Owl magic

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 22319

Rita wrote:


> I wish I knew whether it is possible for an
> Animagus to become a magical animal, or only a normal animal. Owls
> appear to have Owl Magic to deliver mail; does that make them 
magical
> animals?

I have two theories, both, I think, equally supported by the books:

(1) the owls in HP are unusual in that they understand human language 
and can track someone down, apparently anywhere, even if the sender 
doesn't know where he/she is.  I.e. they are magical owls, which 
resemble, but aren't the same as, Muggle snowy and tawny and barn 
owls.

(2) the owls in HP are just like any owls, and the only reason we 
Muggles can't hail an owl and use it to send our post is that *we* 
aren't magical.  If I just had the ineffable authority of a witch, I 
could tell an owl, "take this to Rita, would you, please?" and he 
would.  Not without giving me an irked stare at being required to 
cross the country to deliver something I could easily have sent by 
e-mail, of course.

Amy Z

--------------------------------------------------
 "Very haunted up here, isn't it?" said Ron, 
 with the air of one commenting on the weather.
                 -HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban
--------------------------------------------------