Harry Potter took place in 1997?!??

[King Atlantis]

after reading when harry's parents died in 1980(1?) when harry was one, that means (since hes 17 in book 7) that book seven takes place in 1997...

funny, i allways imagined it being 'sometime allong now, but never specifically mentioned' as to keep it a 'timeless' read.

anyone else notice this?

[Dragon Rider16]

after reading when harry's parents died in 1980(1?) when harry was one, that means (since hes 17 in book 7) that book seven takes place in 1997...

funny, i allways imagined it being 'sometime allong now, but never specifically mentioned' as to keep it a 'timeless' read.

anyone else notice this?

Not sure it's that year though; I thought it's earlier. A lot of us did imagine it that way. And another thing: The movies are actually present time.

[Hollow Golem]

Dudley had a Playstation in the first book, so we can base something off of that.

[Masterdramon]

The series was grounded in present day, at least in JKR's mind. She began working on the idea in 1991, so that's when the first book occured in its internal chronology. And Book 2 logically took place in 1992, and so on...so Deathly Hallows took place in 1997 and ended in mid-1998.

I mean, once she had a date set for the first book taking place (which, again, at the time, was "modern times"), she couldn't just jump ahead 2-3 years between each book within the stories themselves.

[Junior]

That means the book was thought out a long time ago. o.O

[vdraconis]

That means the book was thought out a long time ago. o.O Yes. What do you think she was doing all those years from the book's conception to its publication?

[Chaostamer]

Actually, Harry was 1 in 1980, when his parents died. That means that he was 17 in 1996, though his final confrontation with Voldemort was in 1997.

[familyguy1491]

Ya I thought in the first book JK Rowling said that she was writing about what Harry had told her. She wrote the first book and it came out in1997 (if you are in the British Isles you can back me up) and it came in america 1998. So Harry Started Hogwarts in...1991. That doesn't make sense seeing how Dudley shouldn't have a PS1. I thought it came out in 1997/1998. Hmmm maybe a mistake?

[Masterdramon]

Ya I thought in the first book JK Rowling said that she was writing about what Harry had told her. She wrote the first book and it came out in1997 (if you are in the British Isles you can back me up) and it came in america 1998. So Harry Started Hogwarts in...1991. That doesn't make sense seeing how Dudley shouldn't have a PS1. I thought it came out in 1997/1998. Hmmm maybe a mistake?
Maybe his parents spoil him so rotten and are connected with the right people to give him an early prototype model?

[King Atlantis]

...i suppose then what were acctually reading is not 'Harry Potter' but 'A History of Magic' -revised edition :p

[natas666]

she got the idea of harry in 1990 and began writing it in 91 though it took her 4 years to finish regardless the book was taking place in 91 the first harry potter book was sent to ppl and it took 2 more years before it was ever published in 1997 so regardless of the time it took for her to write each book it makes perfect since for the story to continue from that point.....it took her a few years to write each story but the books continue year by year...if it started in 1991 why would the book finish in 2007???.....its just unlogical.....gosh.......

(feels completely and totally lame after knowing all that)

as for the playstation she finished the first book in 1995 the playstation came out in europe on September 29, 1995 so she probably wrote it in as she was finishing the story....to make dudley seem even more of a spoiled brat for having the newest system the year it came out

[King Atlantis]

true...i just wish she had made it 'timeless'...i now feel like im reading a history book :p

[natas666]

finish it and be part of the history that is harry potter...>.>;;;....wow that was really cheeze-tastic...and so was that

[King Atlantis]

lol.

im only on page 578 or so...*sigh*

[natas666]

your further than me....hell im reading it right now....>.>;;.....saving trees ftw?

[Junior]

Yes. What do you think she was doing all those years from the book's conception to its publication?

What I mean was then what has she been doing the past few years?

[Near]

Well, that was old news, actually, we've known that for years.

Which brings up a contradiction, because Dudley owned a PS1 before it the year it was released in "our world".

[OmegaMan1144]

It was a mistake on her part to put it in, but considering all the thought she had to put in to the actual story to keep the contradictions out, she's done a wonderful job, so missing this one trivial thing isn't a big deal to me.

[natas666]

It was a mistake on her part to put it in, but considering all the thought she had to put in to the actual story to keep the contradictions out, she's done a wonderful job, so missing this one trivial thing isn't a big deal to me.

lol the book was finished in 1995 and the ps1 came out in September 29, 1995 in europe and was already out in the rest of the world at the time.....she simply wrote it in before the book was ever published 2 years laters......though.......you are correct the book takes place in 91.....4 years before its release...>..>;;;.....she just wanted him to look more stuck up and also since the time the book was finished was also the time PS1 came and its pricetag was 299.99....it was basically written in to get he point across at how much his parents loved Dudley.......but hell the book is about wizards its made up anyway so why can't the PS1 Come out there b4 it came out here :D?

[King Atlantis]

petunia knows magic (zomfingG!)

on a side note, just finished tongiht...

[OmegaMan1144]

petunia knows magic (zomfingG!)

on a side note, just finished tongiht...

Thanks for the spoiler.
Read. (http://www.pojo.biz/board/showthread.php?t=452698)
Not everyone's done with the book yet. Give it a month or so.

[Corpse Maker]

actually, She makes the reference to the ps1 in the beginning of book4, when harry is writing a letter to sirius, saying dudley chucked it out the window. Here is a full timeline as most people saw it before DH, but now it is off a year: http://www.hp-lexicon.org/timelines/timeline.php

[Busterslash35]

petunia knows magic

What? Since when?

[King Atlantis]

it was a joke, not a spoiler >.>

(as in 'how dudly got a ps1....jeeze people...have some humor :p)

Additional Comment:

on a side note, you ppl are slow :p

[Busterslash35]

Someone doesn't know how to tell a joke.

[King Atlantis]

...i thought it was easy for every one to understand.

let me take it to 2nd-grade level:

the only way petunia would have gotten it was from magic.


get it now :p?

[Busterslash35]

I reiterate my last post: someone doesn't know how to tell a joke.

[Near]

It was a mistake on her part to put it in, but considering all the thought she had to put in to the actual story to keep the contradictions out, she's done a wonderful job, so missing this one trivial thing isn't a big deal to me.
No, actually, there a lot more.
Like that Quidditch captain guy staying one extra year at Hogwarts by mistake and stuff.

Well, Rowling did state Math is not exactly her strongest subject.

[OmegaMan1144]

I wasnt saying that was her only one. I've read the mistakes area at mugglenet, and it's pretty interesting, but on the whole, I'm quite amazed with the low amount of mistakes that were made with all the information going on in those books.

The mistakes could have been alot worse. Storyline contradictions seem inexistent.

[superman]

Joanne Kathleen Rowling and her fictional character Harry Potter both celebrate their birthday today! Jo is now 42 (not looking a day over 20), and Harry turns 27.

We hope Jo has a fantastic day with Neil and her family!

http://mugglenet.com/

Today makes 27 years.