POA: Scabbers / Pettigrew & the Weasleys

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 98301


>  Beth:  
> > I also wonder how much time Pettigrew had to spend /not/ being 
> > Scabbers in order to retain himself. Sirius explained that his 
> > thoughts were less complicated as a dog and he was therefore able 
> to confuse the Dementors and I thought I remembered reading 
(FBWTFT? 
> > Mine went missing after being lent...) that when a vampire 
> > transfigured into a bat s/he had the intellect of a bat which 
could 
> > be very dangerous. So did Pettigrew sneak around the Burrow as 
> > himself late at night or go out to the grove where the boys 
> > practiced Quidditch and just stand on two feet for a while?
> 
> 
> Erin: 
> Would he have really needed to?  I know that's a standard feature 
in 
> some other fantasies, but I never got the feeling that it was 
> nessecary in HP.  I dunno about the vampire example... there's not 
a 
> listing for them in FB as they are beings, not beasts.  It might be 
> in the introduction though, 'cause I don't feel like reading 
through 
> all of it to make sure...
> 
> But even so, transfiguring is different from the animagus 
> transformation.  And I know Sirius said he had simpler emotions as 
a 
> dog, but there was nothing about him saying he had to turn back or 
> risk losing the more complex human ones.  I got the feeling that 
they 
> would always be there waiting for him no matter how long he spent 
as 
> a dog.
> 
> I never really thought about Pettigrew transforming to human while 
at 
> the Weasleys, just always pictured him spending the entire time as 
a 
> rat.  I do agree Ron's age probably had something to do with why he 
> picked them, though.
> 
> Erin

Ginger:  
I think Erin explained it well.  I'm just chiming in to set the 
record straight on the reference.

It was QA in which it was commented that "the witch or wizard who 
finds him- or herself transfigured into a bat may take to the air, 
but, having a bat's brain, they are sure to forget where they want to 
go the moment they take flight." 

No mention of vampires, although the mental leap is understandable.

Ginger, at your service