Arthur and Molly Weasly

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 58584

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cgbrennan2003" <cgbrennan at a...> 
wrote:
 
> Okay, please check my facts and my math, but at the time of CofS, 
> isn't it established that Hagrid is 63 years old?  The diary is from 
> 50 years ago, and Hagrid was 13 when it happened.  If Mrs. Weasly 
was 
> at school before Hagrid, that would put her at least in her sixties. 
 
> Ginny is 11 years old in CofS, so Mrs. Weasly would have had to have 
> her in her fifties when she gave birth to Ginny!  
> Thoughts?

Annemehr:

This seems quite reasonable to me, for two reasons:

1. We know from JKR that wizards have a longer lifespan than muggles, 
so it would not be too much of a stretch to think the childbearing 
years may also be extended a bit.

2. In RL, having lots of children certainly seems to extend the 
childbearing years.  For example, my husband is the youngest of six, 
and his mother was 48 when he was born.  Although it is very difficult 
to have a *first* child in your 40s, women with large families seem to 
be able to keep having them this long.  Perhaps it has something to do 
with all the eggs they didn't ovulate when they were pregnant and 
nursing.

So, I can easily believe a witch could have her seventh child in her 
fifties.  I'm not sure if *Molly* did, though, because I think it 
makes her rather old at the time of Bill's birth then -- so, no strong 
opinion on her age from me.

Annemehr

"I'm /not/ going to be murdered," Harry said out loud.
"That's the spirit, dear," said his mirror sleepily.