Animagi, animals and other puzzles

[Melody]

No: HPFGUIDX 60280

Kneasy wrote:
> 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?

Very rare. Most people don't *need* animagi abilities. It's dangerous,
it's difficult, and very useless. Imagine you get a whale. Sure, great
for a swim every so often, but how would that help you in your
everyday life? McGonagall probably became an animagi as part of his
desire for transfiguration knowledge - or maybe it's required to be
transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts. She got a cat, which was lucky.
The rest we know of, the marauders did it to be with a werewolf (not
your everyday excuse) and Rita wanted a spying technique, being lucky
beyond expectations, I'm sure (although a cat, a dog, etc would've
served too, even if not as undetectably). But most people don't need
it, don't have the ability, the time or the will, I'm sure.

> And why do they have to be registered? Registered, note; not just 
> passing a test as in Apparating. 

Since the test for apparition is official, I imagine that you're also
registered as an apparitioner. In fact, when you get right down to it,
animagi is easier - your first transformation is supervised (not
tested) in case something goes wrong, and only when you're finished
does burocracy raise its ugly head.

> No registration needed to perform Transfiguration charms such as the 
> one that Moody performed on Draco; so what's the difference?

As someone already pointed out, transfiguration charms do not preserve
the intelligence, or so FB implies. And again, registration *is*
needed, in a way - having registered for school, so you are in at
least one list - the alumni list. And probably in many more.

> 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.

As I pointed above, a normal transfiguration charm won't preserve
intelligence - you're reduced to the intelligence of the creature you
transform into, which is a major disadvantage. Then too, it is not
sure that you can transfigure yourself with that spell (and certainly
cannot transfigure back!). Animagi, on the other hand, get more basic
feelings (instincts, I supose) but keep their intelligence, in a fashion.
 
> Does a conjured Patronus always take the form of one's Animagus 
> alter ego? 

So far, no patronus has taken the form of anyone's animagus alter ego.
Harry's patronus takes the form of *his father's* patronus. There is
no reason to think that Harry, if animagi, would turn into a stag too.
Beyond that, the other two examples of patronus didn't take forms of
animals - just silver stuff shooting from the wands. While it is not
impossible that all patronus take animal aspects when fully formed, it
doesn't necesarilly mean that will correspond with your animagi form.

> 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.

JKR promised a female DADA teacher in book 5 in one interview. She
might, of course, change her mind if it suits her.

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

The whole purpose of using Harry's blood instead of any other wizard's
was to be able to touch Harry, as far as we can tell. VoldEmort's talk
at the start of book 4 does sort of hint to other, more secret
reasons. We'll know further on, I should imagine. Besides, Harry, as
strong as he is (like any other wizard), can still be choked to death,
cut by knives, etc. Lucky for him that (according to MD, of course),
Voldemort and his allies are too scared to try.

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

He's already been defeated once. He came back. He's the sort that will
continue to come back until successful or utterly destroyed. That's
why MD states that Dumbledore's ultimate plan is to *permanently kill*
Voldemort.

JDR wrote:
> <<<--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Renee Daniels" wrote:
> Calimora (Wondering why *glasses* are often physical markers on 
> animagi even when they're not actually part of the witch.)>>>
> 
> The Sergeant Majorette says:
> To those of us who have been wearing glasses virtually all our  
> lives, they *are* a part of the witch. I couldn't wait to get 
> contacts when I was a teenager, but as it turned out I kept smacking 
> myself in the face pushing up glasses that weren't there. I think I 
> look *pretty* in contacts, but I just don't feel like myself.
> 
> JDR (four-eyed to the grave...)

I used to have a theory that stated that small decorations - such as
tattoos, rings, scars and, of course, glasses and cut off fingers
would transform with you as part of your "image". However, my
co-conspiratoress has pointed out that glasses, if you really need
them to see (i.e. not just occasionally, to read or whatever), then
such things *must* transform with you, since you need them.

Calimora:
> I think that one of the reasons Animagi have to be registered is 
> that it's entirely internal magic. You dont need a wand, word, or 
> physical artifact, you just do it, and +pop+ you're a dog. Its a 
> security nightmare, expecicialy since i'm pretty sure its 
> undetectable unless you happen to see the wizard in question shift. 

It is not undetectable - Sirius was able to identify Peter from a
small photo in a newspaper. That's why registration and minor details
are noted, so identification is possible. Another reasons is that all
goverments like to keep tabs on everyone's abilities - ID cards,
driving (apparition) licenses, etc. It is a way of keeping control.

> There's no way in heck Sirius could have gotten an invis cloak or a 
> wand into Azkaban, but he could always turn himself into a dog, and 
> since nobody knew about it, nobody was watching for it.
> 
> ~Calimora

"Watching for it" is the wrong expression when applied to the blind
guardians of modern Azkaban - dementors don't have eyes, but can feel
fellings, which (while making them very good for preventing escapes),
makes them easily fooled by a little thought - like Crouch Sr.'s plan
to take his son out, Sirius's own escape, and who knows how many more.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf (in colaboration with and forwarded by Melody)