Who trusted Sirius?

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 24012

Monika wrote:

> Actually, I think it's quite shocking that James and Lily seem to be
> the *only* people who trusted Sirius. Everybody else, even those who
> knew him really well: Remus, Hagrid, McGonagall - were certain he
> betrayed his best friends and slaughtered the muggles.

> Still worse, it seems that Dumbledore shared their belief. 

To their credit, none of these people thought that until after the 
fact.  He was all but caught with the smoking gun in his hand.  It's 
all circumstantial evidence, and of course SB should have had a trial, 
but it *was* a reasonable supposition that he was guilty all around at 
that point.

In short, I don't think that anyone *believed* SB was the spy before 
the fact; they just wondered.  Someone was passing secrets; everyone 
involved seemed trustworthy, but clearly someone was not; therefore 
everyone was under suspicion.

We are seeing the story through the corrective lenses of hindsight.  
To the characters in 1981, Sirius, like Peter, was just one of several 
completely improbable suspects.

Amy Z

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 The clock on Lupin's wall . . . had twelve
 divisions, ranging from Sound Asleep to 
 Murderous Intent And No Human Conscience.
      -Amanita Lestrange, "Fool's Paradise"
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