[HPforGrownups] Sirius vs. Snape: Azcaban recovery.

[Katze]

No: HPFGUIDX 34790

finwitch wrote:

> Sirius had more than one prime motives to escape from Azcaban. Both
> to save Harry and to make Pettigrew pay among others - like proving
> his innocence... Everything he might have wanted, needed and/or
> desired required his getting out of Azcaban. His entire being was
> momentuously aimed at a single goal: Out of Azcaban. This is so great
> a need, so great an emotional thought: "I must get out of here" -
> that it brings that non-wand, non-controlled magic out. That's how he
> escaped. (Being animagus helped, no doubt)

I think Sirius always panned to get out, but he didn't make his move
until he saw Scabbers in the newspaper and realize that Harry was in
danger. Was there a mention of him using magic to get out? I know he was
animagus, and he was so skinny in dog form that he was able to squeeze
through the bars. Though...he must've apparated to get to the mainland.

> Sirius isn't getting better: He's focused on finding Harry and
> getting him to safety. He's too busy to handle the emotional after-
> effect of his torment. He kept all dangers away from Harry (until
> Harry got into the Knight-Bus) while Harry was dealing with his
> emotions so busily he didn't notice anything.
> Sirius heard where Harry was headed, I guess - so he went there,
> using some other method. Again, he's concerned of Harry, his own
> Azcaban-trauma is constantly put aside - until later.

I don't think there were actually any apparent dangers while Harry was
walking away from the Dursleys. Sirius states that he jut wanted a
glimpse of Harry before he headed off. 

> Sirius propably saw Harry watching that Firebolt, wanting it so hard,
> but not buying it. Sirius gets a thought: "Poor Harry. I'll buy him
> that Firebolt if it's the last thing I do..." He goes to Gringotts
> (Goblins don't gossip about their customers) and withdraws almost all
> his money, buys some Polyjuice Potion(Knockturn Alley?) and gets a
> hair of some random (drunk?) person. Then he goes to the broom-shop
> and buys that Firebolt, telling the shoppers to send it for Harry
> Potter on Christmas-time. Possibly he also sends a letter to
> Lupin: "Protect Prongs's son".
> No more. Lupin will know what it means and who sent it! Sirius sees
> Harry and Lupin going onto same car and gets on the train...

Hrmmm...I'm not sure Sirius bought the Firebolt because Harry fancied
it. Harry's Nimbus 2000 got smashed by the Whomping Willow and thus
Sirius bought him a replacement (why not the best for his godson?).
Crookshanks is actually the "person" who placed the order for the broom.
We don't know that he withdrew all of his money either...the book just
says that Gringott's took the money out of his vault. Perhaps he's just
filthy stinking rich and the cost of the Firebolt is just a drop in the
hat. Even if it took every cent, Sirius didn't make mention of how the
cost affected his bank account.

I don't think Sirius saw him getting on the train. I also don't think he
saw Lupin get on the train. He knew that Harry was headed to Hogwarts
and went on his way, and later found out that Lupin was a professor at
the school for the year.

He also never conversed with Lupin until the Shrieking Shack. They each
figured out on their own that Peter was still alive, but they didn't
reconcile or even speak with each other until the Shack.

> Halloween: Sirius knows that PP has his best oppurtunity with so
> little students around and desperately acts. AIR it was Lupin who
> broke Ron's leg, not Sirius. OK, now Sirius has Lupin to trust, along
> with the Trio. Sirius' acts on Fat Lady, etc. is partly unhandled
> post-traumatic stress from Azcaban, stress and desperation.

I do agree that Sirius was quite desparate....to get to Peter though. I
think his emotions were running very high, and pretty much anything
could tip him off the scale. And it is most certainly PTS.

Sirius is the one who broke Ron's leg, and Sirius attacked the fat Lady
before the Shrieking Shack incident. Lupin and Sirius thought the other
was the traitor and they didn't reconcile until the Shrieking Shack.

> His attempt against PP is revenge, protecting Harry and more. He
> doesn't think Harry would get upset for this (wasn't Harry about to
> kill him for the things PP did?). Yet, all it takes is Harry's
> request to stop them both. That single thing shows that Harry's well-
> being counts for more than revenge when it comes to Sirius.

I agree...

> And, um, no - Sirius isn't fully recovered yet. He offers Harry a
> home - but realises only afterwards that he might still need time to
> recover (you possibly don't want me to...).

There was never any mention that he "had to recover". He wanted to give
Harry a home, and take him home that following summer. I think Sirius
was more worried that Harry wouldn't want to stay with him because of
the events that happened previously that evening, or that maybe he was
happy where he was. I don't think Sirius knew how the Dursleys really
treated Harry. He'd only seen the house and then saw Harry right before
the night bus came. That was my impression at least. But there wasn't a
mention of his mental stability. He mentally seemed to have recovered
quite a bit after the confrontation with Peter.

> His time in "some place warm with lots of sunlight" helps Sirius to
> recover from his time in Azcaban - at least, now he's able to do so.
> He sends regular letters to Harry, Lupin and Dumbledore. (Giving Ron
> the Owl as an apology with his first letter to Harry...) - Where did
> he get that little owl?

I think Pigwidgeon came from a regular post. It was never mentioned
where he got him, but Sirius said he was eager to take the job. We also
don't know that he's sending letters to Lupin. 

We do know that he was feeling better and eating well, because he looked
well when he spoke with Harry in the fire before the first Task. So, at
least he was able to recover physically from his time in Azkaban.

> And, for other Person X ought to apologise to Person Y - well, the
> thing about Ron vs. Harry after the Dragon - he didn't need to hear
> it. Same goes with Ron & Harry. They know why - that's enough.

Eh? I think Sirius *wanted* to hear about Harry and what was happening. 

> Difference between Snape & Sirius is that Sirius does one repaireable
> thing against Fat Lady, has a fight with Harry and Ron - but only
> once. Plus they were able to do something...

He was certainly violent, and I'm not sure the Fat Lady has totally
recovered. It took a lot of coaxing to get her to return to her post,
IIRC. But the his fight with Ron and Harry seemed to have been repaired
the moment everyone found out the truth about Peter.

> Snape continuously and repeatedly offends Harry, Hermione and Neville
> (and who knows how many others). He's constantly abusing his status
> as teacher, particularly on Neville who can't defend himself and
> punishes those who do - just for anyone not Slytherin having a mind.
> Even when Hermione answers correctly to his questions, he takes
> points! Poor students can do nothing. Nothing. They can't go to
> Dumbledore and complain, because they don't know the password and
> Snape could be there stopping them. It's just plain wrong.

I think It's very likely that the kids could levy a complaint about
Snape, easily. They may not know the password, but I suspect there are
other ways to contact if need be. He's always around...watching and
waiting. I think that Dumbledore is a person who believes that one must
be subjected to all types of people. Though Snape is overly harsh. But
he's the antagonist. He serves a purpose in the story, and helps keep
Harry grounded. He's like the substitute for the Dursleys while Harry is
at Hogwarts. (we wouldn't want Harry's fame to go to his head, now do
we?)

> About Hagrid recovering so fast - 1) He had good conditions to
> recover. 2) He stayed for two weeks - considerably lesser time than
> 12 years. 3) Hagrid's half-giant (compare to Sirius' Animagi)...

I'm not sure Hagrid fully recovered...He shivers or something every time
Azkaban is mentioned...though I don't have my books in front of my so I
could be recalling this info incorrectly.

-Katze