Spoiling the fun

[quigonginger]

Great thoughts, Kneasy.  As you can see, I've snipped the whole darn 
thing, but since I am posting immediately after, I'm sure your 
thoughts will be fresh in everyone's mind.  Now that I've said that, 
I'm sure someone will beat me to the "send" button.  

No matter.  I just wanted to throw in a few thoughts of my own.

I love the interviews when they stick to those odd little factoids 
that will probably never make it to the books.  Middle names, 
favourite colours, personal history that will have no impact on the 
events of book 7; mention those, and I salivate.

Why?  Because it increases the Potterverse without diminishing the 
fandom aspect of it.  Not that I want to know all of it.  AniMinnie's 
love life with the tomcats of Hogsmead can stay her personal 
business.  Same goes for Hagrid's conception.  Engorgement charm?  
Pah!  The man would have needed a blood replentishing potion just to 
get through the foreplay.  No, I don't need to know.

On the other hand, she can spill the theoretical beans from here to 
Tuesday, and I'll eat it up.  How does animagic transformation work 
if one is pregnant?  If one is a hamster, and gets knocked up in that 
form, does one as a human give birth to a litter?  Of what?  And what 
is the gestational period?  How does the transformation effect the 
baby (babies)?  Do your human kids never have to be reminded to eat 
their veggies?  Do they have an affinity for Ferris wheels?  Do they 
have to gnaw on the woodwork in order to avoid dental problems?  I 
want to know!  "Yes, teacher, Kevin is lacking ambition, but it's 
really not his fault.  His father was a sloth.  Really."

Along those lines, does MM understand the cat language as a human?  
Could Sirius have attacked LV and co. with an army of pit bulls under 
his command?  

Tell me the history of House Elves!  So long as it's not a major plot 
point, that is.  

When it comes to theories, however, I agree with you, Kneasy.  
Imagine the fun that would have been missed had JKR revealed the 
identity of the 4th man right after GoF.  (Side note to Eileen:  
Please give Elkins my fondest greetings when next you speak, will 
you?  Thanks.)

Conversely, REDHEAD ALWAYS would have gotten quite the boost had we 
known then that Ron's eyes were Dumbledore blue.

Sure, I had RAB figured by the end of the chapter, but Rowena Amy 
Benson was such a fun mental exercise.  I do hate to see her chop the 
stray tendrils of the mind before they can bud, but there are always 
other questions. 

What is the other horcrux?  What did Dudders hear when he was 
demented?  Did MM know Tommy when they were at Hogwarts?  I, for one, 
found Tommy's history to be most satisfying in HBP.  What about 
DD's?  We can still speculate on those and leave the Dean Thomas 
histories to the website as interesting filler.

Someone on TOL, (Potioncat?) brought up that there are Potter fans 
who have not read the interviews.  Imagine!  <shakes head>  I have 
spoken to a few who have never theorized.  Why, my own cousin, who 
got me into the series, didn't notice anything amiss with the 
original wand order, and I know she can read.  

I do think JKR is directing her interviews and web comments to our 
lot.  Were she not allergic to cats, I'd wager she would love playing 
with the ball on a string.  The trick is to pull it away as the cat 
is pouncing, without interrupting the leap; and on occasion, to let 
the cat grab the ball and run with it just to see what it will do.

Such is the trick with spoilers.  I love the tidbits, but I'd rather 
she kept the crucial info for us to find in the finished text.

Ginger, in full ramble mode.