to think Hogwarts could have taken squibs?

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

I was thinking about this, and surely they could take the majority of classes there? Ok, not Charms or Transfiguration, but presumably Potions, History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, Ancient Runes and Astronomy could be done, maybe with some minor adjustments?

It doesn't seem like adult wizards do magic all the time either, and a lot the 'everyday' magic they use, they don't actually cast themselves (floo powder for example). I don't think you have to be magic to ride a broomstick either.

So surely they should at least have the chance to go to Hogwarts (and follow a slightly altered curriculum) rather than have to integrate into the Muggle community?

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

I think they were generally home schooled. Because there's the outcry in The Deathly Hallows when it becomes compulsory for British wizards to go there - before they could have gone abroad or been taught at home.

Speaking of abroad, I only realised recently that Durmstrang is nowhere near Bulgaria! How did Viktor get all his quidditch practice in?

[steff13]

It's addressed in the last book (I think), that parents have the option to home-school their kids rather than sending them to Hogwarts. That was one of the things Lord Voldemort changed when he secretly took over the Ministry of Magic; he made attendance at Hogwarts compulsory. So, it stands to reason that a lot them would home school for the first ten years.

I wouldn't, I'd send them off to the local muggle elementary school. But you know Lucious Malfoy would not have done that, so there must be the option to home school

[IneedAwittierNickname]

I'd always assumed they home schooled for those reasons. Need to re read the books, its been too long!

[IneedAwittierNickname]

Where is Durmstrang?

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

I wonder if one of the reasons is because they often live in 'wizarding villages' like Ottery Saint Catchpole and Godric's Hollow, but there are lots of muggles there too (Hogsmeade is the only entirely wizarding village). One wizard child at school might not be noticed but it's much more likely if you have four or five families with children there.

[JustGettingOnWithIt]

Is highly suspicious that the majority from the magical world go to unobtrusive selective prep schools that charge a small fortune to be holding pens, especially for well to do squibs, who remain while their siblings graduate, and only the very top and bottom actually home ed.

Believes Idris Oakby may have been squib head girl at one, fueling a life long obsession over equality of squibs.

[morethanpotatoprints]

OMG.

I'm not telling dd that they were probably H.ed until 11.
She will want to go to secondary.
Think she may have guessed though as she was watching it tonight she realised that the only school she would think of attending happens to be a very old boarding school.

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Northern Scandinavia Ineed.

[JustGettingOnWithIt]

Durmstrang is somewhere in the far north of Norway or Sweeden, but as it's unplottable few outside are likely to know it's exact location.

[IneedAwittierNickname]

Thanks polka
And you could be right about the wizarding villages. Maybe the wizard parents all he together, each teaching whatever they are best at?

[ChrisMooseMickey]

I thought they all went to muggle schools until they were allowed to go to Hogwarts, have always wondered about the maths thing!!
Don't forget the book was set 30 odd years ago. Having a squib in the family was probably akin to having a homosexual in a muggle family then. I hope one day, squibs can be out and proud

[IneedAwittierNickname]

The books aren't set 30 odd years ago are they? I thought Harry was born in the early 80s?

[Dromedary]

When they leave school they all go on to magical type jobs - no-one goes off to do an ordinary job dealing with muggles. They obviously feel that by 11 they have the basics of the 3 Rs and that learning magic is more important than learning what muggles children learn.

[Waitingforflo]

Early 80s is 30 years ago . . .

[steff13]

They went to Hogwarts at age 11, which means the first book is set in 1991.

[IneedAwittierNickname]

Yes I know, I was born then, (2 years after HP IIRC) but the books are set 11-17 years later, in the mid to late 90s.

[Waitingforflo]

All the squibs we hear about are much earlier though - they aren't being born in the current action chapters, they're largely from flashbacks or older characters like Filch.

[IneedAwittierNickname]

Oops though he was born in 82 for some reason. Booksstill werent set 30 odd years ago.

[justjemima]

A letter arrives out of the blue on the kid's 11th birthday and you just go "Oh, Hermione, it would appear that you are endowed with magical powers. Off you go to this boarding school hundreds of miles away which we've never heard of, let alone visited or read its inspection report. No problem."

JKR has said that in the case of muggle born students, a member of staff actually delivers the letter personally (probably Dumbledore and Mcgonagall) so they can talk to the child and their parents. They also help the new student go through Diagon Ally and buy their books and supplies for Hogwarts.

Also to whoever said it, JKR has also said that students are either sent to muggle primary schools or home schooled before Hogwarts. I imagine most are home schooled as they seem clueless about muggles.

[justjemima]

I don't think squibs should be let in.

Muggle borns already get a lot of crap. I imagine it would be worse for squibs.

[IneedAwittierNickname]

Oh ok, see what you mean then

I don't know, I don't remember reading much about Filch's background, I know he does a magic correspondence course at some point, and Mrs Figgs mentions being a squib. And Neville says his Grandmother was always worried he was.
I think youre right, it would have been something to be ashamed of.
Maybe we should campaign for equal rights for Squids?

[ChrisMooseMickey]

Sorry- I meant 20 years ago. Harry's parents died 30yrs ago. Ignore me, I've had too much babbling potion tonight.

[IneedAwittierNickname]

Squids? Ffs meant squibs obviously!

[TheRaniOfYawn]

Maybe the giant squid in the lake is keen to learn transfiguration.

[Chippednailvarnish]

Squids would definitely find it difficult