"The Animagus Black!"

[msbeadsley]

No: HPFGUIDX 80035

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tim Johnson Family" 
<tkj_etal at b...> wrote:

> <snip>  LV sees Sirius in terms of strengths and weaknesses, OK, so 
> what are they? Sirius is a member of the Order, knows about 
> Wormtail, is an Animagus, and Harry's godfather. I'm sure Voldemort 
> thinks of him in those terms. <snip>

I beg to differ.  I think Voldemort calls Sirius the Animagus Black 
because Sirius's Animagus ability is the most obvious *magical* 
strength he has.  Voldemort has always been very intent on who has 
the most magic.  Canon for this follows:

In the Chamber of Secrets, Tom Riddle says:  "You think I was going 
to keep my filthy muggle father's name forever? <snip> No, Harry--I 
fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would 
fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

> <snip> Sirius being Harry's godfather. So the most logical thing 
> for Bella to say would be, "I was fighting his godfather!" But she 
> doesn't, leaving me to theorize that it's derogatory term. Further 
> evidence is the very low number of animagi. Yes, it's supposed to be
> difficult and dangerous to achieve, but it can't be THAT hard if 
> smart fifth-year students and people like Rita Skeeter can do it. 
> There's probably some other reason why people aren't keen to 
> achieve that additional power.

There may very well be some derogatory connotation to the term 
Animagus; but would Voldemort use it that way?  (He is, after all, 
comfortable possessing/manifesting as a snake.)  As for the low 
number of Animagi, I'm not sure that's true.  I think most of them 
don't register.  And I think it's also true that a lot of people 
don't become Animagi because it does take a great deal of work.

What is "people like Rita Skeeter?"  She is never portrayed as stupid 
or lacking ability; she's just nauseating and has no ethics.  She is 
also incredibly ambitious, willing to do whatever it takes to get a 
story.  I can easily imagine her completely obsessing about becoming 
an Animagus and doing nothing else until she achieved that goal; 
she'd know that it would mean she'd never have to depend on leaks or 
sources again.  She could literally be the proverbial "fly on the 
wall."

And the Marauders didn't just spend an afternoon mastering the 
ability; canon here, Lupin speaking:  "It took them the best part of 
three years to work out how to do it <snip>.  Your father and Sirius 
were the cleverest students in the school <snip>.  Peter needed all 
the help he could get.  Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it.  
They could each turn into a different animal at will."

The cleverest students in the school.  Imagine a pair of Hermiones, 
working together.  (Remember the Polyjuice Potion, something she 
pulled off at *twelve*?  Scary.)  I can't imagine *much* James and 
Sirius wouldn't have been able to accomplish, given each other and 
three years.

> Anyway, Sirius is a very notorious wizard, and even Voldy, who 
> hasn't been reading the papers for thirteen years, would probably 
> speak of him by his name. When I talk about Britney Spears, I say 
> Britney Spears, not The Young Singer and Entertainer Britney Spears.

I would probably refer to "that slapper Britney Spears."  <g>  (I 
hope that wasn't too rude; I just ran across use of the term as 
British slang meaning "a loose woman" and most of what I know about 
Britney Spears is how she dresses.)  And most of what Voldemort knows 
about Sirius is via Peter, who "needed all the help he could get." At 
what?  Becoming an Animagus.  Who did he get the help from?  James 
and Sirius.  That's my opinion, supported somewhat by canon, and I'm 
sticking to it.

Sandy, aka "msbeadsley"