"The Animagus Black!"

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 79916

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "trishel2003" <tkj_etal at b...> 
wrote:
> "Master, I am sorry, I knew not, I was fighting the Animagus 
Black!" 
> sobbed Bellatrix.--P. 812
> 
> What a weird thing to call Sirius. When Bella could have called him 
> Sirius, or Sirius Black, or Black, or Mr. Black, or her cousin, or 
> her cousin Sirius, or her cousin Black, or basically anything, she 
> brings up the fact that he is an Animagus.
> 


Jen Reese: 

That wording seemed strange to me, too. After reading Dumbledore's 
explanation to Harry about Kreacher's involvement, I decided Bella 
worded it that way because Voldemort had ordered them to off "that 
animagus, Black" if he showed up at the MOM and tried to help Harry. 

So Bellatrix was trying to offer this to Voldemort in lieu of the 
broken prophecy, hoping to stave off punishment. But, then it doesn't 
explain why she didn't just tell him Sirius was dead instead of that 
they fought. She'd want credit for that.

OK, Second theory: During the three times the Potters defied 
Voldemort, Sirius assumed his animagus form to help them, and that's 
the only way Voldemort really knows him. Perhaps he doesn't even know 
his real name, so Bellatrix has to refer to him that way so LV will 
know who she's talking about.