i was looking through book six for some hints to book seven, and something struck me as very odd. on p. 245 in HBP, mundungus is described as a " bandy-legged man with long, straggly, ginger hair". strangely enough, crookshanks is also described as 'ginger and bandy-legged'. could mundungus possibly be an unregistered animagus? dumbledore did put him in charge or keeping watch on harry, which would fit, considering that crookshanks is hermione's cat, and harry and hermione are often together. i'm not sure though.. what do you think? :-)

very possible though i don't see it happening. It's probably not a good enough reason but i really don't think Mundungus is a good enough wizard to be an unregistered animagus. It would throw a huge plot into the storyline too because if that were true then Mundungus would know about the Horcruxes...which would put a spin on a lot of other theories, plus isn't Crookshanks kind of a big cat and Dung rather small? don't animagi look similar to their human form? I think there is already a topic about whether crookshanks is an animagus but personally i dont think Dung has the ability to be an animagus

While the descriptive similarities are great, good catch by the way, I think if that were the case, then Crookshanks would be Harry's pet.

Beyond all of the reasons that XDumbledoreX stated about the horcruxes, it would be kind of strange to think of Dung living in an all girl dorm!!!

Until I read that, I was excited by this prospect. Dung being Crookshanks would be really intriguing, plot-wise, and I think we'd be foolish to underestimate him just because of how he acts (like we are foolish to underestimate Aberforth).

But, on the other hand, Dung being in the girls dorm is just creepy, unless he could be trusted to not look where he shouldn't and I don't think he can.

Plus, finally, I think we have a scene with Crookshanks and Dung in the kitchen together at Grimauld, do we not?

This could be one of those instances of inadvertently repeated descriptive prose that JKR said she was embarassed about looking back on the books. Too bad, tho. I want more from Crookshanks, and especially some significance of his placement with Hermione. I'd also like Dung and Aberforth to have their moment.

I read somewhere that Crookshanks is half kneazle. I think I read that on the JK Rowling site. If Crookshanks is half kneazle, Mundungus is not Crookshanks.

From Wikipedia:

Why can't an animagus be a hybrid? It would seem perfect in fact for Dung to be a mutt in animagus form. Especially is part of that hybrid is something that's good at tuning into untrustworthy things, like Kneazles do and so does Dung.

I'm more concerned about their being seen together.

unfortunately JKR said herself that Crookshanks is not an animagus



All crookshanks is is half kneasle/half cat. there was an argument that alot of people were crookshanks (regulus, mundungus, etc.) but unfortunately crookshanks is nothing more than a very intelligent cat.

I find it rather strange that more people don't consider the possibility that both Crookshanks and Mundungus Fletcher, rather than having a link with one another, are actually both pointing symbolically in the same direction through their similar descriptions. Don't forget that JKR has admitted that something is going on with the cats in the series. I'm personally of the opinion that it's no coincidence that Godric Gryffindor's animal emblem is a lion. Furthermore, Dung is also partly described in dog-like terms, so perhaps we should be thinking about what remaining "canine" character in these books could have a connection with Gryffindor himself. Perhaps that would serve to reveal the truth about any number of the remaining mysteries in the story.

I thought Rowling debunked that Crookshanks was an animagus?

Anyways, on the subject of Crookshanks and Mundungus Fletcher

Since we know that Crookshanks is a kneazle and they can detect "bad guys" how come he's never really done anything to Mundungus? Like biting his foot off or something? Are kneazles only responsible for showing they're a thief or catching them or something like that?

"I thought Rowling debunked that Crookshanks was an animagus?"

She did, but mark my words, this topic will go on for about 15 more pages debating the merits of Dung being an unregistered animagus. Lord have mercy on us all!

That's the ticket, and that's the value of talking about these things even when the original notion is easy to debunk. Finding these connections points in interesting directions.

I kind of picture Ron as a bandy-legged ginger, maybe they point to him somehow.

Not much has come of MM's animagus cat-form, which seems disappointing.

oh right, jo did say that crookshanks wasn't an animagus.. well it was worth a try! :-P

but crookshanks definately isn't a normal cat. she almost acts human, in some ways. i still believe this similarity between crookshanks and mundungus could lead to something, though. something else i noticed (as a similarity) is that crookshanks name begins with the word 'crook'.. which mundungus is :-P

thanks to all of you for your input!
Honeydukes

You focused on 'crook' so I focused on Shanks, and found this as a meaning on Wiki:



What happened to Snape.
Ironic, given that Crookshanks communicates with and befriends Sirius.

Looked up Crookshank and found that it is a Scottish clan:


So, all together it would imply point of a hill near the river.

Wasn't Snape's house up a river embankment? Hmmm....

so now it's pointing to snape. but that doesn't make any sense.... ok now i'm confused!

but snape and crookshanks kind of sound the same. in a way. severus and mundungus do too. ok i'm just confusing myself! :-P


**edit**
ok, now here we go!


not that it's the 'hooked part of anything'? *ahem* snape's nose??
and also not that it's also called a 'shank'


i looked up 'shank' as well, but the most interesting part to me was:
6. a straight, usually narrow, shaftlike part of various objects connecting two more important or complex parts, as the stem of a pipe.

i don't know, but i find that intesting

I think the connection between the descriptions is a good catch, but I don't think Mundungus could possibly be Crrokshanks for a few reasons.

1. If Mundungus was sent to watch Harry because he was an animagus, don't you think Harry would have noticed if Crookshanks, a cat he had known for two years, was following him?

2. Rowling has already done the person-is-unregistered-animagus bit with Wormtail, kind of repetative don't you think?

3. He is most likely not going to be book seven very much because he was sent to Azkaban for impersonating an Inferius.

The one reason he might be is that Rowling brought up Mundungus Fletcher very early in the novels, even before he was formally introduced to us in book 5. I forget which book he came up in first, but it was only in passing.

Mundungus is in Azkaban and Hermione would notice if her cat was missing. Plus, the Magical Menagerie had Crookshanks for ages. Wouldn't that mean that Mundungus would be missing for ages?

By the way, Weasley King, Mundungus is mentioned in CoS and GoF.

CoS: While Mr. Weasley did his "nine raids" last night, Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on him while his back was turned.

GoF: Dumbledore tells Sirius to contact "the old crowd" (Order). He lists names like Arabella Figg, Remus Lupin, and Mundungus Fletcher.

Huh, VERY good topic, he might as well be. Was he the one who was supposed to be watching over Harry in Privet Drive in book 5 when he was attacked by dementors, wasn't he supposed to watching him from Mrs. Figgs? Ah-hah, supposing this theory is true, Mundungus is a unregistered animangus, a cat, and he was staying at Mrs. Figgs to watch over Harry, and Mrs. Figgs loves cats, weird huh?

he cant be. how could mundungus have known to be hermiones cat so that he could spie on harry wen they werent even freinds until half way thru SS. and hermione had crookshanks before she went to skool

Plus JKR said Hermiones cat is half..erm...cant remember that word right now

but not an animagus, so and JKR wouldnt lie on her own official page Oi

but Mundugus is a really interesting character though he might be an animagus but now Crookshanks for sure =)

sorry but JKR confirmed that crookshanks is not an animagus and is simply 1/2 kneazle

though its odd how well the name fits isnt it...CROOKshanks lol.but yeah mundungas isnt crookshanks

though its entirely likely that dungy is an animagus <unregistered or otherwise>..would help with his information gathering,though his criminal record does the job for him

At first you had me thinking that Crookshanks was Mundungus, but sadly I don't think it is possible for them being in the same room. Good spot there.