[HPforGrownups] Invisibiility Cloak - Moody - Kitty - Marvolo

[Morag Traynor]

No: HPFGUIDX 18667

Rita wrote and quoted:
>Morag Traynor wrote:
> > JKR reinforces this point in FB, where we find that they are
> > made from the hair of the Far Eastern Demiguise which "can
> > be seen only by wizards skilled in its capture"
>
>Reading FB, I was (and am) irritated by how magical artifacts get their
>powers from being made of magical beasts rather than from the magic of
>the witch or wizard who made them.

I rather liked that aspect as having a fair amount of explanatory power - it 
allows that some things, as invisibility cloaks above, can be rarer than 
others, some can be used, or mis-used by Muggles etc.  It also shows that 
wizards are, like us, dependent on a natural world.

>Catherine wrote:
> > I don't think he often calls other teachers by their first names
> > - at least not in the presence of students, and I recall at least
> > one instance when he calls him Alastair instead of Professor Moody,
>
>In GoF, in the room where the four Champions gathered just after being
>selected, when Snape said to the other headmasters something about Don't
>go blaming Dumbledore for Harry always breaking rules, Dumbledore called
>Snape to heel by saying one warning word: "Severus." And IIRC he calls
>Moody by first name when warning him off, as well.

IMO, Dumbledore bandies first names about far more than you would expect in 
the old-fashioned ambience of the books.  He calls Mme Pomfrey "Poppy" as 
well (can't find "pomfrey" in the dict, but it reminds me of "comfrey" a 
medicinal herb.  Does anyone know where it comes from?  I still find it odd 
to hear cabinet ministers referring to each other as "Tony" and "Robin", 
when well within my memory they would have used more formal addresses.  A 
pity Dumbledore has not had occasion to speak to Mme Hooch - I'd love to 
know her first name :)
>
>Moody's first name is Alastor not Alastair. This matters because >Alastor 
>is a real word. It means a spirit of vengeance (like a male >equivalent of 
>Nemesis) or a spirit that pursues and torments a person.

Thanks - I didn't know that!  JKR is a genius at naming.

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