Pets

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 94403

Angie Garcia: 
> << I've read all 5 books in it's Spanish version, (I live in 
Mexico),
> and now that I'm re-reading OoP, I realized about something. ¿Does
> Ginny Weasly have a pet? Because she's always taking care of
> Crockshanks. ¿Is it needed for every student to bring their own pet
> to Hogwarts? >>
> 
> Harry has Hedwig, Ron has first Scabbers and then Pigwidgeon, 
Neville
> has Trevor, but we never hear of Dean or Seamus having a pet. 
Hermione
> doesn't have a pet first or second year, and Lavender left her bunny
> at home where a fox could get at it. There is no sign of the Twins
> having a pet, and Lee's tarantula was new for Harry's first year
> (Lee's third). To me this means that students are not required to
> bring any pet to Hogwarts. Nowhere in the books yet have they used
> their pets in a class -- the pets being Transfigured into goblets 
was
> invented for the movie.
> 

Geoff:
"'Good,' said Hagrid, 'There's a list there of everything yeh need.'
Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night 
before and read:
'HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Uniform.....

Set Books....

Other Equipment.....

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad'"

(PS "Diagon Alley" pp. 52-53 UK edition)

Notice the use of the conditional tense... "may" - and it doesn't 
include rabbits or tarantulas (Lee is out of order!)