HOW many classmates?

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 91352

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dorapye" <helenhorsley at h...> 
wrote:
> Ok, re-reading Chapter 12 OotP and noticed something that I had not 
> registered fully before,when Harry confronts Umbridge during the 
> DADA lesson (p221 Uk ed):
> 
> " 'It was murder,' said Harry.  He could feel himself shaking. He 
> had hardly spoken to anyone about this, least of all THIRTY eagerly 
> listening classmates. 


I just went back and reviewed that potion of the chapter as well. The 
wording that discribes that class makes it sound like more than just 
the 8--10 Gryffindors as well.  Although only Gryffindors are named.  
It would make sense with Umbridge's teaching style, that each of her 
classes is made up of all of that year's students.  Telling 30--40 
students to sit down and read only requires crowd control, not 
teaching ability. And would explain how she has so much time to nose 
around in other teachers' classes. Lupin's teaching style would be 
better suited to small classes.

JKR doesn't mention anyone from the other houses in this class which 
is odd.  It does seem to me, that JKR often just ignores those things 
that we don't really need for the story.  For example, who was the 
girl Gryffindor prefect Harry's first 4 years?

Potioncat