Weasleys' ages (still)

[hp_lexicon]

No: HPFGUIDX 92500

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "capehoneysuckle" 
<capehoneysuckle at e...> wrote:
> Once more into the breach!
> It seems that we all agree that JKR has difficulties with numbers 
here
> and there. She has carefully thought out her plots, but numbers and
> dates that are not important to the plot are a bit fuzzy in her 
mind.> 

Well put. I think the only thing we can say for sure from her 
comment is that there isn't a large gap between Percy and Charlie, 
but that the gap is fairly small (3-4 years).

> 3) Assume Percy's birthday is just after the cutoff date for 
school,

Unfortunately, if we are to believe the clues in the books, Percy's 
birthday is almost certainly in the summer, and he is young for his 
year at Hogwarts. This isn't for sure; it's based on when he gets 
his Apparating license in GF--two weeks before the World Cup--which 
would mean when he turns 17. For the twins, this was during the 
summer before their seventh year. For Percy, it was after his 
seventh year. Of course there are a lot of factors which could be 
involved here. Percy might not have taken his Apparition test right 
away when he turned 17, for example, although considering how proud 
he is of doing it, it would surprise me if he waited very long after 
coming of age. Maybe it's customary for Hogwarts students who turn 
17 while away at school to wait until they come home for the summer 
holidays to take their test. But it is also possible that Percy is a 
high achieving kid who started Hogarts at a young age, not unlike 
Hermione, and whose birthday is in July.

Steve
The Lexicon