defense of Sirius and James

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 19169

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Carole Estes" <lrcjestes at e...> wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Magda Grantwich" <mgrantwich at y...>

Carole wrote:
> It seems to me they were pretty great guys.  They (James and 
Sirius) went
> through an awful lot for their friend (animagi transformation).  
They went
> out of their way and beyond their cultures inate prejudices against
> werewolves to befriend Remus and make him feel comfortable each 
month during
> his transformations.  They could have simply said..."well see you 
in a
> couple of days" but no they actively endangered themselves in order 
to help
> remus.
Magda wrote:
> > I agree.  Lupin's alright and the jury's still out on James 
(respect
> > for the dead and all that) but even after reading GoF, I haven't
> > changed my opinion of Sirius Black.  He strikes me as one of those
> > charming guys that are great in their 20's but don't marry or 
mature
> > like their friends.  The kind of guy who'll still show up on his
> > motorbike in a black leather jacket (which is getting a tad snug
> > around the waist) and expect his married buds to join him at the 
pub
> > on the night that their kids are playing a semi-final soccer game.

Carole wrote:
> I'll agree that he was probably that type of guy (without the 
jacket getting
> snug) before Azkaban.
> 
> However, if you read the scene where he talks to the trio in the 
cave in
> Hogsmead (GoF, Padfoot Returns) he has a lot to say about what 
makes a good
> father, a good father.  He points out that Crouch should have spent 
more
> time at home rather than at the office.  This leads me to think he 
has a
> clue about  family priorities in the post Azkaban era.  So no I 
don't agree
> that he's be that kind of guy post-Azkaban.

I'd like to second this.  To say that Sirius is one of those 
immature, irresponsible men who forever think they are cool and never 
grow up is doing him a disservice.  Sirius, IMO, has a very strong 
sense of right and wrong/loyalty and regard for his friends and 
family.  His speech in the Shrieking Shack when confronting Pettigrew 
about why he betrayed James bears testament to that "Then you should 
have died - as we would have done for you" (paraphrase?).

He is also very prepared to take responsibility for Harry - indeed, 
he wants to - the smile which breaks across his face when he finds 
that Harry wants to live with him touches me everytime.  He is also 
not the kind of guardian who wants to just do what will keep him in 
favour, something akin to a step parent trying to get a child to like 
them, but he wants to do what is right for Harry.  There is more than 
one occassion in GoF when Harry is slightly resentful of the way 
Sirius is looking out for him and telling what to do and what not to 
do.  This isn't taking the easier option, in my view.  Finally, as 
Ron says, "Poor old Snuffles....he must really like you, 
Harry...imagine having to live off rats."  Sirius has put himself to 
a great deal of trouble, discomfort, and danger by coming back to 
keep an eye on/help Harry.  This doesn't smack of someone who is not 
prepared to face their responsibilities.

Catherine