Evidence of the Schoolbooks (was: The AK)

[Amy Z]

Amy limps in
Having repeatedly slammed her foot
In the dryer door
For failing to put spoiler space
At the beginning of this post

She begs your forgiveness
Especially if you are on e-mail
And haven't read HBP yet

Though what you're doing on this list
If you haven't read HBP
She really doesn't know.

Do you really imagine we're talking about anything else?

Pippin wrote:

> The foreword to the school books makes me wonder. Would Herself have
> had Dumbledore write it, apparently in 2001, if she knew she'd have
> offed him in 1998?

I seem to recall we wondered about this on HPfGU when the schoolbooks
came out. But the evidence of the schoolbooks doesn't seem to mean
much. The borrower slip in Quidditch through the Ages must date from
no later than Goblet of Fire (1994-95), since Cedric signed it out on
July 3, and July 1994 was the last July of his life. The last
signout in the book is in March--surely the following March, March
1995, since it is one of the most popular books in the library (see
Foreword) and the dates do seem chosen to indicate that it is out
constantly. By the same token, it would have filled up many borrower
slips between 1995 and 2001.

In short, we don't know when in the Potter timeline the schoolbooks
were released. JKR once again won't give up a good joke in favor of
mere date accuracy.

She could have both, if only she would hire a couple of L.O.O.N.s to
look over her work before it goes to press. Jo, it's your last
chance. Hire us now, before you publish Book 7! We don't even want
paying! Just a clean teatowel and the opportunity to lick your boots!

Amy Z C