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Did Severus attend Muggle school?

prinzheinelgirl

7/4/08 05:08 pm

Hello, everyone!

I would like to get your opinions on whether Severus attended a Muggle school before going to Hogwarts or was he home-schooled (by his mother)? Or perhaps he mainly taught himself?

Everyone attends Hogwarts at age 11 or 12. By this age, students know how to read and write, etc. Given that Severus is a half-blood and resided in a Muggle town, do you think he went to Muggle school? If so, he should've met Lily there and need not introduce himself in the playground (it is possible, of course, that their town has more than one school and they went to different ones). He seems to be totally into his wizarding roots that he dislikes anything Muggle. His mother could've taught him the basics (along with his quite extensive knowledge of magic, etc.). On the other hand, he seems to be very neglected so I'm not very convinced that his mother or father spent a lot of time with him (besides Tobias not liking anything much as he put it)....

I'm very interested to hear your take on this.

• Current Location: on the 4th floor of a building, somewhere in asia
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• prinzheinelgirl

  7/6/08 06:00 am (UTC)

  Many, many thanks, melusin!
  
  It's always good to get a 'local' perspective such as yours, that way non-British people can have a better understanding of the way things are there. And it's perfect that you came from an industrial town. I also thought being mobile was not yet very common the 70s. It's interesting to know it strikes you that Lily and Petunia are middle class names. I read that Evans is a very common surname in the UK, with Welsh roots. And it isn't an aristocratic surname, right?
  
  Of course, where I live, it's really better to go to a private school if your parents can afford it. But I've always thought that (ordinary) British education is, yes, good enough. Then parents can save for 'public schools' later on.

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  • melusin

    7/6/08 06:08 am (UTC)

    

    Evans is a Welsh name and very common where I come from :) I can't think of any aristocratic Evans', no.
    
    My neighbours, both doctors, had three sons. The first they sent to prep and later public school, because he wasn't terribly bright and a bit shy - they thought he'd benefit from smaller classes and more individual attention. The other two didn't need that, so they went to the local schools.

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    • prinzheinelgirl

      7/6/08 06:29 am (UTC)

      Oh, the scenario you presented on your neighbors is very likely for Lily's family, too. And Lily was described as bright and outgoing, so she certainly didn't need a smaller class or more individual attention. If she went to a fee-paying school, it must be for other reasons.
      
      I've never thought the Evans were an aristocratic family, thanks for confirming! That's why I never thought much of fanfic stories depicting Lily as a 'princess' or similar......

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      • melusin

        7/6/08 06:54 am (UTC)

        

        I think the idea that she could be a princess is, quite frankly, ridiculous.

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        • prinzheinelgirl

          7/6/08 07:08 am (UTC)

          I find the idea ridiculous too, whether a princess literally or whatever it seems so far-fetched to me. Oh, there are plenty of fanfic stories I've browsed.... Lily as a 'Gryffindor princess', a 'princess' at home, at their town, etc. I never read any though. There's nothing in canon that suggests that she was this rich, pampered girl nor anything of the blue blood stock. I'm glad you think the same.
          

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