[HPforGrownups] Re: Crookshanks

[Horst or Rebecca J. Bohner]

No: HPFGUIDX 14442

Spoiler space again...

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I asked, with regard to the question of why Hermione didn't bring
Crookshanks out of the dorm more often:

>> Is it against school rules to bring one's pet to  classes?  If so, why
does Neville get to carry Trevor everywhere? <<

> Probably because:
>
> 1) Toads are useful in the actual conjuring. Warts or secretions.
> 2) Neville's terrified he'll lose Trevor if he doesn't carry him
> around.

#2 I'd agree with, definitely.  As for #1, presumably all wizardly pets are
of some use when conjuring.  But it's been suggested by Pippin in another
message (which unfortunately got e-mailed to me rather than posted to the
group):

> Crookie obviously can pass physically for a pure cat and Hermione
might have good reasons for wanting him to do so.  There may be
regulations against underage wizards keeping part kneazles at Hogwarts,
or in Muggle homes, as Hermione must do over the summer, the purpose
being to keep them from breeding with domestic non-magical housecats. <

Which I think is quite a good explanation.  JKR does say in the book that
Kneazles and Crups can't be kept without a special license, and are not
supposed to be in Muggle homes.  So it'd be in Hermione's interests to
pretend that Crookshanks was an ordinary cat and not let on that she knows
he's really part Kneazle.

(Oh, and OT to Pippin:  I haven't actually seen SOYLENT GREEN.  Or CITIZEN
KANE for that matter.)

> The only thing that really springs to mind is that Crookshanks
> apparently is somewhat familiar with the grounds of Hogwarts and the
> Whomping Willow -- he knew where the knot to stop the tree is.

Aha!  I knew there was something of that sort in PoA.  Thanks.

(I should mention that when I first read PoA, I thought Crookshanks was
Sirius.  So did my husband when I read the book to him.)
--
Rebecca J. Bohner
rebeccaj at pobox.com
http://home.golden.net/~rebeccaj