Animagi and their minds (and tails)

[tex23236]

No: HPFGUIDX 36617

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Jennifer Boggess Ramon <boggles at e...>
wrote:
 
> 2) Wizards who are transfigured into flying beasts can fly but have 
> the brains of the transfigured creature and thus can't remember
where 
> they wanted to go.

It might be that an animag's animal skull is Wizard Space, and so 
has room for the human brain...

> ...people who are transfigured by other people, 
> like Draco in the unfortunate ferret episode...

Draco the ferret had enough brain to know he was being punished,
and what for. Back in his "human" form, draco remembers enough
to know he wants to tell Daddy.

> Above any other considerations, the form one takes as an animagus 
> seems to be based on one's _name_.  Sirius Black becomes a great 
> black dog.  Rita Skeeter becomes an insect.  One's internal nature 
> only comes into play after the Rule of Names, when the name doesn't 
> lend much guidance.
> 
And then, there is the polyjuice transformation, when Hermione
transformed herself into a cat, although we aren't told about her 
size.

> At 11:33 AM -0600 3/15/02, Jamie Lipton wrote:
> >So I pose this question: What if Sirius had actually managed to
attack
> >Wormtail that night in Gryffindor tower, and succeeded in cutting
off his
> >tail?  How would the loss of the tail impact Peter's human form?
> 
> He'd never be able to sit down again!
> 
Isn't that where he keeps his brain?