What's in the Box?

[Lisa]

No: HPFGUIDX 177062

> > Random832:
> > That would be true, if there canon stating "40 students in 
Harry's 
> > year". There simply is not.> 
> 
> Potioncat:
> First year flying lesson. Gryffindor and Slytherin combined class. 
> We're told there are 20 brooms.

Lisa:

But we're never told that those are ALL the Gryffindor & Slytherin 
first years.  Before this sort of discussion ever came up on the 
multiple boards, I always assumed that the flying lessons class 
represented only one class period of first year Gryffindors and 
Slytherins, not the entirety of the first years in those classes.  I 
figured that the various houses were split up and combined with other 
houses to foster the mingling of the students, which wouldn't occur 
otherwise.

Then, when JKR was specifically asked how many students were at 
Hogwarts, total, and she replied "about a thousand," I figured my 
above scenario fit right in. (Scholastic Interview, 10/16/2000, 
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/transcript2.htm )

It wasn't until people on the boards started trying to name every 
single student in Hogwarts that I even thought about it -- but I'm 
still sticking with my own theory in my head.  ;0)

Lisa