Is Hermione Older or Younger than Harry?

[Ali]

No: HPFGUIDX 92647

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Berit Jakobsen" <> 

> I just read a thread on this subject on another forum ("the boy 
who live forum"), and especially one post caught my eye (thanks Hugh 
> Lapham). This is the gist of his thoughts:
> 
> Fred and George complain about not being able to enter the 
tournament in GoF, but they are only a bit off from turning 
seventeen. This means that they would not have been eleven when they 
started their first year at Hogwarts if you do the math. It means 
they are sixteen at the start of their sixth year and thus were only 
ten when starting year one.
 
> In other words; Hermione could also have started as a ten year 
old! If Fred and George did, it's maybe not so uncommon.

Ali replies:

My maths is a little different to yours:

Fred and George:

begin the first year aged 11, turn 12 in April
begin the second year aged 12, turn 13 in April
begin the third year aged 13, turn 14 in April
begin the fourth year aged 14, turn 15 in April
begin the fifth year aged 15, turn 16 in April
begin the sixth year (GoF) aged 16, turn 17 inApril: hence they 
cannot take part in the TriWizard tournament
begin the seventh year aged 17.

Ordinarily, all kids would start their first year at secondary 
school aged 11, and finish it aged 12 - just like Harry, Ron, Fred 
and George.

Fred and George did *not* start Hogwarts aged 10. That's how I did 
the Maths, anyway <g>.

Seriously, I now fully expect JKR to state that Hermione is younger 
than Harry. But, I just don't believe it was well thought through. 
She'll make the facts fit what she has already stated.

Ali