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Since I’m playig with magic and its interaction with age/aging in this AU, I figured I should probably get some thoughts down.
- Magicals can live about 300 years, especially if they take care of themselves. (Forget this only slightly extended lifespan nonsense. We have magic; we can see 3 centuries)
- Most of them will look somewhere in their 50s/60s by their 100s. The start of their second century is comparable to a non-magical’s 60s/70s. By the end of their lifespan, they’re in the non-magical 80 - 100 range.
- Intense grief and guilt can age a person quite suddenly. The reverse is also true when they move out of the most intense grieving period or manage to work through the guilt. Albus Dumbledore, in the aftermath of Halloween 1981, declined obviously. He’d gone fully white-haired after the last battle with Gellert, but losing so many he’d taught, etc. nearly did him in.
- Sometimes, traumatic events can stop the aging process until the person’s magic feels that they’re safe. Harry got stuck at 8. Severus had something similar at 15 (and again after Halloween 1981). It’s basically the last ditch effort to get someone to notice that something is WRONG. Kind of like the magical equivalent of your body throwing up some other horrible symptom to get the initial issue taken care of.
- Most magicals are a bit coy about their age. Minerva McGonagall (we’re going with her as a contemporary of Tom Riddle), regularly lies to people’s faces. She might be anywhere from 55 to 106. That’s her business.
- Once you’re past 100, age matters less and less. Under 100s tend to get treated like sweet summer children sometimes.
- Sometimes the long lifespan can cause issues in the job market, but it’s infrequent. Many goods are still produced by artisans, so it isn’t like you can’t use another boot maker or dressmaker or what have you in town. And not everyone wants to work in government forever.
- Many magicals live in multi-generational homes. It’s less the norm after 2 dark lords and a few epidemics, but once the population rebuilds a bit it’ll be the norm again.
- Please imagine a world full of the middle aged and OAPs who are full of vim and vigor. Where public life is geared toward people at all ages because they can see a baby boom on the horizon.
- 17 is when the government gives you more adult rights (like voting) and thinks you’ve trained your magic well enough that you aren’t going to be a public menace. 28 is when you fully come of age because it’s divisible by 7 and have you met a magical 21-year-old lately? If you marry before 28, you’ll be seen as a full adult. If you’re the last of your House, then congratulations, you’re seen as a full adult at 17.
