Sirius revisited. Character discussions

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 104199

 
> Alla:
> 
> Actually, Kneasy I do expect something else from you. Of course, 
it 
> does not mean that you have to do it. It is just my take on the 
debate
> 
> 
> McGonagall's statement is a canon support to the argument of 
Sirius 
> being smart. I, quite frankly expect you to acknowledge it, 
because I 
> don't remember anything in canon, supporting the argument that 
> McGonagall would call a student smart, if he /she was not.
> 
> 
> For example, as you know , I despise Snape's teaching methods with 
> passion. :o)
> 
> But, when confronted with the canon support that Snape's class is 
> academically advanced (statement from Umbridge), I acknowledge 
that 
> this is a  good evidence in support of the argument that 
academically 
> Snape is a good teacher.
 
Potioncat:
The first post below was cut-and-pasted from up-thread
Kneasy (I think)
There is no evidence that he was particularly bright. By all
accounts the
> Animagus spell doesn't require brains, just practice to get it
right.
> If he was bright, it wouldn't have taken him 12 years to escape.

Potioncat:
Joining in per magical contract requirements ;-)

Two different points.  Do you have to be bright to become an 
animagus?  I don't know.  It would seem so and it certainly takes 
work. It most likelyvtakes strong magical abilities as well.

But I have to weigh in with Alla here, (with or without contract) 
McGongall's statement, tied to Black's insistance he did not need to 
study connected to a known difficulty in becoming an animagus seem 
to support that Black was smart. Besides, McGonagall says it in two 
different ways while talking to Fudge.

And although I agree, the escape from Azkaban has holes, I don't 
think it was lack of intelligence which kept him in jail.  Besides, 
his being bright makes him a more worthy adversary of the highly 
esteemed, much maligned Professor Snape.

Potioncat (having fun playing both sides in the same post)