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Posts: 21 · Joined: Nov 20, 2008 Location: The Burrow Posts: 21

I was reading the Goblet of Fire earlier today, and when Molly and Bill come visit Harry for the third task, it mentions that Molly is interested in the Whomping Willow, being before her time. This would mean that they are fairly older than James, Lilly, Sirius, Lupin, Severus etc. I understand that they would have to be somewhat older since they have three sons out of Hogwarts, but how old?
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“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Posts: 246 · Joined: Sep 6, 2008 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 246

Molly was there before Hagrid was gamekeeper, so I would guess they are a bit older than he is, or perhaps a bit younger and simply graduated before Dumbledore offered Hagrid the position.

I would guess between 50 and 70, as Bill is what, nearing 30? So if they had him when they were 20-ish, it would put their minimum at 50, and because they've got to be at least similar in age to Hagrid (I believe somewhat younger but I cannot back that up), they are younger than 70.

Posts: 21 · Joined: Nov 20, 2008 Location: The Burrow Posts: 21

Yes, that would make sense. So they were in school around when Tom Riddle was?
_________________
“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Posts: 246 · Joined: Sep 6, 2008 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 246

I believe Tom was several years older than Hagrid. Since I personally believe that Arthur and Molly are younger than Hagrid, I think Riddle would have graduated by the time they came to school. This is only my personal belief, though. Since wizards age differently than muggles, it is possible they are older than Hagrid.

Posts: 30 · Joined: Nov 29, 2008 Posts: 30

They had to be older, because Og the old gamekeeper was around. Hagrid became gamekeeper directly after being expelled. The Chamber of Secrets was opened the first time in 1942 because Nick's 500th Death Day say that he died in 1492, so it was 1992 while the Chamber of Secrets was going on, 50 years before was 1942. We know Hagrid was in his 3rd year when he got expelled, meaning that was also the year he became gamekeeper, 1942. So Molly and Arthur were already out of school, the earliest possible meaning that they were in their 7th year while Hagrid was in his 2nd would make them being born in 1925. So if the earliest possible birth year for them is 1925, and the story starts in 1991, then they range from 66-72. Yay math! Very Happy

Posts: 246 · Joined: Sep 6, 2008 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 246

According to the HP Lexicon (http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/arthur.html) and the HP Wiki (http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Arthur_Weasley), Arthur was born in 1950, making him 48 at the time of DH.

I was very close in my guess of 50, according to Bill's age and the books information.

Posts: 30 · Joined: Nov 29, 2008 Posts: 30

They story contradicts itself then....

Posts: 246 · Joined: Sep 6, 2008 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 246

It's possible that the age is not accurate.

However I do not believe it is. There is nothing that says Hagrid was given the Gamekeeper position immediately after he was expelled, and a 13 year old is hardly qualified. So the old gamekeeper would have been around for many more years. And the Whomping Willow was placed there perhaps ten years before Harry's birth, making the tree there for less than 30 years at the time of DH. Which would make Arthur nearly twenty (or older) at the time that the Marauders came to school. Add another decade for the Marauders to graduate and age (to allow Harry's birth) and he is now 30-ish. Add the 11 years until harry attended Hogwarts and he is now a couple of years older than 40. Add the seven years that the books cover and he's in his late forties. Perfectly acceptable for his listed age of 48.

Posts: 27158 · Posted: December 1, 2008 3:09 am Post subject:

All we know is that Hagrid wasn't the gamekeeper while Molly went to school there. That doesn't signify he was a student when she was. All that tells us was that Hagrid wasn't the gamekeeper yet. This coincides with what Tom Riddle was told when he applied for a job at Hogwarts and was told he was too young. Hagrid obviously just didnt' become the gamekeeper straight out of being expelled.
Hagrid was born in 1928 and started Hogwarts in 1940.
Molly was born about 1950, based off of the age of Bill and the rest of her kids. This means her first year at Hogwarts was about 1961.
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Posts: 246 · Joined: Sep 6, 2008 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 246

I believe you've just repeated everything I said. Very Happy

Posts: 27158 · Posted: December 1, 2008 4:34 am Post subject:

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