Of Dishwashers and Animagi

[naamagatus]

No: HPFGUIDX 39865

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "grey_wolf_c" <greywolf1 at j...> wrote:

> Naama wrote:
> > But why would Dumbledore have kept quite about [their animagi 
forms] then? I mean, you have quite a nice theory about why he has to 
keep silent now, but why keep silent *then*? According to your 
scenario, Dumbledore knows that four teenagers that are under his 
charge, are 
> > breaking the law while putting themselves and others at risk. 
> > Breaking the law, mind you, not just school rules. Hermione is 
> > shocked when she hears of this and Lupin agrees with her 
>>completely - it was very dangerous and foolhardy. While we can 
>>forgive a bunch of teenagers for foolhardiness, should we forgive a 
>> headmaster for allowing it to continue?
> > 
> > If Dumbledore had known about the Marauders, I'm sure he would 
>>have put a stop to the whole thing immediately. He wouldn't have 
>>allowed a  werewolf to wander about and he wouldn't have allowed 
>>students to perform illegal magic.  
> > 


> Why did Dumbledore allow a werewolf into the school? I'm sure it's 
>much more illegal that than a few unregistered animagi (which seems 
>to be a common crime). 

Like Marina pointed out, there's absolutely no evidence that allowing 
a werewolf into school is illegal. Lupin says, "It seemed impossible 
that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't 
likely to want their children exposed to me", NOT "It was illegal for 
me to attend school, but Dumbledore was willing to do that for me".

>The animgi transformations allowed Lupin, for the 
>first time, to have some real friends, which is what Dumbledore had 
>been looking for all along when he admited him.

How do you know that Dumbledore admitted him for this reason?! Had a 
glimpse at D's Pensieve?  
Anyway, James and Sirius became Animagi after and BECAUSE they were 
real friends with Lupin.
 
> Dumbledore trusted the boys' good sense, and knew they were not 
>going to allow Lupin to harm someone. 

Well, as circumstances proved, that would have been a really bad 
judgement call, wouldn't it? In fact, they DIDN'T have good sense, 
they almost got a student killed, and they had "near misses, many of 
them."

>We also know that he is, at least, 
> tolerant with the sort of petty crimes that happen at a boarding 
>school (such as someone going to the kitchens to steal). 

a) Nicking (the verb JKR uses) food from the school kitchen is not a 
crime, that is, it's not breaking the law, merely school rules.
b) Becoming an unregistered Animagi isn't a petty crime. It's a 
serious enough crime that Hermione is sure she can shut Rita Skeeter 
up by threatening to report her.
c) Letting a werewolf wander around is wrong not only on the formal 
grounds that it is breaking the law. By doing that you are putting 
lives at risk.

>The fact that James/Harry uses a invisibility cape (which I don't 
>think is too legal either) doesn't bother Dumbledore either, and 
>there is not much difference between the animagi forms and the 
>invisibility cape.

Using the invisibility cloak is NOT illegal. Hermione would 
definitely have warned Harry if it was. 
However, for the sake of the argument, lets assume that it is 
illegal. In that case, Dumbledore who, if you remember, gave Harry 
the cloak, is the instigator of a crime. Hmmm. His delicate shade of 
grey is turning several shades darker, isn't it?

>What worries Hermione and Lupin is not the animagi, is having a 
>werewolf roam the school, and we know that Sirius and James could 
>control him on each on their own, so when both Sirius and James were 
>both transformed I don't think there was that much danger.

Both Hermione and Lupin himself did think there was much danger. 
Since they belong in the WW, I'll take their opinion over yours (no 
offense intended, I assure you <g>).


Naama