Some facts about fruit bats:

I just wanted to enter a few tidbits here about fruit bats to avoid confusion, since they're not indigenous to the UK.

While I'm aware that fruit bats are tropical in nature, I figured since, according to JK Rowling, wizards cannot choose what kind of animal they turn into when they become animagi (she implies that the personality of the wizard determines the animal type), there is nothing preventing them from becoming an animal that is not native to a particular area (after all they should not have to rely on existing in that environment in order to survive). I figure I can get away with using a non-native species since Hedwig, a Snowy Owl, is not native to the UK, either – and she's not even an animagus!

Fruit bats are also known as "megabats" and "flying foxes." About sixty subspecies make up flying fox fruit bats, and this is what I picture when I picture Snape as a bat.

Unlike insectivorous bats, flying foxes (which feed on fruit, flowers and nectar) do not rely on echolocation. So, while their hearing is very sensitive, they do not form sound "images" like other bat species. In fact, they generally rely on their excellent vision and keen sense of smell to seek out the fragrant, colorful foods they prefer (the term "blind as a bat" is a misnomer).

I haven't really made up my mind as to what subspecies of flying fox Snape transforms into, but to give you a frame of reference, here are some characteristics of the Indian Flying Fox:

- At about 12 inches long, a male Indian Flying Fox would be about half Hedwig's length

-A female Snowy Owl weighs about 5 pounds; a male Indian Flying Fox weighs 3-4 pounds

-An Indian Flying Fox's wingspan is about 50 inches; Hedwig's would be anywhere from 56-66 inches

This story is complete, finished, the end. Thank you for reading!