Padfoot's Breed

[annoni_no]

Rowling never specified what breed of dog Sirius' Animagus form was, and 'a bear-like black dog' doesn't do much to narrow the field of possibilities. However, if we assume that the transformation closely reflects the wizard's personality, and perhaps reinforces it, I think I might have identified our mystery breed.

Comments

[hwyla]

I'm afraid I disagree. I'm sure that Sirius' form is actually a Grim.

Harry recognizes the similarity as soon as he sees the picture of a Grim at the bookstore - not very long after having just seen that form at Privet Drive. Grims in folklore are described as exceptionally large black dogs that are HUGE! Almost the size of a small bear or cow. Sirius is even basically named 'Grim' since Padfoot is just another word used for the same beast in folklore.

It also is one of the hints we had that Sybil actually was a real seer. She said a Grim was in Harry's teacup and almost right after that Sirius is seen in his Grim form in the bleachers at a Quidditch game in which Harry is playing.

As I see it, it is Sirius' very reckless attitude that shows that his inner animal is a death omen. There is the risk of death around him - from running around with a werewolf on the loose to the actual Werewolf Incident. Not to mention the Secret Keeper change that he says HE convinced the Potters to make! His own death was caused by that very same recklessness. He wasn't taking his duel with Bella with any sort of reasonable care.

I almost smacked my forehead in disbelief when Sirius died in the books. He was the Grim, who lived at Grimauld Place! Of COURSE he was the one who was going to die! And to think I spent the entire fight in the DoM worried that it would be Neville.

[annoni_no]

The problem with Sirius being a Grim is that that would make him the only character whose Animagus form was a magical beast of some kind. I'm pretty sure Rowling has outright stated (though in interviews) that no Animagus ever takes the form of a magical beast or being. Besides, when Sirius hitches a ride to Platform 9 3/4 the primary concern is about his behavior, not the fact that a dog that is literally (as opposed to metaphorically) as large as a bear would be impossible to miss or even fit in the vehicles in the first place. Also, if he were a dog physically the size of a bear/cow, how could he wander through all of England and Scotland utterly unremarked? Surely we would have had word of Obliviators being called in to deal with sightings of such a beast if that was truly Sirius' size. Would he even have fit though the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack?

It should also be remembered that while Trelawny is a True Seer, she is abysmal at correctly interpreting what she Sees. She was having the same problem with Dumbledore's readings all through HBP. She saw Sirius' Animagus form in PoA, but the assumption that it was a Grim was entirely her own misinterpretation.

The legend of the Grim itself varies widely depending on where you look. In many places the Grim is a symbol of protection. In many of those stories it's actually a tragic figure: the superstition was that the ghost of first body buried in a new graveyard would be forced to guard all who followed against the Devil. Instead of consigning a human to such a cruel fate, a pure black dog would be buried alive, and after its death would become a Grim watching over the graveyard. While she played up the Omen of Death aspects in the books, I'm sure JKR (would at least claim she) had the secondary associations in mind all along.

Shoot. Now I'm wondering how the legend of the Grim ties in with Sirius' death and the power conferred by sacrificial death in the Potterverse. We've seen that a willing, knowing sacrifice conveys luck, but the Grim legend places the dog firmly as an unwilling, or at least incapable of consenting, sacrifice. Of course, the Grim in that case is meant to be a ghost of the dog that was killed, and we don't see Sirius' spirit again until (possibly) he shows up for the Suicide Cheerleader Squad.

Do we have any sign whatsoever that Sirius' death had subsequent protective effects? Besides Harry's disturbingly fast turnaround on mourning him. Though maybe he was right that Sirius didn't want him to grieve because Grim!Sirius' spirit somehow told him so? Perhaps Sirius' manner of death, or the fact that he was drawn physically through the Veil, negated whatever benefits his death might have brought.

Ugh. This just occurred to me and I'm already getting a headache. I suspect this problem will require brighter lights than mine.

[oneandthetruth]

Instead of consigning a human to such a cruel fate, a pure black dog would be buried alive, and after its death would become a Grim watching over the graveyard.

What a hideous story! No thanks for sharing that. Our ancestors were certainly fiendish. >:-( It's that kind of thing that makes me think Christopher Hitchens was right about religion being poisonous.

[for_diddled]

In defence of our ancestors, I think that the secular twentieth century could beat them on the fiendishness front.

[nx74defiant]

--It should also be remembered that while Trelawny is a True Seer, she is abysmal at correctly interpreting what she Sees--

This made me realize how much Dumbledore is manipulating Trelawny. We don't see alot of interaction between the two of them. He is shown dismissing her concerns and her predictions. Like he does with Snape he works to to damage her self estem. I think Dumbledore encourges the rest of the staff to notice how wrong her interpetations are so they won't take her seriously.

After all it is for the greater good. It wouldn't do to have other people take her seriously. Dumbledore is sure he can interpert things correctly. The ministry would just lock her predications away. And look at what happened when Voldemort heard about what she said - the poor Potters. Obviously he needs to keep her under his control.

Trelawny is exactly where he wants her. She has no self-confidence. She tries to hard so, no one takes her seriously. She is dependent on him. Can't have her leaving Hogwarts now can we? There she is safe and Dumbledore can watch her.

[oneandthetruth]

This made me realize how much Dumbledore is manipulating Trelawny...He is shown dismissing her concerns and her predictions. Like he does with Snape he works to to damage her self estem. I think Dumbledore encourges the rest of the staff to notice how wrong her interpetations are so they won't take her seriously...Trelawny is exactly where he wants her. She has no self-confidence. She tries to hard so, no one takes her seriously. She is dependent on him. Can't have her leaving Hogwarts now can we? There she is safe and Dumbledore can watch her.

Scummywhore really sounds like an abusive spouse here. I know we all know he's an abuser and manipulator, but I don't think I've ever seen his tactics laid out so clearly as you do here.

[terri_testing]

Ugh. Word to both of you.

I've never much liked Trelawney, per the author's intentions. She's not written as a character one would choose to identify with. So I've compliantly tripped past all the author's descriptions of her marginalization and sufferings w/o them registering much. Y'know, like Xeno's sufferings at the DE hands had.....

But omigod, Albus had it in his power to validate her in the one thing she wanted to be known as: a true Seer.

And HE thought she WAS.

He based absolutely everything he did after he heard the Prophecy on the belief that her prophecy about Tom and Harry was true and could be made to work out for his side's benefit. Whitle persuading HER, and (almost) all of his staff, that she was merely a pathetic, dipsomaniac fraud.

Of course, one could argue that he HAD to diminish her to try to make TOM ignore her. Except--his scooping her into Hogwarts under his personal protection would have focused Tom's attention on the Overheard Prophecy if Tom had been originally inclined to ignore it.

Offering the protection of Hogwarts from Tom? Fine.

Letting everyone, including herself, believe her to be a fraud while basing his fundamental war strategy on her contribution? Not so much.

[annoni_no]

This is probably the ultimate rebuttal to anyone who argues that Albus was essentially Good, and only behaved questionably in a utilitarian pursuit of the good for the many over the good of particular individuals.

There was no strategic purpose to promoting the idea that Sybill was a fraud. None. Not after Tom had decided the prophecy was real and moved to act on it.

Slandering and demeaning her like Albus did was pure sadism, nothing more or less. What was it Sirius said about being able to take the true measure of a man by how he treated his inferiors...?

* * *

If Sybill was a Hogwarts alumnus, then apparently her Divination instructor didn't focus on the dangers and difficulties of interpreting prophecies either. Rather negligent for one of the best magical schools in Europe under competent management. (If we assume she was young enough to attend under Dumbledore that last objection is addressed.)

Albus had been considering dropping Divination entirely (did he intend to replace it with anything? Hogwarts' educational offerings are already pretty sparse). My theory on why is that he was worried someone with an actual talent for it might learn to hone it and be able to thwart his manipulations by seeing them coming. Dangerous precedent, that. The plebes might start thinking they knew better than him how to run their own lives.

The way it's taught under Trelawny makes the class worse than useless. Students come out of it thinking the entire field is bunk or else with a dangerous assurance that they know how to identify and interpret the omens (they think) they're seeing when really they're clueless. Feeding her insecurities might actually be part of Dumbledore's plan to ensure that Trelawny remains a terrible teacher. As it is, she's so crippled by doubt that she overcompensates, making herself out to be more certain than she is and is unwilling, even unable, to contemplate other interpretations lest she lose what little respect for her talents she has.

If she KNEW she was a true Seer though, she might have enough self-confidence to tell her students that even someone with incontrovertible gifts can misinterpret Sight, and this is nothing shameful, just something to guard against. Students of those lessons would be far less easily gulled by con-artists trying to railroad them into following his interpretation of a prophecy. Albus couldn't have that at all.

[dracasadiablo]

It also took care of any possible Seer students.
If somebody with the true talent was taught by Trelawny their would either learn to interpret the omens in all wrong ways or the Divination's reputation (and peer pressure) would make them too ashamed to do anything with their talent.

[terri_testing]

AARGH! I hate it that it took me this long to see this.

The following is from Swythyv’s essay on Albus and the Dumbledores. S/he’s talking about how the Slytherins are treated at Hogwarts, but it generalizes….

An organization whose parts are at war with each other is acting out the internal conflicts of its executive: this is a fish that rots from the head down. I've seen it in real life, and it is creepy beyond my powers to describe. Subordinates always do the knife work unsolicited, and it always manifests in the same way, too: Dirty tricks. Dirty tricks that hamstring the victimized person or department, but that make them look like fools if reported. And when the emboldened aggressors do cross the line, there's always some reason why no action can be taken - usually re when or how the victim reported it - delivered with a gentle sigh.

http://hp-essays.livejournal.com/243418.html

From PoA, c 11,

Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen.

“Tripe, Sybill?”

It occurs to me, however, that the internal conflict that hatchet woman Minerva (and her acolyte Hermione) act out for Albus, may not have started until clever Albie’s first attempt to twist the Prophecy in his favor ended in a baby Horcrux rather than a baby warrior to raise. Sybil might have been treated quite cordially her first year on staff, until Twinkles decided she was to blame for his ill-advised attempt to use her without her knowledge.

[hwyla]

To be 'fair' to Minerva - she doesn't know about the existence of the prophecy or that Albus believes it. She also only sees just what the students see. She is unaware that Albus places stock in Sybil's talent.

A bit off topic, but notice that Snape is not anywhere near as derisive to Sybil at Horace's Christmas Party as Minerva is at the Christmas Dinner you cited. A dinner that Sybil has come down especially to have with her co-workers (and a few students) on Christmas Day, when she rarely appears out of her tower. Note that we don't ever hear of Sybil coming to join a holiday meal again. What a lonely life! Want to bet she asked Horace whether Minerva was coming or not before she decided to attend his party?

And 'mean and nasty' Snape never says anything to Sybil that implies he thinks her a fool. Not even when she apparently has a bit too much sherry. Compare that to when he leads the 'attack' on Gilderoy among his fellow professors. So, it isn't as if he'll keep his snide comments to himself if he thinks them warranted.

[annoni_no]

Minerva might not know about the prophecy, but under normal circumstances there is still an expectation of basic politeness among colleagues. Dumbledore would have been fulfilling his duties as headmaster for once if he insisted that Minerva offer Sybill that minimal courtesy. He could frame it as a matter of professionalism if, for some unknown reason, he felt there was a genuine need to keep her true gifts a secret.

He didn't.

If he ever said anything I'll bet it was in line with his occasional admonishments to Harry to refer to his potions master as "Professor Snape," but which injunction he never reinforces with point losses when Harry inevitably ignores it.

I wonder how often Minerva, and the other teachers, saw Sybill and Severus interact, and how they interpreted the relationship between the two of them.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Yes, and I was disappointed that in Unlikely Allies Severus had to Obliviate Sybil. Maybe in the future he can show some appreciation some other way?

[nx74defiant]

Albus had been considering dropping Divination entirely (did he intend to replace it with anything? Hogwarts' educational offerings are already pretty sparse).

It's been notice how understaffed Hogwarts is. I think Dumbledore was reducing the staff by attrition. Whenever he could get away with it if someone left he didn't bother to replace them.

Binn's ghost want to teach, let it. No need to hire a competent replacement History teacher.

Lockhart wanted to bring back the dueling club. So there had been a dueling club in the past. Did Dumbledore encourage it to fade away?

If Minerva had an assistant who left - why Dumbledore would just explain "Minerva, I know how capable your are. You really don't need an assistant. It will be more work but I have every confidence you can handle."

[lynn_waterfall]

Maybe, but why would Dumbledore *want* to reduce the number of teachers?

I can certainly understand his wanting to get rid of teachers who aren't entirely under his control. No surprise that he'd be happy to replace Slughorn. However, as long as he could control them, more teachers means more people under his day-to-day authority. I don't know why he wouldn't want that.

I can see the signs you're pointing to as possible evidence that Dumbledore may have wanted to reduce the number of teachers, but if that was his goal, I think we need a reason why he'd want that.

[annoni_no]

It makes sense if we assume that Dumbledore has been working to dumb down Hogwarts' education in general. Ignoring the excuses compelling reasons for his hires, consider the quality of the teachers Albus has introduced to and maintained at Hogwarts:

Divination: Sybill Trelawny
Background at time of hire: No teaching experience, potential alcoholic,one True Prophecy to her name
Ability: Incompetent

Care of Magical Creatures: Rubeus Hagrid
Background: No teaching experience, no O.W.L.s, long-time assistant gamekeeper/primary gamekeeper. The year before his appointment he sent two second year students directly into a nest of Acromantulae. The year before that he accepted and then attempted to raise an illegal dragon egg, and then compounded his crime by allowing first year students to cover up his mess for him. As a student he attempted to raise an Acromantula in the school.
**Students repeatedly injured during lessons due to inadequate safety precautions, Dumbledore took no action.
Ability: Incompetent

Potions: Severus Snape
Background: 21, no teaching experience (possibly a student tutor), committed quadruple agent against a murderous psychopath, qualified wizard with N.E.W.T.s and clear aptitude for his subject. His oldest prospective students may well have witnessed him be publicly stripped and humiliated, as well as being aware of his general boyhood reputation as a loser and outcast..
Ability: Competent

DADA: Quirinus Quirell
Background: Young, one year teaching experience (Muggle Studies), was known to have been co-opted by Voldemort during his Grand Tour to gain DADA experience. (Voldemort had every interest in impairing students' Defense education, and would be primarily focused on the Stone anyway - which put all students at risk of being caught in a crossfire between Voldie/Quirell and the rest of the staff.)
Ability: Incompetent

DADA: Gilderoy Lockhart
Background: Known by Dumbledore to be a glory hound and a fraud who had assaulted other witches and wizards, raped their minds, then stole credit for their deeds (nor did Dumbledore ever report this last to anyone in law enforcement).
Ability: Incompetent

DADA: Remus Lupin
Background: Prior teaching experience, incompetent prefect, (former?) friend of escaped convicted mass-murderer Sirius Black.
**Later unhelpful in the investigation regarding Black's whereabouts and ability to enter the castle. Dumbledore refused to remove him or even put him under close surveillance despite circumstantial evidence he was helping his old friend. (Problematic because if he sought out Lupin specifically for help in cornering Black, he could have consulted him away from the school - he was absent often enough anyway. Moody would have been a safer choice if it was Harry's welfare he was primarily concerned about. Maybe he was hoping Black would kill Harry - Horcrux had to go sometime.) After he nearly killed three students and a fellow teacher by neglecting his Wolfsbane Potion, it was Snape who ensured he was removed from the school, not Dumbledore.
Ability: Competent at teaching subject matter

DADA: Alastor Moody
Background: Retired Auror, former teacher in Auror training program, known for being excessively paranoid and responding violently to provocation.
Ability; Crouch successfully masquerading as him seems to have been considered competent.

DADA: Severus Snape
Background: Highly successful potions professor, quadruple agent, etc...
Ability: Competent