OOP: Where was the guard?/Birthrate in Wizarding World

[Brooke]

No: HPFGUIDX 63179

Mindy said:
Can you explain where the Order members were that fateful night when
> the Death Eaters infiltrated the Department of Mysteries? They were
> guarding the prophecy so faithfully for months and months, and on 
that
> particular night when Voldemort lured Harry down to the DoM, no one 
was
> around to see them there? that's strange... how come they showed up
> later? Who tipped them off?
> 
> * This question, I haven't reaised yet, but I'm curious... Note the
> absence of a Maternity Department in St. Mungo's. What *is* the 
birthrate
> in the Wizarding World? You  never hear mention of someone being
> pregnant, someone giving birth... no one gets a new sibling or
> niece/nephew... no mention of people getting married either... 
There's
> like this huge generational gap between the Hogwarts generation and 
the
> MWPP generation.. No young couples? No little babies? Where do these
> people give birth, at home? or is there a separate hospital? 
> 
> Maybe we'll see a Bill/Fleur marriage in Book Six... it seems ppl 
have
> missed that vague reference in OoP...
> 
> I'm betting ten galleons that this post won't even get answered ;)
> 
> ~ M!ndy
> 
> A Molly Weasley wannabe



I know where you're coming from.  I myself have wondered about the 
lack of info in the wizarding world as to what is going on with the 
generations of Bill, Charlie and Percy.  Like whatever happened to 
Penelope?  And why aren't Bill & Charlie involved with any witches?  
Ahh... the more social mysteries of the books!  

But to your more important observation.  I was very annoyed at how 
much time the DA spent trying to ward of the Death Eaters until the 
Order FINALLY got there - where had then been?!?!  I think canon said 
that it was Snape who eventually realized that Harry probably went 
running off from Hogwarts to be the hero yet again (you gotta love 
Snape's sarcastic wit, right?)  

Where WAS that guard at the MoM?  Could he be a spy for either the 
Order or the Death Eaters?  Could Voldemort have planned a decoy to 
distract the Order at that time and thus keep them away from the 
Ministry as long as possible?  I think there is definitely a gaping 
mystery here as to what the Order had been up to at that time.  I am 
hoping that JKR will eventually reveal that to us.  After all, there 
was an awful lot of time that past between Harry trying to tell Snape 
in code ("He's got Padfoot!") what was up and when the Order finally 
got there.  

I am thinking there could possibly be a spy working for Voldemort who 
is maybe not IN the Order, but is associated someway with the order.  
Maybe Kreacher had a hand in keeping the Order from going to the 
MoM?  He did, afterall, lie to Harry about Sirius not being at 
Grimmauld Place...  more answers beget more questions!  JKR is 
driving us mad & we seem to love it!   
> 

Brooke