In England, the legal age is 18, but you can order alcohol when your 16, only if you're also ordering food. In the HBP movie, they didn't order any food.

In Washington, you can get married without permission at 18 and have sex at 16, legally

Well I find both to be bad honestly. But getting married at age 18 haveing sex and getting pregnate as a teen. To me thats moraly incorrect. As a teen your hormones may mix true love with lust.

I forgot what they were drinking... was it butterbeer or firewhiskey?

I guess? I mean, I personally don't consider either "a bad influence" but if we're talking about the "muggle" world yeah, drinking underage is a bad idea.

But in the wizarding world, the rules are different (for example, they were legally adults at age seventeen, not eighteen) . And the only "alcoholic" drinks the trio drank were butterbeers and I don't think those really have any substantial amount of alcohol in them. I think they were kind of like rum-balls and beer-battered fish.

What about firewhisky?^

What about it?

Bella rushed into a relationship. She barely knew Edward before they started dating. I think from that point on, she was blinded by his perfect looks and she never really thought about if she actually loved him. I think that wisdom comes with age, and Bella would have thought again if she was older. It was irresponisble to get married like that and leave her old life behind, even her parents. And having a kid at that age can be dangerous, vampire or not. They should have at least discussed kids and whether they could have them and then used protection.
Hogwarts isn't in England. In fact, the real location is unknown. There are hints that it may be in Sctoland, but nobody knows for sure. Besides, they were drinking butterbeer. It has a very limited amount of alcohol in it, not enough to make a person drunk. And they weren't drinking to get drunk. Even if it was illegal, there was nothing morally wrong about it. Wizards drink butterbeer from a very young age. It is part of their traditions. And as far as we know, the Ministry of Magic has different laws about drinking than the Muggle world.

I always thought that firewhiskey was an alcoholic drink...? Oh well.

Well, I know people who have had sex at 13 and below. And that disturbs me far more than it disturbed me when my mom said she drank beer with her friends when she was 16. And then there's marriage at 18, and I can tell you right now, that's just... a bad decision, especially in Bella's case.

Oh, firewhisky is. When I said "the only alcoholic drinks they had" I meant the only alcoholic drinks the trio drank were butterbeers. The only time I ever remember them drinking firewhisky was in DH, and they were all legally adults then.

^ yes. Butterbeer has some alcohol, but so little that it has no affect on humans. Firewhiskey actually has an average amount, so only adults can drink it. Butterbeer must be legal, because the teachers know the students drink it, and even offer it to them sometimes. They don't allow firewhiskey.

But the trio didn't drink firewhiskey until they were the legal age.

I know, I said that.

Lol, this reminds me of the second Meet the Parents movie, when the mom said that she put rum in her son's milk when he was a baby.

Only because I believe drinking alcohol of any amount is bad and not entirely healthy for the body, at any age.
Mairrage isn't unhealthy for the body.

^^I know. Sorry, I just wanted to reinforce, not trying to copy.

Having a baby is bad for an 18 year old body, legal or not. And I don't know whether you read what we said or not, but Butterbeer has very small amounts of alcohol in it. It's like eating a dessert that has just a drop of rum in it for flavoring. It's not enough to damage the body.

^^Oh, I wasn't thinking you were copying, I just wasn't sure if you saw my comment.

Oh, sorry to confuse you. :) Yeah, I did see it. I just wanted to say it again because I didn't want people to think I was saying they drank firewhiskey in HBP

Haha, it's okay :)

Changed my answer. I just remembered; I drank wine yesterday. *facepalm*

I know that, I read everything, but I'm still against alcohol of any form or amount. It's just a strong moral I hold myself to.

Child birth can be dangerous at any age.

Especially for teens.

LOL GemonkDruid. Too funny XD

But I did. Just to see what it tasted like. And I'm younger than 16.

Also, Cassie, it's fine to have your morals, but you can't say that drinking butterbeer is bad for them if it really isn't. Not saying to change your answer, because it's fine to believe that people shouldn't have any amount, but please understand there is evidence that it couldn't do harm.

It's not the particular glass they are consuming at and one given time I'm against, nor is it the particular beverage. It's the idea, what it can lead to (their future consumption of firewisky), though the butterbeer may not be the direct of them drinking firewisky, it's still just pretty much a downsized, watered down version of the same thing.

No, it's very different. Again, it is like having those sweets with just a bit of rum in them. It won't lead you to drinking, just from that one drop. I'd say that if butterbeer had more, to the point where you had to be over the age to drink it, then yes. But it doesn't, which means there isn't enough to lead to a drinking habit.

Besides, even if it could lead to drinking, it would be very indirect. Having a baby at 18 is directly putting yourself at risk.

rum-cake drove me to drinking

I'm sure.

^ LOL

I'm prolly never going to drink. Not just because it's bad, but because it tastes terrible.

Besides, I'm sure rum-cake has more than just a drop. It's called RUM-cake for a reason. Even if it did drive you to drinking.

it's called butterBEER for a reason too

I know. Me too. But I'm pretty sure butterbeer tastes great becuase we made it from a non-alcoholic recipe and it was awesome. And the alcohol in it is barely there, so I doubt the real taste would be very different.

What about root BEER or ginger BEER, YKI, huh, HUH?

For lack of a better name. That's basically all that's in there. Everything is butter. This is what the recipe is.
Butter
butter
butter
butter
butterscotch
butter butter
water
butter
butter
cream soda
butter
butter.

For real.

No beer, but yeah, sorta like root beer or ginger ale.

^ I LOVE Ginger ale!

And don't forget CHAMPAGNE chocolates.

just a name. maybe thats why the "beer" part comes after the "butter" part. cuz it's not actually there.
maybe "rum" comes before cake because there's more rum than cake.

i dunno, i guess the whole thing with the names is kinda silly. it just sorta popped into my head lol

you forgot drop of alcohol, like you said before, and don't pull that last minute editing trick again.

wait... i thought those actually have some champagne in them... i dunno. I'm not sure if I've ever had them.

a caks can't be more liquid than solid

Well, I had a whole box, and my parents didn't protest.

LOL

KOFAT, I know, it was just a joke, but as far as I know it does have a lot of rum in it.

I'm cool with the sex when you're 18, but the getting married part is the only part I don't really condone.

Getting pregnant when you're 18 isn't the smartest thing to do, but I actually din't think that getting married and having sex is all that bad. Drinking on the other hand stunts brain development (that's why the legal age is 21).

^ Not in Australia. x]

Butterbeer isn't strong (except for house-elves and last time I checked Harry, Ron and Hermione are human), and they don't drink Firewhisky until they are like, seventeen which means they are adults in the wizarding world.

Bella married way too young, and still had a teen pregnancy even if she was married.

I think my parents would rather I got drank than I got married at eighteen and had a baby (a monstrous one at that) *one month later*

I don't know if it's just because I already oppose teen marriage and/or pregnancy or what. But I'd rather have an alcoholic beverage at 16 (because it's actually okay if you only drink 1 to 2 glasses or bottles of alcohol) than become a wife and mother at 18, because most teenagers aren't mature enough physically or mentally to handle marriage and pregnancy. In fact, statistics say that a daughter born to a teen mother is more likely to become a teen mother herself and a son born to a teen mother is 3 times more likely to serve time in prison.

I'm weighing the alternatives.

Getting married and pregnant as a teenager - I personally would only marry that young if I was pregnant in the first place. To be logical, we would probably divorce, and we would constantly fight custody over the baby. Or it could be the complete opposite, and the father could force me to take care of the baby by myself, so I'd be a single parent. I'm thinking this way because if anyone else got married and had a baby at 18, they usually wouldn't have that "happily ever after" feel Bella had. The baby would change my whole life.

Or...

Drinking one year below the drinking level age. If I over-consume, I get a hangover and come to the conclusion that hangovers=bad, so drinking=bad. (I know myself well - I CAN'T STAND soreness and pain. One hangover would be all I could take.) If I don't over-consume, I'm perfectly fine and the one night of alcohol-intake will never affect me.

Looking over the two options, I think I will choose the option that would, personally, never dramatically change my life in any way. But I guess it's different for everybody.

Uhh, drinking at 16 is Illgel... I think it's worst to influence someone to break the law then to to get married. In Australia the gaurdian gets fined $6000 if caught, even if it was just a sip of dad's sunday XXXX gold. Not sure about England's way..

nothing is wrong with sex at 18. Uhhhh. i would be worried if you had bf at 18 and werent having sex . (ONES TO OWN OPINION)
Plus 18 is the age when you are pysicallly classed as a adult...so, nothing is wrong with it.

I would rather be married and having thrilling sex then throwing up and loosing control of my bladder in front of eveeryoneor perhaps die in from alchohol posioning or drown in my own vomitt, whichs seems extremely pleasent.Plus Drinking is addictive.

I'd take marriage anyday. What's the worst that can happen, get a divorce, wow i cut... If I'm divorced means hes a basturd.

They drank two years under the legal age

Butterbeer doesn't have that much alcohol in it (points about rum cake were brought up, so I won't say anymore on that subject). It's not like they always drank it. It's mentioned they drink it when they're in Hogsmeade and if it was really that ladled with alcohol, I doubt the bartenders would serve some to underage kids.

Getting married and having sex at 18 is worse in my opinion. Although she's an adult, she's technically a teenager in a sense (eightTEEN). And Edward WAS a teenager if you want to bring that up since he wasn't 18 yet (even though he's lived for decades). Bella knew that her parents were young when they had her and look what happened with them--divorce. Why would she want to put herself through that, after witnessing it firsthand? Oh, right. Stephenie made her perfect. No way her and Edward would EVER break up. In reality, most couples (especially young ones) don't stay together forever. Throwing a baby into that equation will just complicate things more.

Pick fail.
Having a kid in the age of 18 is far more worse than drinking butterbeer at the age of 16. Why?
Butterbeer does not have an alchoholic effect on humans. It's perfectly ok to drink. Now,sex,marriage and parenthood at the age of 18...is weird. It sends a bad message to girls out there.

^comment fail.

It didn't say anything in the books about Butterbeers being alcoholic...but I am really against drinking in general, but getting married at 18 and having a kid is a LOT worse than that.

To me, it's not so much the sex part, that doesn't really seem too bad, just getting married and actually having a kid, especially after you've fallen in lust at first sight, and your partner is partially attracted to you because you smell nice and they have to try and resist the urge to eat you half the time. Not to mention Edwards stalker habits.

Um seeing as you can get married and have sex at age 16 in the UK...

This country would be saintly if everyone lost their virginity at 18, and had their first alcoholic drink at 16. But sadly, this is not the case.

Gettind married at the age of 18 is really anticipated,
and I believe this may lead to a remorse
Being 18 years old is still being a teenager, an immature one.

Personally, I would prefer drinking 1 glass of ButterBeer
that being married at the age of 18, and raise children..
This sounds stupid to me

"In 1996, Harry Potter wondered what Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger might do at Professor Horace Slughorn's Christmas Party "under the influence of Butterbeer,"[3] indicating that it could lower inhibitions."
Butterbeer can get you drunk

Alcohol is crazy stuff man. And if you're in really, truly love, it doesn't really matter when you get married. As to the sex part, anything consenual is OK, anything non-consensual is wrong =D

Having sex at 18 ?absolutely nothing wrong with it since most people start their sexual lives at 13-14 these days..(not that I did but most do)
Marriage?I don't think there's an age for marriage i think it's just when you feel right and know this is what you want to do
Drinking at 16 it's not good at all , i think at least 18 is good ..even tho in the States is 21 but...still..

As long as you don't drink too much, I think one drink once in awhile is fine
As for getting married at 18 and having a kid...I mean, I don't mind marriage. I don't think I'll ever get married, but I don't mind other people getting married. it's their life...It's the pregnancy thing that scares me. I mean, if they got married, got bored with each other (you never know) and seperated, then fine, it's their life. But when you throw a kid in...not cool. Divorces--believe it or not--hurt kids involved. Plus, I don't don't really support certain marriages unless both are at least 20. At 18 you're still growing, and most people don't know themselves inside and out yet. People can and do change during those years. Sure, Edward probably knows himself, but does Bella?

in the harry potter amusement park, people wer drinking real butterbeers & from wat i'vve heard, they were not alchoholic

This is basically because I have always been against under age sex. Sure, 18 is the age where you can, I believe, but to still be a teenager while doing so is so wrong to me!

I don't think having sex when you're 18 is a bad thing, but getting married when you're 18 is kinda irresponsible.
In Belgium, where I live, we're allowed to drink alcohol when we're 16, so I don't think it's a bad influence.

^ooh belgium? do they hav good chocolate?

The legal drinking age in the UK now is 18, but I'm pretty sure that in when the books were written, and when they were set, the legal age was 16. So I don't think any laws were broken.

Although I don't condone Drinking, it was Butterbeer. It wasn't actually alcoholic.

read the first comment. its illegal if you dont order food with it

Loopy has a point. Now it's illegal now if your under the legal age of adulthood, but in the 90s that was all different. It may not have been illegal for a 16 year old to drink then without a meal.

Butterbeer is non-alcoholic...

Just gonna throw that out there.

Besides, in that paticular scene, what they are drinking isn't even important at all. What people take away is the conversation and the events afterward. Them having a little non-alcoholic drink wouldn't really influence anyone.

However, in Twilight, the marraige at 18 is a big part, and it is seen as a declaration of 'true love' and all that. That is a bad influence.

@luv_warriorcatz: The Belgian chocolate is delicious :)

^Oooh,I love Belgian chocolate.
Yummers. :P


Wait,what were we talking about again?

YouKnowIt101: Read my comment. The books are set in the past. The law changed in 2008, I think. I'm pretty sure it was legal.

And Miss has a point, too. I didn't even register what they were drinking, properly. I just thought 'Oh, Butterbeer' and then focused on the plot. You know, that thing that HP actually has.

I think it's kinda obvious that teen sex is worse than underage drinking. I mean, if they got sloshed, then I'd pick the other pick, but it's not really a big deal. It wasn't like they used fake ID, so it was clearly legal in the Wizarding World.
If I met two sixteen year olds, one who was unerage drinking, another who had had sex and got married, I'd think the latter was the worst, by miles and miles.
Just because sex and marriage is the legal one, doesn't make it the better one :L x

^ Why would getting married and having sex as a teen be worse?

Well, let's take it to the extreme, and say you got aboslutely HAMMERED at someones house on the weekend. The worse that could happen would be that you'd get grounded 'for the rest of your life' and get a proper hangover-maybe throw up and that.
If you had sex as a teenager, and you'd got pregnant or whatever, you'd have a little person that you were suddenly responsible of. You'd have to stop spending as much time with your mates, csause they'd be doing normal teenage things. Even if you got married, your husband would be either at work all the time, or have no job, in which case you'd have barely any money except from benefits. Then, you'd try and stop your child from turning out the same way, but they'd more tha likely nd up rebelling against you and end up doing something stupid :L x

I find both bad

well it is legal to drink at sixteen but well you know all the technical stuff. but getting married and having a baby at eighteen years old? when you've known the guy for what a year? yeah no not good.

oh and yeah they weren't really drinking because as was said up there Butterbeer isn't really alcoholic.

Young people aged 16 or 17 can drink beer, wine or cider if it is bought by an adult and they are accompanied by an adult.
it is however illegal for them to drink spirits whether accompanied by an adult or not.
It is legal for adults to buy alcohol for children over four to drink in the home.
also british law states that if the establishment in question allows an adult to buy alcohol for a person under 18 then that is legal but it is illegal for the child to buy it themselves. although most places in britain wont allow alcohol to be consumed by people under 18 on their premises.

an adult wasn't with them

they were surrounded by adults lol any of the adults in the pub could have vouched for them, plus since adults from the school were always present watching we could say they were in the presence of people who during the school year were their gaurdians

you're suggesting it's legal for minors to buy alcohol in front of adults? even strangers? with their own money?

but butterbeer actually has no alcohol or at least very low alcohol content, and since laws in the wizarding world are different we cannot be sure whether british muggle law actually applies to them, also in america kids are now drinking butterbeer and their law states no alcohol consumption for anyone under 21 whether with an adult or not so we can assume that there are non alcoholic forms of butterbeer and that was what harry herm-own-ninny and ron were drinking

I see Butterbeer as Gingerbeer or shandy, other cultures such as Italian have no problem with drinking a glass of wine with their children, its an ancient custom. And their not alone....

link

^ LOL, that website says "Age 18 - United Kingdom (Age 5 with parents)" hahahaha.

^ yes parents are allowed to give children older than 5 alcohol in their own home according to british law

^ wtf? i'm british and didnt even know that lol.

some ridiculous laws in my country -_-

haha yup lol it is slightly weird

I see nothing wrong with the occasional drink.

It's bad enough to sign your life away at age 18 to a human - you have a general idea of how long it'll last 'cause, y'know, humans die and stuff. But giving yourself to a vampire at age 18? Having its spawn? You're stuck with that for eternity. Unless the Volturi will allow a divorce. ;)

Butterbeer doesn't contain alcohol

They were drinking butterbeer. It has so little alcohol that it can have no effect on the human body, unless you drink gallons. The only time a 16-year-old drank in the series was in Deathly Hallows, a week before Harry was of age, and it was in toasting a fallen friend.

In any case, drinking a glass of red wine, for example, with a big meal is actually good for you.

^They also say that drinking one glass of red wine can help with anemia.