Number of Students at Hogwarts

[luna_loco]

No: HPFGUIDX 68906

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lynnfaragher78"
<jamielynncarlson at h...> wrote:
>  
> There are 5 identical beds in Harrys room (Harry, Ron, Neville, 
> Seamus, and Dean)
> 
> 20 broomsticks for the Slytherins and Gryffindors class....
> 
> I then assume that there are 5 boys and 5 girls in each house and in 
> each year....
> 
> 40 new students per year, 70 students per house, and 280 students 
> total.......
> 
> Does that sound about right??? 
> 
> "lynnfaragher78"

The biggest problem with this arguement is that it assumes that
Harry's year is a typical year.

Harry was born at a time of great unrest in the wizarding community. 
Voldemort was at the peak of his power, and people on both sides of
the conflict were disappearing or dying at a higher than normal rate.
 In such times of uncertainty as this, it is quite plausible that the
birth rate among wizarding community took a short-term decline.  An
increase in the number of magical babies in the year following
Voldomort's disapperance would then seem likely, and would suggest a
larger number students.

Allen