The Blacks

[cantabile]

So we've seen the family tree and there is a whole new load of supposition to have fun with. There's one thing that still bothers me though. Why (apart from Nicholas Flamel and his wife who had the Philosopher's Stone) is no-one else shown to live anywhere near as old as Dumbledore? Far from long lives, the dates we're shown indicate short ones

Comments

[millieweasley]

Alternative 1: JKR is really horrible at maths.

Alternative 2: Blaks tend to be reckless, live dangerous lives and get themselves killed at a young age.

[cantabile]

I think we can confirm alternative 1, JKR would do so herself if she were here, but I'll come back to that! With alternative two, it's not just the Blacks. It's everyone throughout the books. If you check the Lexicon for the dates we definitely know, it's the same thing. Rarely does anyone live much past sixty - and that's not old for a Muggle, yet alone a wizard.

Whereas we know she is bad at maths, she's said so on numerous occasions, I think this is a bit too important to be just shoddy calculations. There must, somewhere, be another reason. Dumbledore has done something, somewhere along the line (and his brother too, of course), to lengthen his age. He must have done. He did alchemy with Flamel, but we don't know what.

Oh roll on book seven. Come and answer all these questions. Please.

[blu_22]

Considering at least three times on that tree people had kids at the age of 13 I'm going to go with she can't add worth shit. I'm also going to assume that she just made up dates because we know of two wars in the last 50 years prior and I'd have assumed more family members would have died during them than actually did.

[cantabile]

Someone suggested the Black family had some sort of curse on them - the JKR adding up curse perhaps! Being inbred there's always the chance of a health issue.

I hope it's more than her bad adding up. She could be sitting there in her Scottish castle (well - big house) laughing at us all wondering. These are the times in which patience has to be learned I think.

*loves your icon*!

[heerojf]

Where is this family tree located?

Other than the Grimauld Place wall, that is.

[cantabile]

Frustratingly I went to get a link to the place I saw it, on someone's LJ, and it's gone - probably friendslocked or removed. I think you can see it on mugglenet or somewhere like that. If I find it, I'll come back and link you.

[jan_aq]

The one and only answer is that JKR is bad at maths. XD

Sorry.

[cantabile]

It could be, and probably is. It just doesn't feel right though that that is all it is. Another eighteen months or so and we'll know. Until then, I suppose it's wondering time.

[nimerha]

So. WHERE do we get to see it?

(I thought the bidding story was terribly funny - mostly? "this should put paid to anyone who says that Daniel doesn´t like reading". Watch me eyeroll ;P)

[cantabile]

The place I went to see it has disappeared. I'm pretty sure it's on the Leaky Cauldron or Mugglenet though. I'm sorry, I was going to link you. If I find it soon, I'll come back and let you know.

[nimerha]

Oh, don´t worry - I´ve already found a link. Thanks for pointing me to it, anyway. Also, you´re definitely not the only one to question the life spans.
:)