[HPforGrownups] Re: JKR site update WOMBAT part 2 - RESULTS / House Elves loyalty

[Peggy Wilkins]

No: HPFGUIDX 159206

On 10/8/06, Magpie <belviso at attglobal.net> wrote:

> >> 1. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
> >>
> >> -Hags eat small children
> >> -Inferi cannot speak
> >> -Goblins fear sunlight
> >> -There are no female centaurs
> >> -Vampire bites are curable nowadays
>
> Magpie:
> I answered Inferi can not speak.  It seemed to fit what they are and I also
> agree they'd lose their creepiness if they talked.

Peggy W:
I thought that since Inferi are being controlled by someone else, if
that person willed them to speak there's no reason they shouldn't be
able to do so.   My choice was, there are no female centaurs; but I
certainly didn't pick that one with any confidence.

> >> 2. Which of the following statements is FALSE?
> >>
> >> -Ghosts can cause movement of both liquid and gas
> >> -Freshwater merpeople are less warlike than salt
> >> -The werewolf's snout is shorter than that of the true wolf
> >> -There are no male veela
> >> -Hags have four toes on each foot
>
> Magpie:
> I chose the merpeople one for this.

Peggy W:
I guessed that merpeople could live in either freshwater or saltwater,
but not both, so the choice seemed intended to be misleading.
However, I'm no expert on physiology.  I can't remember which answer I
actually chose, though.  I seem to recall Snape discussing the
werewolf's snout in class when he substituted for Lupin.  I would have
either chosen veela or hags.

> >> 3. Which of the following are considered MOST dangerous by the
> >> Ministry of Magic?
> >>
> >> -Dementors
> >> -Hags
> >> -Inferi
> >> -Vampires
> >> -Werewolves
>
> Magpie:
> I chose Werewolves for this one.  It seemed the way the Ministry would think
> and it's possibly the most wrong.  They can infect people and they can
> "pass" so I thought that might make them more dangerous.

Peggy W:
I chose Inferi for two reasons: the Ministry specifically mentions
Inferi in its list of now-that-Voldemort's-back pointers, but none of
the others are mentioned; and also because they are being controlled
by people who are presumed to be Death Eaters.

> >> 7. Which of the following statements on house-elves is FALSE?
> >>
> >> -House-elves have an average life-expectancy of 200 years
> >> -A house-elf's allegiance is foremost to its house (rather than to
> >> the inhabitants of the house)
> >> -House-elves cannot be ordered to kill themselves
> >> -House-elf magic is sufficiently powerful to override wizards enchantments
> >> -House-elves breed infrequently and then only with their master's permission
>
> Magpie:
> I chose the one about the allegiance to the house rather than the family as
> false.

Peggy W:
I thought that statement was true.  In HBP "Will and Won't" chapter,
Dumbledore says that Sirius passed on the ownership of his house to
Harry and if Harry really did inherit the house, he has also inherited
Kreacher.  To me, that implies that Kreacher is bound to the house
itself, as if he were part of the property forming the house.  I am
not 100% convinced though; I think the precise meaning is ambiguous.
But certainly Harry isn't inhabiting the house: he lives at either
Privet Drive or at Hogwarts, yet Kreacher still has to obey him.  If
the question had said "owner" of the house rather than inhabitants it
would be a more clear choice.

> >> 11. Which health scare at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies
> >> and Injuries has recently caused widespread panic? (Source: St.
> >> Mungo's Admissions Department)
> >>
> >> -Suspected brain damage due to Imperius Curse
> >> -Suspected death due to Thestral sightings
> >> -Spate of suspected werewolf bits
> >> -Uncontrollable bleeding due to 'Nosebleed Nougat'
>
> Magpie:
> I said werewolf bites--not only is Fenrir at large but it's something that
> causes more of a panic, it seems, even when it's only one bite.  It's
> contagious and shameful.

Peggy W:
I figured that many more people would get the nosebleeds from eating
the joke candy than would get bitten by anything, werewolf or not.
However now that I think of it after reading the question more
carefully I think the werewolf answer is much better.  Maybe that's
why I only got an E...

> >> 18. Muggle are:
> >>
> >> -Ignorant
> >> -In danger
> >> -Inferior to wizards
> >> -Insensitive to their surroundings
> >> -Interesting
> >> -Irritating facts of life
>
> Magpie:
> Muggles are interesting, thank you very much.

Peggy W:
I chose that one too.  As for In danger, Muggles may be in danger, but
so are Wizards.

-- 
Peggy Wilkins
"We Kingly Pigs"
enlil65 at gmail.com