Marriage at Hogwarts & inthe WW

[Matt]

No: HPFGUIDX 137287

--- prep0strus wrote:
> I don't see why spouses couldn't live/work at [Hogwarts], 
> considering Dumbledore's magnanimous attitude, but as far 
> [as] we've seen, everyone that works there chooses the 
> single life.  I don't think we've seen Mr. McGonnagal at 
> the Christmas feast, or Mrs. Flitwick stopping by, or 
> Snape heading out for a date (ich).  And our esteemed 
> champion of love, Dumbledore, appears to take the view of 
> a general, rather than personal love ... we've never heard 
> of Mrs. Dumbledore.
> 
> Hagrid alone of the Hogwarts teachers, who is more like an 
> overgrown child than an authority figure, is involved in a 
> relationship. . . .  What makes the life of a professor so 
> hard that they all choose the single life?  

Just because we don't see the professors' families "on-screen" does
not mean they have none; it may simply be that our protagonist does
not know about them.  Rowling was asked about this in an interview
several years ago and responded that a few of the Hogwarts professors
have had spouses, hinting that this would be important to future plot
developments.  (See http://tinyurl.com/ddpzd for the full text of the
interview at QQQ.)

I was thinking about that quote in the context of the recent
speculation about Irma Pince possibly being Eileen Prince, and
appreciate your spurring me to go look it up -- it's not as on-point
to Madam Pince as I had recalled (I thought it was more generally
about families, not just spouses), but is a bit tantalizing nonetheless.

-- Matt