[HPforGrownups] Re: S/D (Was: setting the cat down

[Peg Kerr]

No: HPFGUIDX 2476



Caius Marcius wrote:

>
> > I am wondering why you would say this...I thought the situation in
> > PoA where Lupin seems to be afraid to even touch Harry and then (fast
> > forward)has to leave the school because of  potential scandal and
> > parental outrage was sensitive and  subtle and very moving...Or am I
> > reading too much into it?
>
>
> I do think you're reading "too much" (i.e., your own little fantasies) into
> it.  Adult sexual designs upon children are invariably depraved. Lupin does
> not want to jump Harry's bones. Lupin's departure is clearly motivated by
> societal prejudice against werewolves.

I agree with you in rejecting the idea of acceptability of sexual relationships
between adults and children but that's not the way I interpreted Pippin's
remark (who I believe made the original remark that Susan responded to).
Pippin may correct me if I'm interpreting the intent of the original remark
incorrectly, but what I saw in that scene was that Lupin wanted to comfort
Harry, yes, but restrained himself for several reasons.  One was that, as
someone said (Amanda maybe?) he knows that Harry is a proud boy, and the last
thing he wants to do is to break down in front of someone he respects.
Secondly, Lupin is a werewolf and has trained himself, perhaps, to restrain his
own impulse toward physical interactions with people.

But thirdly, Lupin is a teacher.  And teachers have to be sensitive to parental
fears that if they touch the kids their teach, they're some kind of perverts
who are coming on to their kids.  (Maybe Ebony could speak to this a little?)
Maybe it's more an issue in America, where there have been several scandals
about teachers who did cross the line with their students, making everyone
paranoid and gun-shy about litigation.

So Lupin was perhaps concerned, to some extent, about "what people might
think."  He's trained himself that way, as a werewolf in hiding.  And despite
everything, despite the fact that he is a wonderful teacher who was doing his
best, his cover was blown and he had to leave school because, among other
things, of "what people might think."  And that, to me, IS sensitive and subtle
and very moving.

IMHO.

Peg