Point inflation

[mkboland66]

No: HPFGUIDX 167915

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Freeman, Louise Margaret"
<lfreeman at ...> wrote:
>
> I've reread books 1-4 and most of 5 with my kids this year in
anticipation of DH.  One thing that
> has struck me is how much point values have inflated over the
years. <snip> Of course, as points get inflated, the house competition itself
becomes less important as the
> books progress. It's shown to be a fairly meaningless exercise in
OOTP, with the Inquisitorial
> squad emptying the hourglasses of everyone but Slytherin, and it's
overshadowed entirely by the
> deaths of Cedric and Dumbledore in GOF and HBP.
>
>

I wonder if the point 'inflation' isn't simply a point 'weighting'
determined by the age and (supposed) maturity of the students and
increasingly challenging coursework. For instance, a student
receiving highest grades in basic chemistry is not equal in
accomplishment to a student who receives the same grades for an
advanced chemistry course.  Since points are comprehensive across all
ages in each house, the 'extra' points given - or taken - from older
students may be a way of acknowledging these age and knowledge
differences.

Or maybe I'm just -really- overthinking the whole thing...

Ah, well - thanks for letting me babble.
MK