Rat (Harry Potter)

Rats are small mammals of the order Rodentia, distinguishable from mice by their larger size.
==Description==
Commonly found in houses and barns, rats are typically regarded as vermin or pests, although they can be domesticated and kept as pets, as well as tested in labs. The most common species of pet rat is the Brown/Norway Rat, or Rattus norvegicus.Rat at WikipeidaRats could also serve as pets for wizards and witches, although they typically only lived for two or three years, and were not as popular as owls or cats.Body parts from rats, such as the tail and spleen, were used as ingredients in potions, such as the Shrinking Solution. According to Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit, dead rats should be fed to dragons as a reward for good behaviour. Despite this, after just a couple of weeks of growth, Rubeus Hagrid was feeding the young dragon Norberta (known at the time as "Norbert") dead rats by the crate.There existed Transfiguration spells that could turn a teacup into a rat and another to turn a small child into a rat.A rat was one possible corporeal form of the Patronus Charm.
==History==
The Weasley family kept a pet rat named "Scabbers" for twelve years, owned first by Percy Weasley and later by his younger brother Ron. The fact that Scabbers managed to live for over twelve years greatly surpassed the life expectancy of an average rat, making people think that he was special. However, it was revealed in 1994 that Scabbers was actually an unregistered Animagus named Peter Pettigrew, also known as "Wormtail," who had gone into hiding after Lord Voldemort's disappearance in 1981.The Chamber of Secrets contained the skeletons of many dead rats that had been eaten by the Serpent of Slytherin, a Basilisk.
==Known types==
*Brown Rat
*Grey Rat
==Known rat Animagi==
*Peter Pettigrew - he learned it along with Sirius Black (dog) and James Potter (stag), in order to companion his friend Remus Lupin, when taking Werewolf form.Harry Potter and the Prisoner Of Azkaban (film) - An Chapter 018Harry Potter and the Prisoner Of Azkaban (film) - An Chapter 019''
==Appearances==
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*Harry Potter and the Prisoner Of Azkaban (film)
*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) 
==Notes and references==
Category:Known Animagus Forms
Category:Known Boggart Forms
Category:Rare Patronus Forms
Category:Pet Known Food
Category:Rats