Rubeus theory

[jodel at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 52637

For my own part, I am inclined to phoo-phoo any suggestion that an 
unqualified wizard with only three years of formal training, and, moreover, 
one who admits that he "wasn't much of a wizard" even before his expulsion 
would have mastered anything as advanced as the Animagus transformation. 

But I do recall something on the order of him saying that he was only allowed 
to fly to get to Harry as a special dispensation, and that once he collected 
him would have to use normal means of transportation. This offeres a number 
of posibilities;

A one-way portkey. (Probably the most obvious possibility) Can one say that a 
portkey doesn't "fly" one to their destination? Maybe he didn't want to stop 
and explain the process. Hagrid doen't seem to be all that big on complex 
explanations, does he? (Supporting canon; Harry heard the slap of Hagrid's 
landing, followed by his steps crunching over the gravel up to the hut.)

A "temporary" broom, or broom-substitute. What happened to it afterward? 
Well, no one thought to ask did they?

Longshot; Harry "heard" Hagrid say he "flew". At this point in time he 
doesn't know about the *Floo* network. But Hagrid did land on the beach 
rather than in the hut's fireplace, so that solution is unlikely. Although 
it's barely possible that a "virtual campfire" site on the beach was cobbled 
together for the purpose. (And his black overcoat wouldn't have shown the 
soot.)

-JOdel (adding my mite to the general confusion)


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