Did Sirius have a knife?

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 59384

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Ersatz Harry" <ersatzharry at y...> 
wrote:
> I seem to recall that Ron said Sirius had a knife when he
> (Sirius) showed up in the dormitory, and that the curtains were
> slashed.  I definitely recall that the Fat Lady's painting was
> slashed, and I assume that Sirius didn't do that with dog claws since
> he had to be in human form to speak the password.  (He could have
> done it with a spell, I suppose.)

Quote: "I saw him standing over me... like a skeleton, with loads of 
filthy hair... holding this great long knive, must've been twelve 
inches" (PoA, ch. 13, Br. Ed). Also, it is mentioned at the start that 
they suspect he might have a gun (but that gun never materializes in 
the books).

> Doesn't a knife seem to be a bit of a low-tech weapon for the WW?  Am
> I recalling Sirius's visit to the dormitory correctly?  Didn't Sirius
> have a wand at the Shrieking Shack?
> 
> Ersatz Harry

Sirius did *not* have a wand at the SS. And yes, a knife is low-tech 
but Sirius is a fugitive of justice. While he can buy a broom by postal 
order and send it to Hogwarts, he cannot enter a wand shop and buy a 
wand, any more than a known fugitive could enter an arms shop and buy a 
gun.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf, who has noticed that lately Steve bboy has dropped his usual 
"this is my story..." for a more familiar turn of phrase...