Much more than a simple companion of adventure: he played a crucial role in the books by JK Rowling!
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| Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures |
For many fans, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is, without a doubt, the best film of the saga. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, this chapter of The Saga of the Young Wizard introduces numerous stylistic and thematic changes that have influenced the subsequent films. It is here, in fact, that the tone of the story becomes darker and more mature, leading Harry, Ron, and Hermione to face increasingly serious dangers. Among the new features, Sirius Black makes his appearance, a central character with a complex past, and the terrifying Dementors are introduced, creatures capable of draining happiness.
However, many fans of the book were disappointed by the treatment reserved for some characters and subplots that, in the film, were little present or, in the worst cases, completely excluded. Among these, Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, stands out, whose importance in the original narrative has been significantly overlooked in the film adaptation. In J.K. Rowling's novel, we first meet the animal when Harry, Ron, and Hermione visit the Haunted Menagerie in Diagon Alley. While Ron searches for a tonic for Scabbers, his rat, Hermione decides to buy a pet: it is here that she meets Crookshanks, an orange cat who, to Ron's delight, immediately demonstrates his unusual behavior by attacking Scabbers.
In fact, in the books, we are told that he is not an ordinary feline, but a cross with a Kneazle, a magical creature with extraordinary abilities, including the ability to sense danger and unmask suspicious individuals. Thus, Crookshanks immediately realizes that Scabbers is no ordinary cat, but an Animagus: Peter Pettigrew, the traitor who handed the Potters over to Voldemort and faked his own death for years. Unable to communicate this discovery to the humans, Crookshanks repeatedly attempts to capture him, sparking tensions between Ron and Hermione. Unfortunately, these conflicts are superficially portrayed in the films, overshadowing the cat’s role in revealing the truth about Sirius Black.
After Sirius Black escapes from Azkaban, he finds a valuable ally in Crookshanks: in the book, it turns out that the cat not only immediately recognizes Sirius in his dog form, but also understands his intentions, deciding to help him. Scabbers proves incredibly cunning, stealing the Gryffindor passwords and collaborating with Sirius in his attempts to capture Peter Pettigrew. A crucial interlude is when Crookshanks shows Harry and Hermione how to access the secret passage under the Whomping Willow, allowing them to reach the Shrieking Shack: here, the decisive confrontation between Sirius, Lupin, Peter, and the boys takes place, which finally reveals the truth about the Potters’ betrayal.
The animal once again plays a vital role, protecting Sirius when Harry, unaware of the facts, attempts to attack him. Despite Ron's initial dislike of the cat, his attitude changes once he discovers the truth about Crookshanks. His dislike turns to respect, so much so that he asks for its approval before accepting the owl Pigwidgeon as a new pet. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Crookshanks continues to demonstrate his loyalty and intelligence. Hermione takes the cat with her to Bill and Fleur's wedding but is forced to leave him with the Weasleys when she goes with Harry and Ron to find the Horcruxes.
Although the character's final fate is not explicitly stated, it is plausible that he lived a long life with Hermione and Ron after the war. With the announced reboot of the Max series, many are hoping that Crookshanks will finally receive the attention he deserves, demonstrating how instrumental he was in Sirius' success and the fight against Peter Pettigrew. Giving the character more space in a possible future adaptation would be a tribute not only to his importance but also to the complexity of the magical universe created by J.K. Rowling.
Source: CBR
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