[HPforGrownups] Re: Hogwarts numbers

[Trond Michelsen]

No: HPFGUIDX 51965

On Sun, Feb 09, 2003 at 07:16:33PM -0000, Tom Wall <thomasmwall at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Ffred wrote:
> Plus we are told that failing the end 
> of year exams means losing the Hogwarts 
> place. So the failures in the first 4 
> years end up _somewhere_ (though we 
> haven't as yet heard of anyone 
> actually failing in the story).
> 
> Tom Wall:
> Well, I know that this is disputed,
> but if you're willing to accept 
> interviews with JKR as a valid form
> of canon, then JKR provides an answer 
> related to this question.
> 
> The interview is posted at:
> 
> http://www.mugglenet.com/scholchat1.shtml
> 
> Q: In the first book you said Slytherin house Quidditch captain was 
> sixth year Marcus Flint. If there are only seven years of Hogwarts, 
> why is he in the third book?
> 
> A: He had to do a year again! :-) 

Unfortunately, the Marcus Flint story is a bit more complicated than
that. In newer editions of the first book, Flint is a fifth year. 
To me, that means that there are two possibilities:

1. JKR told the truth in the interview, and somebody at Bloomsbury
   wrongfully decided to edit the first book.
2. JKR made a mistake in PoA, and her comment is just a humorous attempt
   to cover it up. The change in the first book was made to fix the
   inconcistency.

Which possibility is the most likely? Well, that depends on whether you
think JKR could possibly make a mistake in the books *cough* wand order
*cough* or not, I guess. 

-- 
  // Trond Michelsen
\X/  mike at crusaders.no