Charlie Weasley's age (Was: JKR update re: Colin)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 115082


> JustCarol:
> > But, yes, she is human, as shehas shown a number of times 
with inconsistencies like the date of  Sir Nick's death or the 
number of students at Hogwarts. And her statement that Charlie 
is three years older than Percy may take care of his  not being 
Seeker when Harry entered Hogwarts, but it still doesn't  resolve 
the problem of its being seven years since Gryffindor won the 
Quidditch Cup. Charlie was the best Seeker Hogwarts ever had 
before Harry, yet Gryffindor never won during the whole seven 
years he was  on the team? Or am I misremembering 
McGonagall's words and the time  frame here?

Debbie:
> The sentence I focused on was the lament in PS/SS that 
Gryffindor  hadn't won the cup "since Charlie Weasley left."  So, 
according to  JKR's calculation of their relative ages, that would 
have been last  year (as of PS/SS), leaving no intervening time 
period for Slytherin  to have won.  If that's the case, then why
can't McGonagall look Snape in the face?  <

Pippin:
'Left" could refer  to leaving the team (on account of injuries or 
wanting to prepare for his OWLs and NEWTs ), not leaving 
Hogwarts. In PoA Wood mentions injuries and bad luck -- he 
needn't be referring to Harry's injuries alone.

We also know that a brilliant Seeker doesn't automatically mean 
you win the match. Perhaps the twins were thinking of Charlie 
when they bet that Krum would catch the Snitch but Ireland would 
win. Speaking as a longsufferng Cubs fan, there  are plenty of 
examples of brilliant players in real life whose teams never win 
the championship.  (It's the curse--I wonder if Aberforth 
is involved?)

I find it perfectly plausible canon that despite having Charlie on 
their side, the only year that Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup was 
Charlie's second. That leaves room for the seven year losing 
streak mentioned in PoA.  A heartbreaker, but that's Quidditch 
(and baseball.) Gryffindor also didn't win the House Cup for 
seven years prior to PS/SS, but that is a different award, though 
winning the Quidditch Cup contributes to it.

Pippin