Polyjuice, Gringotts, and Doppelgangers [WAS Gringotts Speaks Out]

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 179416

> Sharon
> If someone takes polyjuice and transforms into another person, 
> they retain their own mind. -<snip>-  Now if they keep at least 
> their brain, surely the goblins would find a way of detecting 
> this -- a much more secure way of identification if you ask me.
> Surely there is some magical lie detector test to reveal imposters?

Mike:
There was and they did. The goblins had two sentries posted at the 
entrance with those secrecy detecter wands. Harry had to confund them
so they wouldn't use the wands on Hermione/Bella. Those seem to work  
fine, as folks don't really care *what* the form of deception, just 
that there *is* some deception being employed.



> Sharon
> On the subject of polyjuice, do the internal organs transform as
> well? -<snip>- Is it just the external appearance that is changed?
> -<snip>- Moreover, If all the internal organs change as well, then
> how does the person retain their own mind/personality?  That leads
> me to think that it IS just outward appearance that's changed.

Mike:
I have to go along with just the external appearance, with some 
allowance for stretching or shrinking the spine and muscles as 
necessary for height differences. Remember, Hermione accidentally 
took Polyjuice with a cat hair, I don't think her internal organs 
changed to that of a cats. I wonder how far that transformation 
actually progressed? 


> Sharon
> Also on the subject of the doppelgangers, Hermione and Fleur are
> the only girls to transform into Harry.  JKR makes no mention of
> how weird that must have been. Sorry if this seems trivial but to
> go from having female "bits" to suddenly having male "bits" must
> feel awfully odd. 

Mike:
But it's magic. They don't have a sense of being male, they only have
the appearance. If they retained all their internal organs, like both
of us think they did, then their male "bits" don't work like they 
would if the had been men transforming. Those "bits" probably don't 
even have any sensation to them, as in there's no there there. ;)

> Sharon
> Neither Hermione nor Fleur bat an eyelid at the change, although
> Fleur thinks she looks hideous, it's all about outward appearance,
> not about genitals -- I know if it were me, I would totally freak
> out, and at LEAST be curious to have a look!  LOL.

Mike:
Shall I tell you what a friend and I in our adolescence imagined we 
would do if we suddenly changed into a member of the other sex? No, 
I think I'll not. :D


> Sharon
> Hermione and Fleur would also have been much smaller than Harry
> (one assumes?) and no mention is made about them busting out of
> their bras or clothes. 

Mike:
I seem to remember in my youth a commercial that touted something 
like "No visible means of support". Possibly, in the WW, they've 
made this literal. Probably more comfortable than underwires, no?



> Sharon
> I can't imagine Fred and George watching them stripping off and
> seeing Hermione/Harry or Fleur/Harry in pink lacey knickers and
> not making some comment! 

Mike:
This, I'll grant you, was odd. The chance to comment to Harry on how
that "looks good on you, though" would not possibly elude the twins. 
Took me right out of the story, that! LOL


> Seriously. 

Oh, let's not!


> Just my totally over-obsessed mind working here.
> 
> Sharon, wondering if "over-obsessed" is a redundant term?

Mike, with his totally deviant mind in overdrive ;)