Magic late in life

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 161917

Carol earlier:
> >
> > ... Also, Filch and Figgy genuinely  qualify as being "late in
life," whereas Petunia and Vernon are middle-aged. I know that some
people read "late in life" as "late in developing magic," but the
phrases really aren't equivalent. Just use "late in life" in another 
context and most people will think you mean at age sixty or later.
> >  
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> Question: Is it 'LATE in life' or is it 'lateR in life'?
> LateR in life covers a huge span of time and could 
> equally include anyone from Mark Evans to Aunt Petunia 
> to Mrs. Figg to some yet to be introduced ancient Squib. 
> 
> Though, if the quote is truly 'LATE in life' then I 
> agree with Carol that it has to be someone who is well
> past middle age. 

Carol again:
Here's the full quote from the 1999 Barnes and Noble interview:

http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/1999/0399-barnesandnoble.html

"JKR: In my books, magic almost always shows itself in a person before
age 11; however, there is a character who does manage in desperate
circumstances to do magic quite late in life, but that is very rare in
the world I am writing about."

IMO, people have been misled to the reference to age 11 at the
beginning of the sentence, but "quite late in life" to me suggests old
age, and only Figgy and Filch really qualify there. And "desperate
circumstances" suggests a battle. I vote for an attack on Privet Drive
in which Figgy's courage is rewarded by the temporary ability to
perform magic in an adrenaline rush (as I once lifted a Ford Galaxy
out of a ditch because I was alone in a forest and there was no one to
rescue me), but I can't rule out an attack on Hogwarts in which Filch
proves that his loyalties lie with Hogwarts and gets his one chance to
perform magic. I just think that such an opportunity would be wasted
on him since it would make him resent his normal nonmagic state even more.

Carol, thinking that "quite late in life" combined with JKR's remarks
on Muggles not being able to perform magic under any circumstances
pretty much limits us to those two candidates