Godric's Hollow & Wizards Life span

[A.H.]

And here I is again asking for excerpts I really need to just buckle down and buy DH...
Also, I wanted to knock out two birds, since I've been wondering about how old Wizards can get.

Could someone please describe for me, the town of Godric's Hollow? The pub, the church, the cemetary and the houses, in the best way possible? I'd be eteraly greatfull!

And a big thanks to those who answered about TPT, I never got around to thanking you and you helped enormously!

-Arianna

[xpadfootsangelx]

I believe that wizards get to be around 660. Nicholas was around 665 when he died of old age, so that's my guess.

DH doesn't describe Godric's Hollow in EXTREME detail. Well, not detail I can remember. To muggles, it looks like a regular town. The Potter's house has been preserved, even though it has been burned down. To muggles, it's just an old abandoned building. The cemetary is like any other with James and Lily's grave right along with them. Bathilda Bagshot's house is also there.
In the middle of town is a statue that looks like a normal statue from afar and to muggles, but when you get closer, it turns into a statue of Harry, James, and Lily, a monument.

Hope I helped!

-Footy

[Snape's Talon]

Nicholas Flamel was the exception to the rule. He only lived to that great age because of the Philospher's Stone.

Also, originally we were told that Dumbledore was 150 years old (Scholastic interview with JKR). However in DH, this was changed. From the Lexicon, Dumbledore was born in 1881. So he would have been around 118 when he died. McGonagall was around 70. So, I would think that wizards and witches live a bit longer than Muggles, but certainly not to their 600's. Not unless they have access to the Philospher's Stone.

I'll leave the actually description of Godric's Hollow for another to answer as I don't have my books on hand.

[moonymaniac]

I believe that wizards get to be around 660. Nicholas was around 665 when he died of old age, so that's my guess.

But Nicholas Flamel used the Philosopher's Stone to create the Elixir of Life, (I think that's how it worked.) Anyway, he was immortal as long as he had the Stone, which is why Voldemort wanted it. I don't think they normally live nearly that long. Dumbledore was around 116 years old when he died. He was considered old, but still in fair health if not for the cursed Horcrux, so I'd figure around 150 possibly, but that would probably be uncommonly old. Griselda Marchbanks, the old witch who tested the students for their O.W.L.s, had to be at least several years older than Dumbledore, as she tested him, but she was very stooped and seemed ancient, so I'd think they can live to 150 at most.

edit: ack, you beat me to it Snape's Talon. I'm so slow.

Snape's Talon: You did good. I couldn't remember Elixir of Life to save myself. Drew a complete blank.

[jenny b]

Actually, wizards generally only live to be 100 - 150. Nicholas Flamel lived to be over 600 years because he had the Philosophers Stone, and he only died of old age when he stopped using the Stone.

EDIT: Everyone else bet me to it too.

[cirelondiel]

Well, everyone else has answered the age question. Snape's Talon, moonymaniac and jenny b are all correct.

As for what Godric's Hollow is like (all taken from Chapters 16 and 17 in the British edition of DH):

-Harry and Hermione apparated into a narrow road (also described as a lane) with cottages on either side. "A short way ahead of them, a glow of golden streetlights indicated the centre of the village." "...the little lane along which they were walking curved to the left and the heart of the village, a small square, was revealed to them." In the square, there are several shops, a post office, a pub, and a church with stained-glass windows. (p264)
-The war memorial, an obelisk with names on it, changed into a statue of the three Potters when Harry and Hermione walked past. (p265)
-There was a graveyard behind the church, a kissing gate at the entrance to the graveyard, and a path to the church doors. (p266)
-"Hermione... pulled him down the dark street leading out of the village in the opposite direction from which they had entered. Harry could make out the point where the cottages ended and the lane turned into open country again." (p271) The ruins of the Potter's house is at the very end of this row of houses. The top floor of the house has been blown apart and the garden is overgrown. When the gate is touched a sign pops up. Included on the text of the sign is the fact that the house is invisible to Muggles.
-Bathilda's house was back the way they came, past several houses.

Hope this helps!

~ Chelsea

[cmwinters]

As far as I can tell, the seven longest-living witches/wizards are:

Nicholas & Perenelle Flamel, who reached such age by the Elixir of Life from the Philosopher's Stone

Tofty, the wizard who gave Harry his Astronomy OWL, and appeared to be the oldest examiner in the group

Griselda Marchbanks, who "examined Dumbledore personally in his transfiguration OWLs"

Albus Dumbledore

Elphias Doge (his buddy that wrote the article about him)

Aberforth Dumbledore

However, apart from that, if you examine the Lexicon and the Black Family Tree, wizards tend to live fairly short lives with a number dying remarkably violent deaths that have little to nothing to do with the wars.

Remember, with the exception of the Flamels, who we don't see, the others are all described as looking VERY elderly. I would say that, if one manages to not die violently, witches and wizards probably have an average life-span of about 150-200 years, but not much older than that, and certainly not in the 600 year range.

[Sonorus]

Actually, Bathilda Bagshot, who had Grindelwald for a great-nephew and was still alive in 1997, has surely to go down as one of the oldest characters in the series.

[A.H.]

Wow, thanks so much.

My library just got DH back, and of course I was down there once it was coming through the door. I have Potter Senses....

So I can now see Godric's Hollow quite vividly. Thanks so much for the help! Loveryly, wonderful Mods, you can sweep this away!

-Arianna