Mark Evans

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 85006

> Astrofiammante wrote:
> 
>  "'We have no record of any witch or wizard living in Little 
> Whinging, other than Harry Potter,' said Madam Bones at once. 'The 
> situation has been closely monitored, given... given past events.'"
> 
> Now, the Ministry could certainly be wrong. And it may be possible to 
> explain this away by other means. But, im my most humble opinion, 
> it's another thing that *decreases the likelyhood* of little Master 
> Evans being significant (I'm truly sorry to be such an old grump).
> 
Berit replied:
> 
> No need to be sorry :-)
> I'm aware of said quote by Madam Bones. As you say, it could be 
> explained :-) For instance, we don't know when a child 
> is "discovered" being a wizard, or when he/she is officially and 
> irrefutably magical.[...]
> Maybe magical children aren't registered in the Ministry records 
> until they're, let's say 11 years old? That's when they get the 
> letter from Hogwarts, and that's when it would be "official" whether 
> they're magic or not. Maybe Hogwarts knows more about the wizard 
> children than the Ministry does... Just a thought :-)
> 
> Berit

Annemehr:

JKR did say something about this in response to a question.  As I'd
just read it again last night, I actually remembered where it was! 
So, for anyone who's interested:

>From the Scholastic chat of Feb. 2000:
--------------------------------------------------------
Question: How can two Muggles have a kid with magical powers? Also how
does the Ministry of Magic find out these kids have powers?

JKR:	It's the same as two black-haired people producing a redheaded
child. Sometimes these things just happen, and no one really knows
why! The Ministry of Magic doesn't find out which children are magic.
In Hogwarts there's a magical quill which detects the birth of a
magical child, and writes his or her name down in a large parchment
book. Every year Professor McGonagall checks the book, and sends owls
to the people who are turning 11.
-----------------------------------------------------------

It makes me wonder, though, if Prof. McGonagall just checks the
11-year-olds every year, or whether she peeks at the 1-year-olds too,
just to see what witches and wizards have been born since the year
before.  At least, we know that Hagrid told the Dursleys that Harry's
name was down ever since he was born -- did McGonagall tell him that?

If McGonagall does check the 1-year-olds every year, she could not
have failed to notice Mark Evans of Little Whinging if he was there. 
Of course, that doesn't help us any, as *nobody* tells Harry *anything!*

Annemehr
who liked all the Mark Evans sorting ficlets, and wishes she was good
enough to write one about Mark's reaction to going to school with the
boy he thought went to St Brutus' Secure Center for Incurably Criminal
Boys!