Number of Students in Harry's year (was Re: The Eggplant and Snape and I)

[Cathy Drolet]

No: HPFGUIDX 138988

"Cathy Drolet" <cldrolet at s...> wrote:

> There are 40 students, according 
> to JKR, in Harry's year. 

Eggplant:
>>Yes but she also said there were about 1000 students at Hogwarts and 7
times 40 is not equal to 1000. JKR has admitted she's not very good at
math so I think a statistical analysis is unlikely to lead to new
insights into the books. 

CathyD:
She's also corrected that in an interview which I am not even going to try to find.  But here is her quote about the 40 kids in Harry's year: 
"Way before I finished "Philosopher's Stone," when I was just amassing stuff for seven years, between having the idea and publishing the book, I sat down and I created 40 kids who enter Harry's year. I'm delighted I did it, [because] it was so useful. I got 40 pretty fleshed out characters. I never have to stop and invent someone. I know who's in the year, I know who's in which house, I know what their parentage is, and I have a few personal details on all of them. So there were 40. I never consciously thought, "That's it, that' s all the people in his year," but that's kind of how it's worked out. " JKR from the July 16, 2005 interview.

She's not trying to figure out a math problem here.  She states she has created 40 students for Harry's year.  Can't argue that.  Well, you could, but I wouldn't try it myself. 

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