Question on number of wands.

Most people get a wand at 11, and the vast majority, it would seem, keep them for ever.

On Pottermore it is said sometimes people become uncompatable with their wands over time, and very rarely they get broken (We see this a few times but this was a time of war, which is not common).

So do the vast majority of people on have 1 wand in their lives?

Average number of wands per wizard/witch through out their lives, 1.1? 1.2?

Must be hard for Olivander and the other wand makers to keep in business.

Basically, do we see many people get new wands? From the top of my head, Neville, Ron (although his first wasnt a new one to start with)... and I think Charlie lost his in the World cup?

 

I think Ollivander's finances are likely fine.

Let's say for the sake of simplicity that each year at Hogwarts is around 40 students. Of those, we'll say a few inherit their wands from their families, and a few buy elsewhere, so Ollivander sells 30 first year wands. Add to that the odd replacement wand for people who break their wands, and we'll call that another 10.

So 40 wands at 7 galleons each a year, equals 280 galleons. Doesn't sound like much... but what are his outgoings?

He's been there for centuries at least (though the BC boast is likely empty, as we know that Diagon Alley hasn't been there that long) so it's very likely that he owns his shop outright. So no rent.

It's doubtful he pays anything for supply either. We know that part of the art of wand-making is careful selection of the "ingredients" e.g. picking the right tree. Wood from all trees is not equally capable of being used to make wands, and only wandmakers have the skill to sense what trees are apt for wandmaking. So it can't be outsourced. Ollivander himself has to wander around, looking for his ingredients. He probably just takes them from the wild.

So no rent, no supply costs. Plant costs? We never see any machines, but he must carve the wands somehow. If it's by magic, then he's got plenty of wands to use and as a wandmaker, presumably knows the magic involved. If it's non-magical, he can use transfiguration to make his tools.

So no rent, no supply and no plant.

We never see any other employees, so add no labour costs to the list.

In other words, that 280 galleons revenue is 100% profit. Maybe the Ministry takes some in tax, maybe they don't.

In the Muggle world, that would be a difficult amount to live on. But we know from Fred and George that Diagon Alley shops have flats above them, so no rent on a home. Wizards don't pay utilities (except maybe Floo) so no costs there.

Basically, the one thing Ollivander has to buy is food. Given that magic can increase the volume of food, it's likely that food is very cheap in the magical world. Or if it isn't, Ollivander can buy a little and expand it himself.

 

Also wand polishing and upkeep exists. So perhaps he supplements his income by selling supplies for that. And there are customized wands like Lucius Malfoy had, so another avenue to monetize.

 

And JKR also sucks at math or economics.

 

And yet, despite that, this is a situation where she absolutely succeeded.

 

Was there any canonical info about the date of Hogwarts' founding, besides the "more than a thousand years ago" from forth year Sorting song?

Most fanfics put it around 980-990, but it's confirmed that Merlin studied at Hogwarts, and I don't really see him living this late.

 

"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution."
-- Professor Binns (CS)

 

Every time that's referenced, I cringe like someone said Voldemort; there's no reason to match our literary Merlin with whatever Merlin lived in the Potterverse. He has a reputation in canon... for being famous. He's the Paris Hilton of Hogsmeade. His greatest achievement evidently is the world's longest lasting and pervasive Confundus charm.

 

esran: So it's unknown also in canon, thanks.

wordhammer: Well, Merlin in Potterverse was also part of the Court of King Arthur, so he mustn't have been very different from our own.

 

He has a ton of achievements like founding the order of merlin, advising the king, fighting morgan le fey, and being exceptional at charms earning the title "prince of enchanters".
King Arthur's court just happened to happen a lot later than muggles think. Given its close ties with magic, that may be because of the SOS, though thats speculation.

 

Succeed in what?

 

The economics of Olivander's.

 

Did we ever find out what was in that room in the ministry that Dumbledore mentioned at the end of OotP? It seemed like a big mystery at the time the book was new about how that would be used by Harry in the next books but then I don't remember anything coming of it.

 

Dumbledore told us what's in the room. The Power of Looooove. OotP, Chapter 37:

What came of it is Harry's blanket sacrifice during the Battle of Hogwarts that prevented Voldemort's spells from harming anyone. So... Neville wasn't burned alive. That was nice. No adventure to the room, if that's what you were asking.
_

On a side note, skimming the chapter to find that quote made me realize (this is probably a running joke) Dumbledore treated the reveal of the prophecy like a parent reluctant to give the sex talk.

Oh, Dumbledore. You're suppose to tell them the moment they ask so they don't get wrong information from another source. For shame. Maybe he wouldn't have gotten himself knocked up at fifteen. For Merlin's sake, how was he suppose to know wizards could get mpreg!?

 

Yeah that's all cool and nice but this thread isn't about personal headcanons but about canon.

And it is canon that Merlin went to Hogwarts and was in Slytherin.

It is also canon that he lived in the 15th century.

It is also canon that Hogwarts was founded way, way before that.

What isn't canon is the notion that the Potterverse history has to be the same as the history of our world. For all we know, King Arthur existed as a British King in the 15th century in the Potterverse.

 

It is not canon that he lived in the 15th century.
Either that or cite your sources.
My sources say "medieval", went to Hogwarts, and part of the court of king Arthur.

 

I admit that I once saw Taure use the 15th century claim, and as I've never seen him be wrong about canon I'm inclined to believe him.

EDIT:

Haha, found the relevant Pottermore quote:

 

That entry only says that they started giving the order of merlin in the fifteenth century. It doesn't say anything about when Merlin lived. For all we know out of that entry, he lived in jesus time and they just decided to name this new award after him.

 

If he lived in jesus time he wouldn't be able to attend Hogwarts, now would he?

 

Ops, sorry about that. What I meant was that it doesn't say anything about when he lived. My mistake.