My animagus/nightmares (OT)/Marauder's Map

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 4493

ANIMAGUS

What Animagus would I be?  Well, apart from the rusty old Mechanimagus you
see before you

- I would like to transform into a large but cheeky horse called Pumpkin -
then I could join the circus and express myself to music.  
- I would probably turn into a brontosaurus and be really clumsy and
conspicuous, but mostly harmless.  
- I fear I would turn into a sponge and end up in someone's bathtub.


ALLAYING NIGHTMARES (OT)

When I babysit my nieces, I find that tiring them out is the best way to
ensure they get a good night's sleep.  Coincidentally, they try the same
technique on me and it works a treat.

When I was a small child, my mother always used to say, "Night, night.
Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite".  I don't recall thinking, "What
bed bugs? Are they lethal? Gemmeouttahere!" - there was just something
comforting about the rhyme.  As a slightly larger child (8 or 9) I was
allowed to watch old horror movies with my Mum (my Dad was always too scared
to watch them) and when it was bedtime I would imagine that every half-lit
object in the room was looming over me and about to devour me with sharp,
pointy little teeth.  When I was older still, and past that nightmare stage,
I remember singing "I Can Sing A Rainbow" to my baby brother on a regular
basis.  It seemed to be the only thing that would send him off to sleep.
These days, unfortunately, my rendition of the song is more like an alarm
clock than a lullaby.  

How we change with age.   

MARAUDER'S MAP

Okay, back on topic: Regarding the Marauder's Map, we know that it can think
for itself, because Harry recalls Arthur's saying "Never trust anything that
can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain" and later
it hints that he should say "Dissendium" to open the entrance to the tunnel.
So, can we trust its information; is it obligingly displaying every living
thing within its confines?

It's also interesting that Harry didn't see himself appear on the map until
he was about halfway down the third-floor corridor.  This suggests that,
perhaps, the map scans for new life forms to display and doesn't pick up on
them immediately.  Perhaps it only displays some people/animals?  Perhaps it
just overlooked Pettigrew in the form of a rat?

Finally, how often did anyone look at the map to be able to see Ron/Scabbers
before Lupin spotted Pettigrew accompanying Harry and Ron? 

Neil

            Flying-Ford-Anglia

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   "Then, dented, scratched and steaming, 
   the car rumbled off into the darkness, 
   its rear lights blazing angrily"

 [Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]

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