How old were Lily and James?

[mongo62aa]

No: HPFGUIDX 110688

Chris:

I was just writing the prologue to my next fanfic and I realized 
that I could not remember any canon concerning Lily and James' ages. 
Now I have been long in the belief that they were 21 when they died 
and I am now not sure why. Although Barb's fanfic may have something 
to do with it, I am sure I thought they were that young before I 
ever read the PS Trilogy as I remember thinking that the actors in 
the PS/SS film were too old.

Am I wrong with 21 or if I am right, where is the canon for it?

Me:

JKR has stated in an interview that Snape was 35 or 36 in GoF--in 
other words, he started the Hogwarts year as a 35-year-old, but had 
a birthday at some point in the book.  He, James, Sirius, Remus, and 
(almost certainly) Lily were all in the same year at Hogwarts.  
Since Harry was 14 in Gof, James and (probably) Lily would have 
started the Hogwarts year 21 years older than him, and hence were 
probably 22 when they died (as Harry was a one-year-old at the time).

Bill