Pettigrew parallels

[Brandgwen G.]

No: HPFGUIDX 5595

Rita Winston wrote:
>Yes, but.... The Marauders at school could spend their time on 
practical jokes a la Fred and George, becoming Animagi for totally 
non-political reasons, mapping the school for the sake of sneaking
out to have fun. They didn't spend their school days saving the
world. They didn't tangle with Voldemort and the Death Eaters until 
after they left school. 
>
>Harry was a year and a half old when he defeated V and lost his 
parents. Dumbledore referred to the bad times as 'these eleven
years'. Unless Harry's parent had been out of school already ten
years by the time he was born, the bad times overlapped the
Marauders' 
school days. 
 
Sure, the rift between the Marauders would have become evident after 
their graduation.  This sort of goes back to the question of whether 
or not friendships, etc., can stand up to stress.  While in school, 
the Marauders were safe.  They were young enough to believe
themselves immortal and living under the protection of the invincible
Dumbledore.  They didn't suspect each other, because they had no need 
to be suspicious.  

The Marauders had seven years in which to get to know each other and 
form firm bonds, insulated from the outside strife.  Yet, when they 
were finally forced to fend for themselves, those seven years were
not enough.  Not only did they not trust each other enough to stick 
together, they didn't know each other well enough to pick the
traitor.  Going into book 5, we find Harry moving facing a similar 
test of friendships.  Harry will be at least 3 years younger than his 
father, when James first began to fight the Death Eaters, and he will 
have known his friends for 3 years less.  The question is, will he 
have formed stronger bonds?

One thing I have observed in the Marauders, particularly Lupin, is 
that they were, and are, much less forthcoming with each other and 
Dumbledore.  Harry, Ron and Hermione all break rules, but they do it 
for good reason, and when each book ends and they beat this year's 
baddie, they go to Dumbledore and confess their sins.  The Marauders 
broke the rules for their own benefit.  What's more, they didn't tell 
Dumbledore about it for around 20 years.  As an adult, Lupin was
still too ashamed to come clean.  Thus, even as teenagers, they were 
nurturing a culture of secrecy.  This may not have hurt them at the 
time, but, as adults, it did.  As adults, they were unable to tell
who the spy was; James and Sirius made Pettigrew the secret keeper, 
without telling Lupin; Lupin was able to accept Sirius as a traitor.  
How much could have been avoided, had they handled things differently?

But they didn't.  Having been partners in crime for seven years, what 
they had learned about each other was that they couldn't be trusted.  
Lupin knew that Sirius was quick tempered and ruthless, Sirius knew 
that Lupin was sly and secretive.  They didn't trust each other, 
because, in the immortal words of Bono, "It's no secret that a liar 
won't believe in anyone else.".

Having just hacked them to pieces, I feel the need to say that I do 
love my Marauders.  Really, I do.
Gwen.