Digression; Pets at Hogwarts (was; Marauders Map & Pettigrew)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 45114

JOdel wrote:

>> I don't think that there is any rule against students bringing 
animals other  than a cat, toad or owl. (We never hear of any 
problem over Lee Jordan's  trantula, for example.) <<

There certainly was a problem over Hagrid's baby acromantula.  
There have to be some restrictions or he wouldn't have needed 
to hide it. I think the "permissible pets" rule, like the underage 
magic rule, isn't strictly enforced. In real life, "no pets" dorms
and apartments often have  animals in residence that the 
landlord knows nothing about, at least not officially. 

Is there evidence that anyone but students knows about Lee's 
tarantula? 

  My guess is, Lee's tarantula hasn't caused any problems, so it 
hasn't come to the notice of the Powers That Be. Percy might not 
approve of Ron's taking Scabbers to school, but I'm not sure he 
actually knows about that either. L.O.O.N. question: do we ever 
see them together? Or is Scabbers always safely hidden in 
Ron's pocket or bag  when Percy's around? 

(At Hogwarts, I mean. They were all in the Daily Prophet photo. 
Newspaper photos must be different than regular magical 
photos, since I don't think the subjects are able to hide outside 
the frame. Otherwise Peter wouldn't have been spotted. Maybe 
that's why the press photographers have special magical 
cameras, while Colin Creevy says all that you need is magical 
processing.)

Pippin