Ages

[Talisman]

>Carolyn in message 3838:
>Of course, the simple solution is that JKR's disastrous maths led 
her
>to make a mistake about DD's age..but if she didn't, he's just along
>there next to Phineas Nigellus it seems.

Talisman:
Yes, I haven't keep a record (expect Lexicon to be doing that) but I 
do note the life span of every new wizard of the month.  You are 
quite right; they are all well within human expectation, or on the 
short side.  I noticed that about the family tree, as well. 

I don't think Rowling is confused about DD's age, I think her 
failure to acknowledge that it is exceptional, even by wizarding 
standards, is just another instance of the disingenuous.

>Kneasy in message 3839:
>And then she ruins it by saying it wasn't anything remarkable.
>Unfair, I calls it. 
>The least she could have done was pretended, you know - strung
>it out a bit, played coy, enigmatic, been a bit ambiguous.
>Still, I don't have to believe her if I don't want to.

Talisman:
That business in the Mugglenet interview (July 16, 2005) probably 
isn't a direct lie, but it's definitely misleading.  She refers to 
Harry's g-parents as *mundane territory,*  says they aren't 
*massively important,*  (key word massively?) and tells us that she 
just needed to dispose of them expediently, so they *succumbed to a 
wizarding illness.  That's as far as it goes.*  

Ho hum.

Of course she forgot to mention that Grandma was a Black.

And yes, I really think that she understands this would elicit more 
than a blasé yawn.

The Potters weren't just Sirius's best mate's parents, they were 
Sirius's relatives.  Sirius wasn't just Harry's godfather--he was 
family.  James, Sirius, Harry--and I'm betting Snape--all blood kin. 

Ho hum my foot.

Maybe they did succumb to illness, but there's still room for some 
highly interesting--albeit not *massively* important--details to 
emerge.

And, as Carolyn suggests, it's worth wondering just where Dumbledore 
fits in....

I haven't pulled the cite, but I well recall Rowling being asked 
whether DD was Harry's grandfather.  She responded with another 
question, to the effect of "If he had other relatives, why would he 
have to go to the Dursleys?"

Reeks of deception.

Well, of course, these aren't Lily's blood relatives, as far as that 
goes, and DD is not literally Harry's grandfather, but...

Talisman, saying (with due affection): There's an evil witch 
cackling in Edinburgh....