I'm looking at the list of edits for some of the later books (which are almost entirely just switching the spelling), and there are a few that switch verb forms around. The use of the subjunctive seems to be entirely random: Sometimes, it's there in the British and they take it out in the American, and sometimes it's not there in the British and they put it there in the American. "As though it were encased" became "as though it was encased," but "as though the sudden darkness was an" became "as though the sudden darkness were an." I'm extremely puzzled.

Kneazle

But if we had to, I highly recommend my way.

Ha! I love this.

...wait, what does vest mean in British??

undershirt.

Actually, "vest" is a tricky one. It is used to refer to a singlet or tank-top but is also used to refer to a sleeveless jacket or cardigan.

Thinking about PoA -- can Animagi pick which animal they become? Or is it something intrinsic, like the Patronus, and you just learn how to become an animal, and there's something about you that determines what animal you'll be? Because either way, I would think that Sirius, James, and Remus would think it suspicious that Peter becomes a rat.

Intrinsic, and yes, I've had that thought, as well.

True, but most of the time if someone says vest they do mean undershirt. It's way more common.

...I know this isn't a fanfic thread, but if anyone is interested in reading a story that expands on and ameliorates the rather unsatisfactory epilogue of HPatDH, then check out this most excellent story: Coda To An Epilogue. It's gen, plotty, and quite simply fabulous. Draco and Harry end up spending a little quality time rescuing their respective offspring from alligators in the sewers of Durmstrang - I'm awed that she has managed to do such a sterling job with the kids' characterisation based on JKR's wee sketch. And there's social change and - oh, if you're at all tempted, you should check it out. It really does fit pretty damn seamlessly into canon, and answers various questions and ties various loose ends neatly.

...sorry if its already been recc'd, though - I'm probably very behindhand with finding it. But, damn, it's good.

I liked the bits in that about the future of Slytherin. And her Malfoy had some good points about the final battle. There were a couple of jokes in there that I'm still groaning over, though. (When Bettina introduces herself, in particular.)

I've just read PoA and she never says outright but I got the feeling you do not get to pick which animal you are as an animagus.

t sheepish

Oh, that bit made me giggle. I thought it was quite a Pratchett kind of gag, inasmuchasit fitted in so naturally that anyone who didn't get the reference (which, given the youth of HP fandom, will probably be a depressing chunk of them) wouldn't even register that it was there. YCheeseToleranceMV.

fwiw, incidentally, my impression also was that you don't get to choose your animal - that it's almost like a Pullman-style daemon in that respect. But I don't think JKR explicitly states that in the text...