Wands for Animagi

[RocketGranny]

No: HPFGUIDX 73179

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "michaelkgidlow" 
<Veritas771 at h...> wrote:
> Does a wizard need a wand to transform into his animal self? I 
always 
> assumed that he didn't, but when I was reading the part in PoA when 
> Trelawny makes her prediction, she says that the servant has 
> been "chained" for twelve years. Does that mean that he couldn't 
> transform for those twelve years? But when he transforms after 
Lupin 
> becomes a werewolve, he doesn't have wand because Harry has just 
> expelled it from his hand. But when we see him in the other books, 
it 
> is not in his animal-form. I'm confused. Any insight would be 
> appreciated.
> 
> Michael Gidlow

Hi Michael: 

I understood the "chained for 12 years" thing to mean he was chained 
by circumstances more than anything else. Pettigrew could have 
changed back into his human form anytime, but if he did, then what? 

His master was in hiding, at least one person (Sirius) knew that he 
was the Potter's traitor, and the Deatheaters thought HE was 
Voldemort's traitor. From Pettigrew's viewpoint, at least as a rat, 
he was safe.