[HPforGrownups] Talk to the Animals (was Lily's Secret)

[Jennifer]

No: HPFGUIDX 24242

Zarleycat at aol.com wrote:
> 
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Dave Hardenbrook" <DaveH47 at m...> wrote:
> 
> snip
> 
> > On another point -- If it's possible to talk to snakes, can someone
> > with the gift talk to other animals?  (Could Goderic Gryffindor
> talk to
> > lions, etc.?)
> >
> >
> >                  -- Dave
> 
> I'd like to think so.  Harry understands Aragog and the other spiders
> later on in CoS - are they all speaking English?  And Sirius is able
> to communicate on some level with Crookshanks, although I didn't get
> the impression that they had actual conversations, as Harry can do
> with snakes. Maybe being an Animagus enhances an ability to talk with
> other animals.  Or maybe, in this instance, this is a clue that
> Sirius is a Gryffindor, as he is able to a catlike creature.  Not
> exactly a lion, but, hey, how many lions have we seen wandering
> around Hogwarts?

As far as Aragog & co...couldn't Hagrid speak with them too?  I'm pretty
darn sure he's not parseltongue, and there's never been any mention of
him being able to speak with animals in general.  I got the idea that
Aragog was a special case, and perhaps a source of magical-translation
(or something along those lines).  I think Parseltongue pretty much
means speaks-with-snakes.  It *is* possible that there are other similar
talents for different animals, perhaps none with as bad a reputation
though (and thus as well known).
-- 
Jenny

"We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."