[HPforGrownups] Machiavellian Means and the Side of Good/Sirius a "pureblood"?

[Monika Huebner]

No: HPFGUIDX 37307


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Susanne [mailto:siskiou at earthlink.net]
> Subject: [HPforGrownups] Re: [BanHarryPotterNow!] Machiavellian Means

I wrote:

> > When Sirius told Harry about Crouch in the cave scene, I
> > didn't get the impression that he agreed with his giving permission
> > to use the killing curse on supposed Death Eaters, and he probably
> > wouldn't join someone who would. Nor would Lupin, IMO.

Susanne wrote:

> But wasn't Sirius getting ready to use the killing curse on
> Peter Pettigrew?
> At least that's how I understood it.
> 
> So, while he sounded disapproving of Crouch using violence
> against violence, he was prepared to do the exact same
> thing in PP's case.

Well, yes, I agree that the outcome would have been similar,
but the situation was IMO not. Sirius had just spent 12 years in 
Azkaban, one of the most horrible dungeons one can imagine,
after his best friends had been murdered by an evil wizard,
betrayed by someone he had thought was a friend. *And* Sirius
feels responsible for it because he was the one who talked the
Potters into naming Peter Pettigrew their Secret-Keeper. My
point is *not* that this justifies killing Pettigrew, but that Sirius
is, well, mentally unstable after his ordeal. I believe he is
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, he fits all the
criteria, and it explains his violent behavior in PoA. Anyone can
see he's a physical and emotional wreck, and he only has
very limited control over his reactions. By the time of GoF,
he has recovered and calmed down a bit, and he sees things
under a different light. I don't know what would happen if he
suddenly came face to face with Pettigrew, but I think he won't
actively search for him now. And I definitely don't believe that
for him, the ends always justify the means, at least not in his
normal state of mind.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: kiricat2001 [mailto:Zarleycat at aol.com]
> Subject: [HPforGrownups] Re: Sirius a "pureblood"?

> Or, maybe at the time of the crimes, the Black family were not even 
> allowed to see Sirius, either before or after he was sent to 
> Azkaban.  Since this whole affair was handled so quickly and Sirius 
> was bundled off to prison so fast, maybe his family didn't have time 
> to get any help for him. 

If that was the case, wouldn't they have contacted him after his
escape from Azkaban? If they haven't died in the meantime, of
course. Even if Sirius himself would think it was too dangerous
to contact *them*, I believe they would have tried to contact *him*,
don't you think so? His photos in the Daily Prophet clearly showed
that he wasn't in the best condition, but we only know that he's in
contact with Dumbledore after the events of PoA. It doesn't really
make a lot of sense. Either they must be dead or still believe he's
guilty
> 
> And, once he escapes from Azkaban, Sirius' first concern is Harry.  
> If he knows his family is still alive (would he know that?)

I don't think he would know, at least not immediately. It would take him
some time to find out. I think if you are in Azkaban, you're somehow
buried alive. I don't think Fudge (or any other ministry wizard) inspects
Azkaban often and talks to the convicts. Fudge giving Sirius his newspaper
surely wasn't a common thing, maybe it just happened because he was
so shocked about Sirius being able to speak coherently. But in general,
I don't think the prisoners have any contact at all with the outside world.

Monika