Cat, Rat and Dog

[cynthiaanncoe at home.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 27145

I have more questions about the events in this Chapter, and I am 
sincerely hoping the answers are not painfully obvious.  Apologies in 
advance if they are.

At the beginning of the Shrieking Shack scene, Black disarms Harry 
and Hermione and then says the following:

"I thought you'd come and help your friend."   <snip>  "Your father 
would have done the same for me.  Brave of you, not to run for a 
teacher.  I'm grateful . . . it will make everything much easier."

What does Black mean by "it will make everything much easier"?  I 
would think the easiest thing for Black is to just have Ron and 
Pettigrew there, force Pettigrew to transform, kill him, and take him 
back to the castle.  I must be missing something.

Second question:  Outside the Whomping Willow, Ron is lying on the 
ground with Scabbers while Harry and Hermione are on their feet.  
Sirius attacks Harry, then circles back and grabs Ron after Ron has 
stood up.  Why doesn't Sirius just leave his godson alone and instead 
grab Ron while he is on the ground and drag him off, and why doesn't 
Harry or Hermione (especially Hermione) just use magic to overcome 
Sirius before he drags Ron away?

Thanks.

Cindy (thinking that Mobiliarbus spell Hermione used to move the 
Christmas Tree in Hogsmeade might have worked pretty well on the 
Whomping Willow)