CHAP. 17 SUMMARY: Cat, Rat, and Dog

[Zarleycat at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 21398

Stunned at the execution of Buckbeak, the Trio walk back towards the 
castle.  Scabbers continues to struggle to get away from Ron, and 
finaly succeeds, only to be pursued by Crookshanks.  Ron gives chase, 
followed by the other two.  Scabbers is recaptured, but suddenly an 
enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog appears.  It attacks Ron and drags 
him into the tunnel under the Whomping Willow, breaking his leg in 
the process.

Crookshanks places his paws on a knot on the tree trunk, which 
freezes the Willow and allows Harry and Hermione to get into the 
tunnel to attempt to rescue Ron.  They eventually come to a 
disordered, dusty room, with stained floors and smashed furniture.  
They realize they're in the Shrieking Shack.  Once upstairs they find 
Ron and Crookshanks in a room with a magnificent four-poster bed.  
Ron, in pain, tells them the dog is really an Animagus.  Harry and 
Hermoine now find themselves facing Sirius Black. Black remarks that, 
in coming to try to help his friend, Harry had acted exactly as James 
Potter would have acted.

Harry, filled with rage, lunges forward to attack Black. A tangled 
battle ensues, ending up with Sirius sprawled on the floor with 
Crookshanks perched protectively on his chest, and Harry pointing his 
wand at Black's heart.  Muffled footsteps are heard from the floor 
below, and Professor Lupin burst into the room.  He disarms Harry and 
Hermione, and then asks of Black, "Where is he, Sirius?"  Thinking 
aloud, Remus realizes that a switch had been made without his 
knowledge.  Remus helps Sirius to his feet and embraces him like a 
brother.  Harry and Hermione feel betrayed by Lupin and Hermione 
screams out that he is a werewolf.

In an effort to calm the Trio and explain the situation, Lupin gives 
them their wands back.  Lupin reveals that he was one of the creators 
of the Marauder's Map, and is also familiar with the Invisibility 
Cloak.  He tells them he had been looking at the Map earlier that 
evening and saw that the three of them were accompanied by a fourth 
being once they left Hagrid's.  The Map also showed Sirius dragging 
two of them into the Willow.  This makes no sense to the Trio. Ron 
takes a still struggling Scabbers out of his robes to show Remus.  
Black tells them that the rat is Peter Pettigrew.

Questions:

1.  Why does Scabbers try to escape from Ron before the Trio even 
leaves Hagrid's?
2.  JKR has said that Crookshanks is part Kneazle.  Kneazles make 
excellent pets if they take a liking to someone.  Why has Crookshanks 
formed an apparent attachment to Sirius?
3.  What stopped Harry from killing Sirius?
4.  Why is there a magnificent bed in the Shrieking Shack, when 
everything else in the building is stained and broken?
5.  Should Remus have told Harry earlier in the school year about his 
true relationship with James?

Marianne, off to feed the part-Kneazles that are screaming around her 
feet.