[HPforGrownups] Harry doesn't know Re: Lifespans?

[manawydan]

No: HPFGUIDX 131618

Potioncat mused:
>Most "normal" fans don't know how old DD is. There are hints that
>wizards live a very long life, but we're not actually told in the
>books "how" long they live. Ok, I know everyone of us knows, but we
>aren't normal. Why did JKR make a point of saying that Harry doesn't
>know this yet? I wonder how it's going to fit into the plot? It might
>be something that wouldn't catch us too off guard, but would surprise
>less knowing fans. Any ideas?
>
>And another thought just crossed my mind; I wonder how many of the old
>Headmasters DD actually knew.

Possibly not very many. Our only reference points are

- we know Dumbledore's age, which leads us to conclude that he was born
around 1840
- the description of Armando Dippet in CoS, and the fact that appears to be
very elderly

Given that Marchbanks is that much older than Dumbledore, it's not
impossible that Dippet was already Head when Dumbledore went to school in
the 1850s, perhaps aged about 100 when he took on the job..

It's not explicit as to whether there was another Head between Dippet and
Dumbledore.

I'd go for a minimum of one, but more likely two

Also interesting how little we speculate about Dumbledore's earlier
activities. His first 100 years are a complete blank.

hwyl

Ffred

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