Fat and senile wizards

[Steve <bboy_mn@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51220

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Torsten <sevothtarte at g...> wrote:
> I'd like to adress two points:
> 
> 1. Shouldn't wizards on average be overweight compared to muggles?
> They don't play any sports which actually requires the work of 
> muscles (and as for the Quidditch  players, only the Beaters truly 
> exercize). They have no P.E. classes in school. 
> ...edited...
> -end this part-

bboy_mn:

Wizards? or Wizard School Students?

I think Grey Wolf already pointed out that not that many muggles get
much excersize, and when they do, they do it all wrong; too much, too
fast, and with little or no preperation.

>From what I see (or read, I guess) magic people don't seem especially
lazy. When they are in Diagon Alley, they don't seem to apparate from
Fortescue's to the Leaky Cauldron (for example), they walk down the
street. I've been with friends in downtown Minneapolis who took the
bus for one block. I walked the same distance and got there at the
same time they did. 

I would put them on a par in terms of excersize with muggles, but they
have two advantages. First, no real 'fast food' (Grey Wolf already
pointed that out), and they can conjure food. When Mrs. Weasley is
cooking, she makes a white sauce come out of her wand. In all
likelihood, because 'white sauces' tend to be very rich and fatty, she
 conjured it because they would all get the pleasure of eating it, but
an hour or so later, it would vanish. That would be sooooo cool. You
could eat ice cream ten times a day, and never gain an ounce. You
could sit down and eat a whole pie, but if it was conjure from
nothing, then that indeed is what it is, nothing.

So wizards and witches are in a position to eat a relatively rich and
flavorful diet without getting th calory overload that we mere muggles do.

PE (Physical Education)? How about climbing up and down a mountain
(actually sloping lawns) several times a day, or how about climbing
dozens of long staircases carrying big bags of books all day long.

It's over seven floors up and seven floors down, just to go eat
dinner. Also let's keep in mind that an old castle like this does not
have standard 8 foot ceilings. Low ceilings are probably 15 ft., high
ceilings in this building are probably 20 to 30ft., and the Entrance
Hall and Great Hall are probably 140ft. So stairs taking you up to the
seventh floor level, are probably closer to a 12 to 14 story standard
building. I'd say they get plenty of excersize.

Quidditch? Well, I suspect that saying Quidditch is no excersize is
like saying Motocross (motorcycle type) is no excersize because all
you do is ride the motorcycle, it does all the work. But, if you check
into it, you will find the Motocross motorcycle racing is an extremely
grueling sport. Despite what Harry claims about his great brooms, I
don't think they are effortless to fly, especially in a fast paced
highly maneuverable game like Quidditch. I'm sure there are a lot of
sports that are more physically challenging but I think it's more
challenging than you would think.

bboy_mn


> 2. Some have said the interpret the repeated mentions of Dumbledore 
> looking old and worn as signs he'll die soon. What if ... loses
> ...his mental fitness ... spell casting  ability due to old age?
>
> Voldemort, ...comparatively young, already invested ... much into
>  his search for immortality? ... and he wants to gain it (young 
> immortality) before his ability to work magic is diminished .... 
> ... if Dumbledore ... live(s) another decade or two, in time 
> Voldemort will be stronger ... because Dumbledore  suffers from old 
> age ...
> 
> What do you think?
> 
> Torsten

bboy_mn:
Well, you certainly have a point. While some don't agree, I use 100yrs
vs 200yrs to compare Muggle to wizard's lifespan. Adjusting
Dumbledore's age, in muggle years, he is about 75, that's not real
young. Certainly, there are a lot of people in our society who are
brilliant and productive at 75, but you are also starting to wear
down.  Dumbledore could very probably live another 50 years, possibly
more, but there is no denying that he is old, and that has too take a
toll.

There are some who speculate that Dumbledore will die in the series,
considering how old he is and the magnitude of the fight ahead, I
suspect that not only will he die in the end, but his performance will
be limited while he is alive. He may be a powerful man and a powerful
wizard, but the demands of war can be very physically and mentally
grueling.

Let's face it, was is a young mans game. Old men make war, and then
they send their children out to fight them. Sad but true.

I guess I don't really have a strong point other than to agree with
you, we will see Dumbldore's limitation because of his age before the
story ends.

Just a few rambling thoughts.

bboy_mn