I love Theories

[Tom Wall]

No: HPFGUIDX 56003

theValk wrote:
Sorry I cant precisely remember 
where I read that it was an excerpt 
from an interview. I think was on 
Harry Potter Lexicon but it could 
have been another page. Anyway it 
was in a link titled Mysteries or 
sonmething like that listed under 
Those which are confirmed by Jk 
herself. A student from a school 
asked the particular question will 
any of the students become animagii 
and JK replied in the manner I 
previously posted.

I reply:
Hmph. I'd love to read that, or no, wait, I wouldn't. Oooh, can't 
decide. ;-) I'm trying hard not to belabor the point (`cause I've 
discussed animagi several times recently) but I am hoping (fingers 
crossed, baby) that we don't meet more than one, or at max, two more 
animagi in the series. Otherwise, they won't be exciting or special 
anymore.


theValk wrote:
Most of course firstly assumed Harry and Hermione which is plausible,
as they are intelligent. But PoA firmly distinguishes and is backed 
up in in GoF by the Krummy shark, the probability of successful 
animagus transfiguration is a matter of devoted practice for some 
length of time. 

In PoA I believe the reference to Sirius and James as 
being the most intelligent students that Lupin knows and GoF when 
Krum only manages a disfigured halfway transformation is better 
translated as canon that it is not the level of the wizards or 
witches intelligence that dictates their ability to transform. 

These high ranking students, James and Sirius with Lupins obvious 
admiration and Krum the quidditch prodigy and representative of the 
Durmstrang school at the Tri-wizard tournament, were yet hard pressed 
to manage the transformation.
END QUOTE.

I reply:
This is just my opinion, but I'm not convinced that what Krum was 
doing was the same thing that James and his pals were doing. IMO, 
*they* were practicing a kind of magic that, when completed, would 
enable them to transfer *at will,* (without a specific spell,) into 
an animal form. What Krum did was try to *transfigure* himself into a 
shark. 

I believe that there's a difference between the magic that is 
involved with becoming an animagus, and the magic called 
transfiguration. First off, transfiguration requires a spell (and, I 
think, probably a wand,) but the animagus transformation does not 
(well, my guess is that it does *at first* to establish the magic, 
but not once the spell/s are completed.) Second, one can choose what 
s/he wants to transfigure *into,* but IMHO, the indications from 
interviews (again, this is simply my take) suggest that a person's 
animagical form is not entirely a matter of their own choosing. 

In other words, Sirius could likely transfigure himself into a bird 
with a spell (assuming he's skilled enough, which I think he is,) but 
without a spell, the only thing he can become is Padfoot the dog.

IMHO, the fact that McGonagall, the transfiguration teacher, is also 
an animag'a' tends to confuse the point, along with the fact that 
James' wand was good for transfiguration.


theValk wrote:
I suppose Ginny may illegally transfigure, it is as likely to happen 
as not.

I reply:
Well, again, I'm not sure that I believe it can legally be done by a 
student. AFAIK, this hasn't been explicitly covered in the canon we 
have to date, but my guess is that, like Apparation (which Percy 
takes the test for after his seventh year at Hogwarts,) this is magic 
that is considered too complex for a student. It probably requires 
some kind of test, and we do know that there's a registry of animagi 
at the Ministry. So, if Ginny's going to become an animag'a' by the 
seventh book, I'm guessing that the only way she can do so is 
illegally. And IMHO, she might need people to do it *with* too, so 
it'd be interesting to see what comes of the your theory.


theValk wrote:
THe canon clue is that the Tom Riddle diary was hidden in the 
transfiguration book that belonged to Ginny weasley in Flourish and 
Blotts by Lucius Malfoy. <CoS> On the way to platform 9 and three 
quarters Ginny cried out to the family that they must return home for 
her diary. Ginny had already opened and preread her transfiguration 
book then hadnt she!? Before her first transfiguration class. 

Now perhaps she was simply a diligent student taking an interest in 
all her books or perhaps she simply stumbled across the diary by 
accident. But the probability that she had some prior interest in the 
power of transfiguration in definitely canonised in these two 
chapters of CoS.
END QUOTE.

I reply:
Hmmm, interesting take on that. I can see where you're coming from. 
I'm not sure that I totally agree, I mean, even lackluster-when-it-
comes-to-studying Harry looked at his books before his first day at 
school. And Ginny tells us that she'd been anticipating going to 
Hogwarts since her eldest brother Bill went, so I personally think 
that she was just carousing through the books because she was excited 
and curious and glad that it is finally her turn.

Then again, Ginny's seen six brothers enter school, and by now I'd 
bet that she might have a very good idea of what interests her most. 
So, in that sense, she really could have a deep interest in 
Transfiguration. :-)


theValk wrote: 
Note that in the first book James wand was purported to be mahogany 
pliable and excellent for transfiguration. James was a graceful and 
magical animagus and his wand dictated that he would be. 

If we are to presume that anyone of the Hogwarts students we know 
will become animagi we should probably take a look at their wands for 
a clue. It wont be Ron his is Willow. PoA chapter four.
END QUOTE.

I reply:
Well, again, I'll point back to my thought earlier – I don't think 
that Transfiguration is the same thing as becoming an animagus.

However, I do think it's neat that James' wand would be good for 
Transfiguration, and that it's also neat that he became an animagus. 
So, perhaps the two kinds of magic are connected or similar to each 
other. In other words, is it a coincidence? In life, I sometimes 
accept coincidence. But in fiction? Not most of the time. I agree 
that there's probably a correlation.

This is all just me, though. :-) I personally will be disappointed if 
we see any more animagi, any more time turners, and (although I don't 
think that it can be avoided) Polyjuice potion. IMHO, JKR should come 
up with some newer, more interesting and unexpected ways to create 
sudden plot twists and revelations, rather than falling back on the 
ones we already know. 

She reused both animagi and Polyjuice potion in GoF. Come on, JKR, 
give us something new now. :-)

-Tom