What do you think Hogwarts was like when Severus, Lily, James, Peter, Arthur, Sirius, and Remus were all students? That was the deep question panelists tried to answer at “Time-turner: Hogwarts in the 70s.” Fans of the Potterverse met in Marriott A601-A602 Friday at 2:30PM to listen to panelists Ashley Poston, Hanako Ricks, Lindsay Ribar, Sarah Glenn Marsh, and Jennifer Clack ruminate on the young lives of the parents and professors of some of our favorite characters.

Of the many hypotheses and alternate histories that were discussed, several revolved around Snape and whether or not he would have been different had various aspects of his life been different. For example, had he never called Lily a mudblood might he and Lily have ended up together? Or, if his home life had been different might he have not been such an easy target for bullying.

Another subject that was discussed was James and his personality. What was his reason for always bullying Snape? In order to win Lily over, at what point, how, and how much did he change?

Discussion shifted to the young professors like Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore, and Sybill Trelawney. There has never been discussion of magical drug usage, but it was posited that it was very likely the three professors probably smoked a little cannabis in their younger days. And that they probably attended Woodstock!

The influence of 70s pop culture was also brought to the table. Who would have had the first Atari? Which of the characters would have been into Star Wars? Would Arthur have been seen taking apart the first muggle VCR? Would someone have come in with one of the first computers?

For some further backstory on these characters, the panel suggested watching the YouTube fan-made video Severus Snape and the Marauders and reading the short piece the “James & Sirius Prequel” written by JK Rowling and found on http://www.MuggleNet.com.