What happened to Harry's grandparents?

James and Lily weren't in their 30s when they died. They were about 21 years old.

James' parents were very old when he was born, and apparently they died from some sort of disease that afflicts elderly wizards. As far as Lily's and Petunia's mom and dad, Rowling never mentions how they passed, but it is known that they were dead before Voldemort attacked Harry.

James' parents were very old when he was born, and apparently they died from some sort of disease that afflicts elderly wizards. As far as Lily's and Petunia's mom and dad, Rowling never mentions how they passed, but it is known that they were dead before Voldemort attacked Harry.

That's interesting. I don't recall this mentioned in the books or films.


Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly .

It wasn't, but Rowling elaborated on it later.

It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to--W.C.Fields

It wasn't, but Rowling elaborated on it later.

That's not true, it actually was in the book. In Deathly Hallows, when Harry and Hermione visit James and Lily's graves, it says their dates of birth, and dates of death.

James Potter
Born 27 March 1960
Died 31 October 1981

Lily Potter
Born 30 January 1960
Died 31 October 1981

So that's 21 years old for each when they died.

Page 328 of Deathly Hallows.

One of my only constant complaints about the movies is that James and Lily are always depicted as being much older than 21. I get that it'd be difficult to imagine a couple of 20 year olds as being the parents of an 11 to 17 year old, but it still always struck me.

Of course, Snape, Lupin, Wormtail, Lucius, Sirius, etc... are all supposed to be in their mid to late 30s as well, so I guess it all washes out.

Well, the movies seemed to advance the timeline for Harry about a decade, while keeping James and Lily's times the same. What I mean is, the movies are set in a more modern time (the 2000's instead of the 1990's), but James and Lily have the same birth date.

In DH1, you can clearly see their date of birth on their tombstones, but it seems (to me at least) impossible to see their date of death. Which means they probably died in 1990, instead of 1980. So Harry remains the same age, but his parents are maybe a decade older?

I'm totally guessing here by the way...

The first time we ever saw his parents, it's what he's seeing in the mirror. They are actually Harry's fantasies of his parents, so he'd imagine them as people in their 30s and not two 20 year olds (in fact Rowling didn't even realize how young James and Lily would have been when they died until someone pointed out the timeline to her) because the parents of a 12 year old would be in their mid to late 30s.

Of course, they didn't HAVE to keep using those actors to play his parents in flashbacks but I guess that's how casting rolls.

It wasn't, but Rowling elaborated on it later.



That's not true, it actually was in the book. In Deathly Hallows, when Harry and Hermione visit James and Lily's graves, it says their dates of birth, and dates of death.

James Potter
Born 27 March 1960
Died 31 October 1981

Lily Potter
Born 30 January 1960
Died 31 October 1981

So that's 21 years old for each when they died.

Page 328 of Deathly Hallows.

No, no, no, no and no. That's got nothing to do with what I was talking about. I was talking about Harry's GRANDPARENTS' deaths.

Earth without art is just "eh."