[HPforGrownups] Re: James as Stag

[Andrew MacIan]

No: HPFGUIDX 34560

Greetings from Andrew!

"Never multiply entities....

--- uilnslcoap <devin.smither at yale.edu> wrote:
> > --- jrwilkens <wilke013 at g...> wrote:
> > > Andrew MacIan <andrew_macian at y...> wrote:
> > > > So, for James to appear as a stag is in line
> with
> > > > being a *very* strong protector symbol, both
> for
> > > Lupin
> > > > and his other friends, as well as for his son.
> > > 
> > > I agree that as a symbol James As Stag works
> quite
> > > well and especially works as Harry's Patronus. 
> My 
> > > problem with James As Stag is a practical one. 
> We
> > > have a fairly graphic description of how small a
> > > tunnel 
> > > exists between the Whomping Willow and the
> Shrieking
> > > Shack.  I can imagine a large dog and a werewolf
> 
> > > getting in and out.  But can you really picture
> a
> > > large stag with full set of prongs managing in
> the
> > > narrow 
> > > confines!!
> > 
> > 
> > So, yes, for lack of given direction, I have
> > *definite* problems with a 14- to 16-point buck
> (at
> > about 14 hh) wandering down that tunnel without a
> > *lot* of cursing and swearing on his part.
> 
> How about if, as they're marching down the tunnel
> together, James 
> goes first as a HUMAN, blocked from Lupin as a
> werewolf by Sirius as 
> a very big dog.  Upon getting to where there's a
> little more room 
> (the Shrieking Shack or near the Whomping Willow),
> James then 
> transforms.  Or if Lupin as werewolf is injuring
> Sirius too much with 
> this plan, couldn't Sirius and Peter join Remus, get
> him to some pre-
> arranged place, and have James join up later, having
> transformed into 
> a stag once he has room.  I sure the problem could
> have been worked 
> around.

...without necessity."  Or so William of Ockham was
quoted as saying.

Now, I'm all for letting an author having as much room
to swing as many cats as he/she wants or needs. 
Again, however, we're speculating in utter darkness
without the benefit of Rowling's illumination...or an
AN-PVS 63 night vision system.

Given that, IIRC, Black was recalling a general
sequence of events, I would offer that it would be
very unlikely for James to have manifested his other
shape in the tunnel, but as I noted in the message you
partially quoted, weres/alternate forms come in all
shapes and sizes, so who knows (saving Rowling) how
large Prongs was, or could be? We do have Harry's
*version* of James' manifested shape, but that, too,
is a secondary source.

So...{shrug}.  I certainly don't know for sure.

> 
> Devin, who's all for finding problems and then
> trying to give the 
> author as much room as necessary for a solution

Vide supra...with the caveat that, in the end, we may
very well never know 'for certain'.

Cheers,

Drieux

=====
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      Variation left to be played;
 Each day got through means one or two less
      Mistakes remain to be made.'
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