Animagi, animals and other puzzles

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 60140

Apologies if these points have been covered before, but I'm a compulsive list-maker!

Is it my imagination or has there been a small out break of animagitis recently? 
Theories on who is/isn't/might be abound; Jungle Book, here we come!

Animagi are supposed to be rare. I seem to recall a passage " there's only eight 
registered with the Ministry" from somewhere. Yet so far we've met four, only one of 
which is registered ( McGonagall ), with knowledge of a fifth - James Potter. How rare 
can they be?
And why do they have to be registered? Registered, note; not just passing a test as in 
Apparating. No registration needed to perform Transfiguration charms such as the 
one that Moody performed on Draco; so what's the difference?
According to JKR an Animagus takes an animal form that reflects their personality. If 
there is a link between the Animagus and Transfiguration charms perhaps Draco 
turned into the form he would take if he was an Animagus. Hmm... ferret, eh. Small 
vicious killer, usually attacks helpless victims. Might be an insight into Dracos' true 
character. Sirius, on the other hand is a big shaggy dog, a traditionally friendly image, 
that's trusted by a part kneazle. So Sirius is OK by me.

So why Animagi? Why not Transfiguration instead? Maybe there's something we 
haven't yet been told because I don't believe that JKR would carry redundancy this far 
without good reason.

Does a conjured Patronus always take the form of one's Animagus alter ego? James 
Potters' does but I don't fancy a ghostly Scabbers scaring off Dementors. Is the 
Patronus yet another alter ego - the 'spiritual' version of the personality? Plenty of 
parallels in primitive societies - who all agree it must be protected and kept secret.

JKR admitted that cats are important but refused to hint why. Was she referring to 
Crookshanks? As a cat or as a kneazle cross? Kneazles ( and maybe part-kneazles ) 
have the ability to guide you home to safety. This could be critical in some plot lines I 
can think of. 

Other utterances from herself that caught my eye:-

Harrys' eye colour is significant. As a  colour or because it's identical to Lilys'?

A female will be DADA teacher. But in which book? So far this position has been a 
revolving door with a new incumbent every volume.

Said not to trust too much the idea that Voldomort cannot kill Harry now that there 
has been a blood transfer.

Commented that a questioner seemed very confident that Harry will not die. Many 
heroic sagas end with the death of the hero as the final sacrifice.

Refused to confirm that Voldomort will die. One of the big questions - Can he die, or 
only be defeated?

Book 5 will be shorter than book 4! Well, somethings changed; it's now 25% longer. 
Plot? Characters? Explication? Or the unexpected appeareance of a massive Flint? 
Whatever it is, it'll be fun - and necessary.

"Harry goes to places that have been mentioned, but we never got inside." That word 
"inside" would imply buildings, structures, enclosed spaces. St. Mungo's, MoM and 
Azkaban are the only places I can think of that fit the criteria.

Harry, Prisoner Cell Block Argh! Now there's a thought.

Kneasy
who has plenty of questions and not many answers