Crookshanks reprised: Observations and Etymology

[Indigo]

No: HPFGUIDX 16684

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Morag Traynor" <moragt at h...> wrote that I, 
 Indigo wrote:
> 
> > > 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!
> 
> I *think* Crookshanks is an old English nickname meaning someone 
with 
> crooked legs.  Can anyone confirm?  Though I like "Nail the 
crooks"!:)

Clairey confirmed this very thing earlier.  I said then I wouldn't be 
surprised if JKR was aware of both meanings that could be ascribed to 
the name.

Cornelius Fudge is another name that could have more than one meaning. 

Fudge: is a type of candy, but it also means falsify,and it further 
also means: muddle through not exactly knowing the truth.  

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

Morag wrote:
> 
> I don't think he can be, because Sirius Black says of him "He's the 
most 
> intelligent of his kind I ever met" - given that Sirius *is* an 
unregistered 
> animagus, would he say "his kind" of another one?  And since in that 
scene 
> in the Shrieking Shack, unregistered animagi are not exactly thin on 
the 
> ground, it might have been a good time for Crookie to reveal 
himself, but he 
> doesn't. (OK, OK, there may be reasons as yet unknown...)
> 
> 
I'm inclined to agree here.

Crookshanks would've been far better able to defend Sirius if he was 
in human form than curling up on his chest in cat form. 

And for that matter, if Crookshanks could take human form, it would be 
very easy to get hold of Scabbers, with some fabricated story about  
taking him to a magic vet in Hogsmeade or something.  This 
unfortunately has the flaw of giving away who Crookshanks is, because 
animagi always bear some indication of their "totem" animal (?) in 
human form, and vice-versa. 

Here's a thought.

Crouch-as-Moody turned Malfoy into a ferret.

Maybe Crookshanks is some wizard who got turned into a cat and is 
unable to change himself back to his rightful form?

That's an angle I'm not sure I've seen bounced about.

Thoughts?

Meow.

Indigo