CHAPTER DISCUSSION PS/SS 8, THE POTIONS MASTER

[bboyminn]

No: HPFGUIDX 188238



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ZaraG" <zgirnius at ...> wrote:
>
> <snip Carol's concise summary of the chapter>
> 
> > Questions for Discussion:
> > 1. Harry's Astronomy class is mentioned here for the first and last time before the Astronomy OWL in OoP. Why do you think that the class takes place so late despite the rule that no students should be in the corridors after hours? Do you think that all of the first-years have Astronomy together or is this class another attended by Gryffindors only? Do all the Astronomy classes take place at midnight, and, if so, how does Professor Sinistra fit seven (or more) midnight classes into her schedule?
> 
> Zara:
> I think the class needs to be at night because it consists of observations of the night sky. I don't have a guess as to what other Houses might share a time with Gryffs (Maybe Ravenclaw? <g>), but I would guess not all the classes are at midnight, other years/Houses may have them at other late hours. In my fanfiction, I have proposed Professor Sinistra routinely sleeps until lunchtime, just as Muggles who work night-shift jobs might.
> 
> 

Bboyminn:

Sorry, I've only got time for a quick post on this one issue.

We need to remember that Hogwarts is very far north, farther
north than Edinburgh. Here is a website with sunrise/sunset
times for Edinburgh.

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=304&month=6&year=2009&obj=sun&afl=-11&day=1

In June, that sunset is between 9:47pm and 10:02pm, that's 
pretty late, in September, it is between 8:07pm and 6:51pm.

So, my point is, for it to be fully and completely dark, it 
would take at least until midnight. If the sunset is at 10pm,
is it really fully and truly dark at 11pm? 

As to the classes, assuming they are an hour, she could have
one at 11pm, one at 12am, and one at 1 amp. That allows her
to have 15 classes per week. For four houses in the 5 OWL
years, she would need to have 20 classes per week assuming
the classes do NOT include two houses. If we expand that to
include 4 houses and all 7 class years, she would need to have
28 classes, assuming houses are not doubled up.

However, if we double up the houses per class period, we can 
see that even worst case, she would only need 14 classes.

Though in reality, probably not that many. NEWT level classes
are small, so they would consolidate all the houses into one
single class. Which means she could take Friday nights off
and still have enough classes for all the students. 

As to being out of the House after 9pm, I think Filch would 
know who has classes and when, and would make an exception.
But, the exception would be just enough time to get to and
from class; no time for lingering in the halls and creating
mischief. 

Steve/bboyminn