Random Questions....SS

[becks3uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 182608

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tandra" <tkjones9 at ...> wrote:
>
> I just picked up SS the other day and started reading, a couple of
> questions came to me. 
> 
> 1) SO the students go to Hogwarts to learn magical stuff BUT what
> about the basics, math, reading, writing etc? I know that the
> Muggle-borns like Harry would have gone to regular school but what
> about the children brought up in the Wizarding homes? I hope that 
made
> sense...
> 
> 2) Why is there no sort of ruckus when Hagrid does magic in the 
hut?
> He gives Dudley a tail and makes a fire. Why was that not noticed 
by
> the ministry? And in keeping with that question....why didn't Lilly
> get in trouble when she came home and turned teacups into gerbils 
or
> w/e it was Petunia said. 
> 

becks3uk:

1) - this has always bothered me, I guess we can only assume that 
their parents teach them maths and English at home but I would 
assume then that there would therefore be a lot of wizards and 
witches with very poor numeracy and literacy! Lol! I think it was 
probably easier for JKR not to have to think about additional 
lessons like that, perhaps they have them but we never see them? I 
mean, we've never seen a muggle studies lesson or an ancient runes 
class have we? (But then I suppose Harry doesn't study those). 
Basically I think we are to assume that wizarding parents teach all 
that basic stuff at home before Hogwarts.

2) I think Hagrid could have easily got away with doing magic, I 
mean they only really keep tabs on underage wizards and even then it 
can get overlooked. (They can only detect magic, not who cast the 
spell. (Can someone find canon for this? I know I recall it 
somewhere). I think JKR once said that in wizarding families it was 
down to the parents to make sure they didn't do magic out of school. 
Harry is a special case. In OOTP during Harry's hearing, Madam Bones 
mentions that they have always kept a close eye on Little Whinging 
because of Harry (and he is the only wizard living there) but they 
weren't in Little Whinging when Hagrid did magic. As for Lily, again 
I can't remember where I read it but I definitely read JKR 
mentioning Petunia was exaggerating there.

becks