Crookshanks reprised: Observations and Etymology

[Haggridd]

No: HPFGUIDX 16643

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Indigo" <indigo at i...> wrote:
> You can tell I just spent an hour reading the penultimate few 
chapters 
> of PoA.  *chuckle*
> 
> I've got more thoughts about Crookshanks.
> 
> I'm not sure if Ron's phobia of Spiders came up in PoA. I can't 
> remember. I do, however, know that Crookshanks leapt into Hermione's 
> lap with a large spider in his mouth and watched Ron the whole time 
he 
> ate it, even after Ron made it clear he was disturbed: "Does he have 
> to eat that here?"  
> 
> To me, anyway, that implies it did come up at some point, and 
> Crookshanks knew enough to use it against Ron.
> 
> Also, Sirius says that Crookshanks stole Neville's list from 
Neville's 
> bedside table at his behest.  This tells me that Crookshanks is very 
> much unlike a normal cat.  Normal cats don't follow orders, although 
> they can be trained. I sincerely doubt that Sirius could train a cat 
> to get into a place he himself couldn't get into and steal something 
> for him to facilitate his *getting* in.
> 
> Sirius also says he is able to communicate with Crookshanks, and 
earn 
> his trust.  Also not something doable with a normal cat.  You can 
earn 
> a normal cat's trust, but the communication is more questionable. 
> Again, you can train a cat, but I again doubt Sirius had the means 
to 
> feed Crookshanks tasty tidbits as a reward.  Sirius himself looked 
all 
> wan and starved.
> 
> Crookshanks also is capable of retaining information for a good 
while 
> since he can remember how to turn off the Whomping Willow (which 
> apparently resets itself after a period of time). He turned it off 
so 
> Harry and Hermione could follow after Ron, and he turned it off 
again 
> so they could emerge from the passage with the chained Pettigrew.
> 
> One more observation that puts me firmly in the Crookshanks is at 
> least part Kneazle (or, I'm beginning to think more likely a Kneazle 
> who is part normal cat):  his name.
> 
> A shank is a straight and narrow nail. [Merriam-Webster]
> 
> Crook - Shanks = Nail the crooks!
> 
> Indigo
> [a good hot bath and a good book do wonders for the mind!]

Wonderful textual investigation, thank you!  Wouldn't your citations 
equally support the possibility that Crookshanks is an unregisterd 
Animagus, though?

Haggridd