Uncle Alphard alive? (was: How old is Dumbledore???)

[Hagrid]

No: HPFGUIDX 155231

> > Potioncat:
> > Back in Oct 2000 JKR had this to say:
> > 
> > >>>Question: How old is old in the wizarding world, and how old 
> > are Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall?
> > J.K. Rowling responds: Dumbledore is a hundred and fifty, and 
> > Professor McGonagall is a sprightly seventy. Wizards have a much 
> > longer life expectancy than Muggles. (Harry hasn't found out 
> > about that yet.)<<<
> > 
> > But if you look at the wizarding cards, or the Black family 
> > tree, or just look at who is alive in canon and who is 
> > considered "old" in canon- it doesn't seem like the greater part 
> > of the WW lives any longer than the Muggles do. <SNIP>
> > 
AUSSIE :
Sirius's Uncle Alphard. His name and birth - death dates were wiped 
off the tapestry. So is there cannon evidence that he's dead? Could 
he still be around? Could that be where Sirius sent the tropical 
bird from in GOA instead of an owl to Harry?

He isn't recognised by the Black family now and may be independently 
well off himself. That may be why Sirius prefered to inherit the 
house to Harry, not his dear uncle.

Age wise, Alphard would be a bit younger than sprightly McGonagall

If he isn't alive, could he have been a Dark Wizard's victim?

> 
> AmanitaMuscaria now: I guess the population would have been skewed 
> by GrindelWar and VoldyWar1. <SNIP>
> > Potioncat:
> > Better yet, why did JKR say that wizards have longer life spans?
>
> AmanitaMuscaria now:  This may be a subconscious artefact from 
> JKR's mum dying young.
>