Lifespans?... Wizard, Muggle, & Phoenix

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 131622

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Magda Grantwich
<mgrantwich at y...> wrote:
> --- Steve <bboyminn at y...> wrote: 
> > .. I go with a simple
> > divide by two. So 150 year old Dumbledore is about 75, ... I
> > think either method is a fair estimation of a wizards lifespan
> > relative to a muggle lifespan.

> Magda
> 
> The really interesting question re lifespans is, when exactly does
> the aging process slow down?  Because everyone under the age of,
> (50) ...acts like their muggle equivalents.  Does it happen
> when you hit 60?  Does every year suddenly become two years?  Or 
> does your metabolism suddenly slow down?
> 
> Because if it's as simple as 1 wizard year = 2 muggle years, then
> witches would have babies until they were 80!  
> 
> Magda


bboyminn:

How you look is different than how you act. People act their age
because they are their age, people who are 50 have 50 years of
experience and knowledge, and act accordingly. Among muggles many
people look like they are 30 when they are 50, and others who appear
to age faster, look 50 when they are age 30, so appearance is not a
real clue across a broad spectrum.

The key is that magic protects magical people. They are less
susceptible to the physical deterioration over time. Look at
Dumbledore, he's 150, but his description is not much different that a
typical healthy 75 to 85 year old person. Keep in mind that we have
Congressmen who are in their 70's and 80's; one even made it to nearly
age 100. Look at Marchbanks, the OWL examiner. She looks like someone
who is probably approaching 100 years old, yet she is more likely to
be approaching 200 years old. 

So, the maturing process is not affected, people still 'grow up'; it's
the aging process that's slowed; they don't grow old as fast.
McGonagall who is about 70 is not described as being old in the books.
One would guess her appearance to be that of a conservative person in
her 40's which is consistent with the age calculation I made. But
never is she describe as looking like a typical 70 year old.

As far as having babies, Molly, depending on you interpretation, seems
to be somewhere between Hagrid and McGonagall in age, that make her
nearly 70 and we can assume the same for Arthur. That means Molly had
Ginny when she was about roughly age 55. That is certainly past the
age when most women are capable of having babies. It's not unheard of,
but it is rare. So, yes, witches can have babies much later in life;
perhaps into their 60's and even 70's. 

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn