Full Moon (was: Support for the ESE Lupin theory!)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 123971


Shaun:
> If you are in a region where in a particular month the 
astronomical  full moon will be visible that month, then it will rise 
relatively  near sunset and set relatively near sunrise. The closer 
the  totality point is to your local midnight the closer the rise and
 
set will match the rise and set of the sun.<

Pippin:
Thanks, Shaun, for a clear and useful explanation (as usual). 
The other thing people seem to overlook is that Hogwarts is in 
the mountains. To an observer near the lake, which must be at 
the lowest point in the valley, the sun could set behind the ridges 
to the West long before the moon rises above the ridges in the 
East. 

Shaun points out that there are other explanations consistent 
with the canon than the one I gave. And since there are several 
ways it could be worked out, it seems odd to me that JKR 
wouldn't bother. I'm always suspicious when she doesn't 
answer the question...

Q:
Can you explain how Lupin turns into a werewolf, since he didn't 
turn in the Shrieking Shack in Prisoner of Azkaban, but instead 
he turned only when the full moonlight hit him outside the 
tunnel? If he only turned into a wolf in the moonlight, why didn't 
he just stay inside? Did it have to do with the potion? Or was the 
moon not up yet?

A:
The moon wasn't up when he entered the Shrieking Shack.

Pippin:
Quite dodgy, that. The innocent chatter is trying to figure out what 
happened when Lupin came out of the tunnel, and JKR only 
says what happened when Lupin went into it. And she needn't 
even have been talking about the same instance -- after all, 
Lupin went into the tunnel loads of times as a student. Of course 
that would be devious, and JKR is *never* devious. And if you 
believe that, may I offer you a once in a lifetime opportunity to 
download a xerox of Book Six...<veg>

There is additional canon that werewolves transform during the 
day: 

"A werewolf?" whispered Mrs. Weasley, looking alarmed. "Is he 
safe in a public ward? Shouldn't he be in a private room?"

"It's two weeks till full moon," Mr. Weasley reminded her quietly.
--OOP ch 22.

Not, you'll note, "It's daytime, Molly, nothing to worry about right 
now."


Pippin