Lupin's silence (was re:Chapter 8 POA Summary)

[Rosmerta]

No: HPFGUIDX 19145

Jenny from Ravenclaw answered the question "Was Harry foolish in 
telling Lupin about Snape?" by asking, <snip> > I'm not sure about is 
why Lupin has no reaction at all to Harry's 
> comments.  I wish he had said something, even "Oh, really?".  Harry 
> must have felt a bit stupid there.

First of all, *doesn't* Lupin say something netural like "oh really?" 
(sorry, don't have my book here). Either way, I think his non-
reaction is brought on by two desires, 

1) professionalism. much as he may like Harry, he is a teacher and 
dishing the dirt with a student on another teacher has got to be 
against the rules of professional conduct at Hogwarts as it is 
elsewhere. And Lupin's not exactly got a whole bunch of good will on 
the staff or longevity. He's not about to go stepping out of line 
this early on in the year. 

2) He seems intent in this scene and other one-on-one-with-Harry 
scenes to tell him as little as possible about his own life and his 
intimate involvement with Harry's father and friends and enemy (i.e., 
Snape). So his response would also be neutral to avoid having to 
indicate that he knows anything at all about Snape. But my question 
is: WHY isn't he more forthcoming with Harry? Plot, I think, has a 
lot to do with this.....we're meant to wonder about Lupin and 
possibly suspect his aiding and abetting Sirius; also, we can't find 
out the true nature of his relationship with James etc. until the big 
finale in the Shrieking Shack. But that leaves Lupin looking mighty 
uptight and emotionally closed off to Harry. 

~Rosmerta