Discussion: Aging in the Wizarding World

[hpgoldenage_mod]

Time for our first discussion post. :)

What does canon tell us about aging in the wizarding world and what is your own head canon on the topic? Feel free to cite canon examples as well as reference fanworks, perhaps a favorite fic that matches your head canon or made you see aging in a whole new way.

Comments

[sdkshelly.livejournal.com]

This is apropos of nothing because I know movie canon doesn't really count in this discussion, but when I saw the epilogue, I thought--seriously? 37 is that old? Damn I look good for my age, then. LOL

Back to that article--
I wonder if the grey hair was supposed to indicate stress from his job rather than be an indication of normal aging. And I still think you could spin it whereas, some people get their first grey hairs in their 20s. So Harry could be one of those types, except because of the prolonged lifespan, it happened in his 30s? If that makes sense?

[torino10154]

Well, it is true that being president, for example, really does make your hair turn grey. But I feel like it's a bit of a stretch to think actually he would have prematurely greyed so now it's normal. Same with Draco's ridic hairline. I mean yeah, I had a teacher in high school with a Tom Felton-esque hairline. But if wizards are supposed to do better, well, she shouldn't use the worst case scenarios. LOL

And also, I do realize that's a superficial indication. If all witches and wizards looked 20 years younger, people would be suspicious. But considering there is very little other evidence beyond a few name-drop characters who lived to 200, throw me a bone here. LOL

[sdkshelly.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying you have to buy it! I'm just saying, it's easy to come up with explanations to make it work. But yeah, I totally think Harry could have gotten his grey from stress. And like you said, Tom Felton is a RL example of someone young having a receding hairline already. It's a common enough thing. I don't know why it would be different for wizards even if they live longer?

[torino10154]

OK but if there is no difference in how you age, what happens? At 90, your body looks 90 but acts 70? How about 200? I mean I am being argumentative, yes, LOL but I would have liked actual evidence of a benefit of their supposed longevity.

Also, the comment Birds (I think) left about McG seeming like she's 70. That's how she's written. She doesn't seem younger (and in fact, as I mentioned elsewhere, she actually is LOL).

[sdkshelly.livejournal.com]

I guess I just see prematurely greying and receding hairlines as genetics and not having anything to do with your actual body aging though? Like, just because someone has a receding hairline doesn't mean their body is 'older' than normal? I just don't understand what one has to do with the other tbh.

But I agree, there is a ton of conflicting information if you take what JKR has said in interviews and Pottermore and things being revised date-wise into account. All I was trying to point out is that you could make the case that Harry having grey hair in his 30s and Draco having a receding hairline in his 30s isn't proof that wizards and witches have normal lifespans and anything that implies differently is a bunch of hogwash. I mean, I'm being argumentative as well, LOL! But I just don't understand your position I guess. Like why it's okay to interpret it one way and not the other? I don't really have a dog in the race though! I don't have a definite opinion one way or the other, really!

[torino10154]

LOL OK, fair enough.

[torino10154]

Coming back by not to argue really but to share a couple things.

I went to look up grey hair at wikipedia and there is a section on the order hair tends to go grey (nose hair, hair on the head, beard, body hair, eyebrows). It does say it starts in men in their mid-twenties and women in their late twenties and 60% of Americans have some grey by 40. Oh, and stress has not been directly linked even with anecdotal evidence like the presidents.

The last thing I was going to say is that P has always had one grey hair, as long as I can remember. I can usually find it on his head pretty quickly. LOL We say it's because he's wise beyond his years. :P

[sdkshelly.livejournal.com]

I feel like this strengthens my argument, but IDEK. LOL But let's be real. JKR totally gave Harry some grey hair because she knows it's dead sexy. I doubt any further thought went into it. ;)

Apropos of nothing, I remember when I got my first grey hair, I was oddly proud of it. I couldn't tell you why. It seems stupid now that there's a whole lot more! Haha.

[torino10154]

LOL I said I wasn't arguing! And it is dead sexy, agree 100%. And if Draco's hair is supposed to look like TF, well, he's dead sexy, too. :P

I don't color mine because I'm 43, who am I trying to fool? LOL

[sdkshelly.livejournal.com]

LOL! I know, I just thought it was funny.

And if Draco's hair is supposed to look like TF, well, he's dead sexy, too. :P

Ahaha, exactly. :D

You know, I'm fine with my grey hair. It's the ugly flat brown that I can't stand, thus I have been dying my hair pretty much since middle school. Which is neither here nor there but. Yeah, wear your grey proudly!