are either 2 other girls or boys in the first 
year of Gryffindor, or 12 Slytherins.

Either way, it doesnt look good for estimates anywhere above 10.

Greg
Harry Potter Prognostications
http://hpprogs.blogspot.com/