Life expectancy in the Potterverse and associated problems

[koinonia02]

No: HPFGUIDX 81408

In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Ali" <Ali at z...> Message   81248  
wrote:

> JKR has told us that wizards have longer life expectancy than 
> Muggles: http://www.the-leaky-
> cauldron.org/quickquotes/articles/2001/0301-comicrelief-staff.htm
<snip> 
> Does a Muggle-born Witch or Wizard have a longer life span merely 
> because they are magical, or do they too die earlier? 



"K":
I've been reading through JKR's interviews and I remembered reading 
what she said about illness in the wizarding world. This interview 
basically deals with MS.

Bookshelf/December 2002

For her part, she will continue campaigning. Given her commitment to 
awareness-raising, she might be expected to try and write a 
character with the disease into one of her multimillion-selling 
Harry Potter novels. Well, it's not quite as simple as that. As 
Rowling explains: "One problem with the world of Hogwarts - or not, 
depending on how you look at it - is that, being wizards, they tend 
not to have to suffer what the rest of us do. I spent ages working 
out what magic could and couldn't do with regard to illness and 
decided that normal human ailments - such as MS - could be cured. 
~~~~~~~~~

Ali:
  
> I suspect that the issue of Life expectancy is yet another        
>potential inconsistency in the Potterverse, and one about which 
>there has been curiously little discussion.

I know this has been discussed over the years. Yes, some of the 
things you mentioned might be an inconsistency. I just don't dwell 
on those things too much.

You might also be interested in the following:

Barnes and Noble/March 1999

Hi, Ms. Rowling. How does a Muggle-born like Hermione develop 
magical abilities?

Nobody knows where magic comes from. It is like any other talent. 
Sometimes it seems to be inherited, but others are the only ones in 
their family who have the ability. 
~~~~~~
I guess the above is just too simple for some folks, but her answer 
is enough for me.

"K"