Black, Snape, Lupin, and the "joke"

[Zarleycat at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 25216

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Hillman, Lee" <lee_hillman at u...> wrote:
  
> I don't know exactly what triggered Sirius to act that way (and I 
don't
> think it was a woman, Lily or otherwise), but he was obviously very 
cheesed
> with Snape over something. Perhaps it was simply a moment of 
weakness, or a
> cumulative frustration at Snape's constant badgering, but for 
whatever
> reason, I think Sirius snapped.

I don't think it was over a woman, either.  One of the things that 
struck me about the timing is that the boys are sixteen.  This means 
that they are at least fifth years, and are probably sixth years.  At 
that point, James, etal have become Animagi.  And the whole point of 
that was to be able to stay with Remus during his transformations.  
However, when Sirius sends Snape off to the Whomping Willow, Remus is 
already in the Shrieking Shack and James and Sirius are not with 
him.  Why not?  So, I've always worked with the idea that something 
happened to keep James, Peter(?) and Sirius away from Remus on that 
night and it was something that triggered Sirius to act as he did.
  
> I believe that the moment Snape left him, he realized what he'd 
done, and
> regretted it. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he went and told 
James out
> of shame and fear. He knew, at that point, that he couldn't stop
> Snape--Snape would not have believed him. 

Possible, but I've always seen it that Sirius, still in fury, 
mentions to James what he did, and is almost casual about it because 
he doesn't think that Snape will act on it, or that Snape will go 
into the tunnel, but turn back when he hears howling and shrieking 
coming from the Shack.  
  
snip

> I think it's one of the biggest regrets of his life, and one of the 
hardest
> things he had to come to terms with--realizing that he is the kind 
of person
> who would put two people's lives at risk so callously. It made him 
grow up
> quick. And to think that he _could_ betray a friend like that is 
what made
> it so much easier for him to lose his mind when James and Lily 
died. I think
> it's another motivation behind his initial offer of Secret Keeper--
to prove
> to himself he can keep the confidence of his friends. Then he 
screws it up
> again by giving it to Peter.

Although he probably thought he was adding an additional layer of 
protection.  In Sirius' thinkging, Voldemort wouldn't suspect Peter 
of being the Secret Keeper - he'd come after Sirius.  And, since 
Sirius was no longer the Secret Keeper, he couldn't reveal anything 
about the Fidelius Charm's secret to Voldemort, even under torture.  
So, if Sirius died at Voldemort's hand, V. might have thought that 
the secret died with Sirius, thus ensuring the Potters safety for a 
while longer.
 
snip
  
> As for why he and Lupin have not been in more contact, ah.
Well, thereby
> hangs a tale, which is of course only magnified if you subscribe to 
the "one
> true way" of Sirius and Remus. 

Snip
 
We don't really know that they haven't been in contact.  While I'm 
sure Sirius isn't lugging reams of parchment around with him, I 
wouldn't be surprised to learn that he has also been in contact with 
Remus.  As for the "one, true way" maybe after Remus resigned from 
Hogwarts, he got a note delived by one of those large, tropical 
birds, and decided it was time for a vacation someplace warm and 
sunny...

  
> In short, and to return to my original point, I think both Sirius 
and Snape
> are essentially good guys. I don't think that Sirius's joke was 
justified,
> but neither do I think it makes him forever evil and irredeemable. 
He hasn't
> had a chance to be responsible yet since he's been out of Azkaban, 
and until
> we see how he handles the tasks Dumbledore is sure to put before 
him, I
> won't jump to conclusions about whether he's a mature adult or not.
> Certainly, if Snape can be considered mature, Sirius can. They both 
need to
> learn to suck it up and deal better, but at least Sirius has the 
excuse of
> being driven insane by Dementors. 
>  
> Snape, too, though, is righteous and has honour. He can be cruel 
("I see no
> difference") and he can be provoking (all the crap he pulls on 
Harry about
> James), but when push comes to shove, he will do the right thing. 
He's a
> bitter, isolated, self-important man, but he is clearly on the side 
of good.

And wouldn't it be a hoot for Sirius and Severus to find out they're 
related?  Can't you just see Dumbledore trying to run an "old crowd" 
meeting with Sirius and Snape disrupting it by being at each others' 
throats.  Dumbledore takes them aside and says," I wasn't supposed to 
reveal this until the 7th book, but, here, read these parchments and 
deal with it."  And, lo, it's revealed that they are orphaned,  
fraternal twins that were separated at birth, one being adopted by 
the Blacks and one being adopted by the Snapes.  

I should stop now before my head explodes....

Marianne