Battle date Was: CHAPDISC: DH36, THE FLAW IN THE PLAN

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 185318

Carol earlier: 
> > wishing that someone would remind JKR that school years don't
correspond with calendar years and most students have a birthday
during the school year
> 
> Geoff:
> JKR, being English, should know that *every* student has a birthday
during the schooly ear - unless they're aliens.
> 
> The school year, in England and Wales (and probably in Scotland
also) runs from 1st September to 31st August the following year.
>
Carol:

I meant the ten months from September 1 to June 30 when Hogwarts is in
session. JKR has an annoying habit of forgetting that most students,
unlike Harry, don't remain the same age for the entire school year.
For example, she states three times (via the narrator or a character)
that James is fifteen at the time of SWM. If we go by DH, however, he
was born in March and so would be sixteen (as would Severus, Lily, and
Remus, going by his birthdate on the website) at that time. Harry,
however, is fifteen, so therefore, in JKR's thinking, James was
fifteen throughout his fifth year, too. Similarly, she assumes that
Colin Creevey, a sixth year (if he had been in school), is still
sixteen and therefore underage at the Battle of Hogwarts, but 3/4 of
the sixth years would have turned 17 by May 2.

Carol, trying not to waste a post on this small point