Answers Re: Sirius Black/Dementors/Marauder's Map/Pettigrew vs. Lucius/

[Mindy, a.k.a. CLH]

No: HPFGUIDX 24376

Sirius: IMHO, I don't think Sirius Black was 'laughing his head off'. The
person who told the story to Harry (I've forgottn who) either 1)
embellished the story or 2) THOUGHT he saw Black laughing. After all, the
perception was, that he was the one who did it all, so his mind was so
biased and angry that he THOUGHT he saw him laughing.

I still don't understand why the Dementors were dismissed and the danger
declared over, if Sirius escaped the second time. Look at the protection
and fear everyone had for Harry while Sirius was on the loose -- and now
no one believes Harry's story, Sirius is gone again, and the guard is
totally dropped! What gives?

Dementors: As for Jesse's question, perhaps there are human guards at
Azkaban at certain intervals of the day/week/month. I wonder if Azkaban
was truly left only in the hands of the dementors at all time.

Marauder's Map: I understand, that since there are soooo many students
swarming around the school at any given hour, it was very hard for Harry
to pinpoint people like Moody and Pettigrew spontaneously -- there was so
much going on there that he couldn't focus on every detail, nor did he
have the time to focus on every detail. He was more or less searching for
one particular thing, such as if Filch was patrolling the corridors. When
he spotted "Crouch" in Snape's office, he did because 1) It was basically
the only moving thing in a sleeping Hogwarts, and 2) It was extremely
odd. Had it been anyone else in Snape's office, he wouldn't give a darn
about it; but being that Crouch had disappeared and he suddenly showed up
in Snape's office, he noticed it immediately.

Who's more evil, Pettigrew or Lucius: IMO, definitely Lucius. Pettigrew
is a bumbling idiot who does his master's budding out of fear and
dimness. Lucius is bright, cunning, calculated and menacing. Pettigrew
never appeares menacing and fear-provoking. He is just timidly doing what
Voldie demands of him, not out of his own accord. But I guess we will
have to wait and see what book 5 holds for him. (Do you think we'll all
be bored of HP by next July? This waiting period is quite awful. Will 10
billion copies at first printing be suffiicent? I have a feeling I will
not be able to get my hands on a copy until the second printing, several
months later... Whew.)