newbie with questions

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 159220

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Stephen and Angelique" 
<mrnmrswatters at ...> wrote:
>
> Hey. I just joined this group today. Both my husband and I are Harry
> Potter fans. As are our children and even my dad! I have a few 
questions
> that I'm hoping somebody might be able to answer.

Hickengruendler:

Hello and Welcome. :-)

Angelique:

> First, I believe it's in the 5th book that the Thestrals are first
> mentioned. They say that only those who have witnessed death can see
> these creatures. Well, once you enter your 2nd year at Hogwarts you
> travel up to the school in these Thestral drawn carriages. In the 
1st
> book, Harry has witnessed the death of not only his parents when he 
was
> a baby, but also the death of Professor Quirrell. Why does he not 
see
> the Thestrals until his fifth year?

Hickengruendler:
 
1.) Harry did not witness Quirell's death. That's how it happens in 
the movie, I suppose to make it more excepting. But in the book he's 
passed out before Quirrell dies. Therefore there is no inconsistency 
regarding Quirrell.

2.) The parents do not count either, I think. Harry was a baby, when 
they died and couldn't even remember it. He has a few flashbacks to 
the murder during PoA, but I still find it understandable that this 
is not enough for him to see the Thestrals.

3.) The biggest problem is with Cedric Diggory's death. Harry should 
have seen the Thestrals at the end of GoF, when he left Hogwarts for 
the summer holidays. JKR said a day or so after the release of Order, 
that the death has to sink in, for the Thestrals to be visible. Harry 
had time to come to terms with it in the holidays, while prior to 
this too much happened for him to register what it means. I find this 
a plausible explanation, and I am convinced that it wasn't made up on 
the stop, but that JKR did think this through. But I wish she had 
given this explanation in the actual book, instead of an interview 
afterwards.
 
Angelique:

> And, it is well-known that you cannot apparate inside of Hogwarts, 
so
> why can the house elves do it? I don't remember Rowling giving any
> reason behind this.

Hickengruendler:
 
House-Elves have different kinds of powers than wizards.
  
Angelique:

> Also, I think that Crookshanks the cat might turn out to be an 
animagi
> but my husband thinks not. Does anybody else think this cat might be
> something besides just a cat?
> 
 
Hickengruendler:

Crookshanks is a half-keazle. Kneazles are described in "Fantastic 
Beasts and where to find them", one of the two comic relief books 
Rowling wrote. To paraphrase: Kneazles look very similar than cats, 
and can breed with cats. They have the ability to spot suspicious 
persons and to lead the people they belong out of danger. I'm sure 
Crookshanks will be useful during the Horcrux search.

By the way, if you haven't bought "Fantastic Beasts" and 
the "Quidditch through the ages" books, do it. They are fun to read.