Quidditch World Cup - International vs National

[Meredith]

No: HPFGUIDX 97627

Steve (bboy_mn) wrote:
> Well, we could reopen the old argument about how big the British
> wizard world really is. Some say a few thousand, others, like 
myself,
> say a few hundred thousand.

Carol:
I think the large size of the audience is very much at odds with
> what appears to be the number of students at Hogwarts, especially
> since the student population includes near-morons like Crabbe and
> Goyle. I don't think the figures can be reconciled or explained away
> by saying that some British wizard kids don't attend Hogwarts. that
> doesn't fit what we know of Dumbledore's philosophy--or Helga
> Hufflepuff's, which is probably Professor Sprout's, too.


Luckie:
I've firmly believed until this point that Hogwarts has about 280 
students and the rest of the WW is proportional. I would explain away 
things like Wizard manufacturing as "just magic." Afterall, there's 
no mention of other wizarding schools in Britain, only in what we 
presume to be France and Bulgaria/Easter Europe. However, what is 
Hogwarts is simply the biggest and/or best school? Instead of other 
wizards simply NOT going to school perhaps they go to much smaller 
schools, or even non-boarding (day) schools? I went to a private day 
school in high school, and it was much larger than some of the others 
in the area (over 100 students per class, opposed to 20-30). 

The fact that Hogwarts competes in the Tri-Wizard tournament could be 
due to sheer size (they would be mis-matched against much smaller 
schools). Also, perhaps it could be prestige? Think of Hogwarts as 
the Eton of the Wizarding World (hey, Justin Finch-Fletchley was 
going to go there!) In American terms, Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and 
Durmstrang could be like the Ivy league. 

If other schools and/or educational communities exist (like charter 
schools, taught by people like Mrs. Weasley?) that could explain how 
all wizards are educated, how there is a much larger wizarding 
population than Hogwarts would have us believe, and why it was such a 
big deal that muggles be educated. Afterall, if there ARE other 
schools, Salazaar Slytherin could have simply advocated that muggles 
be taught elsewhere, instead of at Hogwarts, the cream of the crop.


~Luckie, who wishes everyday scenarios could be explained away 
as "just magic!"