was just wondering how come the Potters were so rich?
It seems quite clear that James was an only child and that both sets of parents are dead or Harry would have gone to his grandparents.
Lily's family were muggles obviously and so any money they left behind would have been muggle money and split two ways anyway. James's family could have been well off and left it to him.
The house they were living in at the time of their death was a safe house so did they have another which was sold and the money given to Harry?
It would appear that Dumbledore was the executor of their estate as he had Harry's key for the vault at Gringotts, how long ago had they given this to him?
What did they do for a living, there is no mention (that I am aware of, although I am not infalliable!!) of what they both did?
I ask this cos it has always puzzled me and i think it is important as I think there is an interesting split between the rich Harry arriving at Hogwarts with new everything and Tom Riddle arriving on scholarship with second hand books and robes.
Is money an imprortant theme in Harry Potter do you think or are distinctions of class in the books made more through pure blood/half blood/muggle born status??!!!
What did James and Lily Potter do when they were alive?
Well, I can't go into too much detail, because you're going to find out in future books. But James inherited plenty of money, so he didn't need a well-paid profession. You'll find out more about both Harry's parents later.
I don't think that either of Harry's parents had any time for a career. They went straight into the order, which I'm sure took up much of their time, intil they went into hiding. _________________
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Harry inherited his money, apparantly his dad's family was wealthy
Q: Harry often wondered about his parents lives before he died. What did Lily, James, Remus, Lupin and Sirius do after Hogwarts?
JKR: To take Remus first, Remus was unemployable. Poor Lupin, prior to Dumbledore taking him in, lead a really impoverished life because no one wanted to employ a werewolf. The other three were full-time members of the Order of the Phoenix. If you remember when Lily, James and co. were at school, the first war was raging. It never reached the heights that the second war reached, because the Ministry was never infiltrated to that extend but it was a very bad time, the same disappearances, the same deaths. So that's what they did, they left school. James has gold, enough to support Sirius and Lily. So I suppose they lived foff a private income. But they were full-time fighters, that's what they did, until Lily fell pregnant with Harry. So then they went into hiding.
To take Remus first, Remus was unemployable. Poor Lupin, prior to Dumbledore taking him in, lead a really impoverished life because no one wanted to employ a werewolf. The other three were full-time members of the Order of the Phoenix.
Lupin was in the Order as well; he's in the picture that Moody showed Harry. Wonder why she didn't mention that. _________________ "I can make things move without touching them. I can make bad things happen to people who are mean to me." -- Tom Riddle (HBP movie).
To take Remus first, Remus was unemployable. Poor Lupin, prior to Dumbledore taking him in, lead a really impoverished life because no one wanted to employ a werewolf. The other three were full-time members of the Order of the Phoenix.
Lupin was in the Order as well; he's in the picture that Moody showed Harry. Wonder why she didn't mention that.
my exact thoughts, wasnt lupin a full time order member too? _________________
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To take Remus first, Remus was unemployable. Poor Lupin, prior to Dumbledore taking him in, lead a really impoverished life because no one wanted to employ a werewolf. The other three were full-time members of the Order of the Phoenix.
Lupin was in the Order as well; he's in the picture that Moody showed Harry. Wonder why she didn't mention that.
I don't think any of the members got paid. Sirius and James lived off of the money that was left to them. Lupin didn't have any money, so his friends helped him. _________________ ^made by Fiendfyre
I've always wondered this too, Their only jobs were full time members of the order, and as pointed out before, their were quite a few poorer full time members. It will always seem a mystery to me. _________________
i dont think that the potters being so rich is weird at all since we have already seen other pureblood families are also wealthy such as the malfoys and the blacks, and it also seems as though their wealth comes mostly from big inheritances _________________
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i dont think that the potters being so rich is weird at all since we have already seen other pureblood families are also wealthy such as the malfoys and the blacks, and it also seems as though their wealth comes mostly from big inheritances
very true... and james was last of POTTERS..there must have been a huge amount of money to his name... all the money since generations was left for him.. _________________
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Here's a better question: why are the Weasleys poor? Why is there such division of class within pure-bloods, this doesn't make sense. Food isn't an issue in the wizarding world, as long as they have a little they can conjure as much as they want. So that's the food expense gone. Shelter isn't an issue, since wizards scatter themselves throughout the country and seem to build their own houses, out of materials which they can conjure rather than pay for, so that's that expense null and void. And I hardly think, if they hide themselves, and can make themselves unplottable if they wanted, that they would have deeds or mortgages to thier property on which they build their homes. Another expense gone. And do they even pay taxes? I don't see what they would be for, other than paying the Ministry workers' salaries. In which case taxes would be minimal. Speaking of which, Arthur works in just another department of the Ministry, so why should he make any less than the next employee? The only real expenses for wizards are clothes (and even then you could conjure more cloth and weave it yourself if you don't want to spend money on clothes) and school supplies. In fact, don't conjuring spells completely defeat the purpose of a supply and demand economy?
Here's a better question: why are the Weasleys poor? Why is there such division of class within pure-bloods, this doesn't make sense. Food isn't an issue in the wizarding world, as long as they have a little they can conjure as much as they want. So that's the food expense gone. Shelter isn't an issue, since wizards scatter themselves throughout the country and seem to build their own houses, out of materials which they can conjure rather than pay for, so that's that expense null and void. And I hardly think, if they hide themselves, and can make themselves unplottable if they wanted, that they would have deeds or mortgages to thier property on which they build their homes. Another expense gone. And do they even pay taxes? I don't see what they would be for, other than paying the Ministry workers' salaries. In which case taxes would be minimal. Speaking of which, Arthur works in just another department of the Ministry, so why should he make any less than the next employee? The only real expenses for wizards are clothes (and even then you could conjure more cloth and weave it yourself if you don't want to spend money on clothes) and school supplies. In fact, don't conjuring spells completely defeat the purpose of a supply and demand economy?
You basically just described a lot of cultures, nations, and governments. JKR obviously wanted to show that the Wizarding world was just like the muggle world.
You can only make more food if you have food. So the Wesaleys first had to obtain the food. It's the same way with clothing... you can't make things appear out of mid-air, it has to come from somewhere, first.
Why should Arthur make as much as everyone else that works in the government? Their government isn't a communist government. It's just like ours or the UK's.
"World Exclusive Interview with J K Rowling,"
South West News Service
8 July 2000
Q: It seems that the wizards and witches at Hogwarts are able to conjure up many things, such as food for the feasts, chairs and sleeping bags. . .if this is so, why does the wizarding world need money ? What are the limitations on the material objects you can conjure up ? It seems unnecessary that the Weasleys would be in such need of money. . . (Jan Campbell)
A: Very good question (well done, Jan!!). There is legislation about what you can conjure and what you can't. Something that you conjure out of thin air will not last. This is a rule I set down for myself early on. I love these logical questions!
http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2000/0700-swns-alfie.htm _________________ ^made by Fiendfyre
Well a lot of it seems to be based on inheritance, which means that wizarding socio-economic status, for the most part, is ascribed instead of achieved. That's going back to the Middle Ages right there. And in any case, economists would have a field day discussing how the economy within the books is totally unviable.
Well a lot of it seems to be based on inheritance, which means that wizarding socio-economic status, for the most part, is ascribed instead of achieved. That's going back to the Middle Ages right there. And in any case, economists would have a field day discussing how the economy within the books is totally unviable.
A lot of today's society is based on inheritance, too. I see no dfiference from their world and ours as far as their basic economy is run.
As far as the middle ages go... you did notice that they wear robes, have dragons, and write with quills and parchment... you're confusing the world of Harry Potter with the real world. It's only a book and if JKR wants them to have pet owls and flying broomsticks... then that's the way her world is. It's called a fantasy book for a reason. _________________ ^made by Fiendfyre
Well a lot of it seems to be based on inheritance, which means that wizarding socio-economic status, for the most part, is ascribed instead of achieved. That's going back to the Middle Ages right there. And in any case, economists would have a field day discussing how the economy within the books is totally unviable.
A lot of today's society is based on inheritance, too. I see no dfiference from their world and ours as far as their basic economy is run.
As far as the middle ages go... you did notice that they wear robes, have dragons, and write with quills and parchment... you're confusing the world of Harry Potter with the real world. It's only a book and if JKR wants them to have pet owls and flying broomsticks... then that's the way her world is. It's called a fantasy book for a reason.
I agree, a fantasy novel is supposed to be about imaginary creatures that are not real in our world, its the imagination put into it and whatever J.K Rowling writes, its great. _________________ "Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door
And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on"
i dont think that the potters being so rich is weird at all since we have already seen other pureblood families are also wealthy such as the malfoys and the blacks, and it also seems as though their wealth comes mostly from big inheritances
very true... and james was last of POTTERS..there must have been a huge amount of money to his name... all the money since generations was left for him..
yes, ur correct, since he was an only child _________________
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