Would Edgy Lupin Crack? (WAS Why Suspect Lupin? )

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 35079

Elkins wrote:

>There's *definitely* a dark streak to Lupin's 
> character.  He's got Edge, which is one of the reasons that I like 
> him so much.  

<snip interesting and irrefutable canon discussion of how Lupin has 
Edge, how JKR intends it to be that way, why this might suggest bad 
things about Lupin, and why his friends suspected him> 

Boy.  This "Lupin Has Edge" theory presents some problems for me.  
I'm used to defending Lupin against full frontal assaults.  He's a 
screw-up.  He's too perfect.  He's boring.  He's dishonest.  That I 
can handle.

What we have here is a sneak attack.  I can't really deny that Lupin 
has Edge.  That bit about how his wand use is described as "lazy" is 
particularly upsetting, because it could very well be a bit of 
foreshadowing that Lupin won't finish the series in quite the heroic 
way I imagine. 

I scoured PoA, and I couldn't find any canon to refute Elkins' 
theory.  So I must grudgingly concede that Lupin Has Edge.  

I have to draw the line, though, on the idea that Lupin's Edge is 
part of what caused his friends not to trust him and caused them to 
believe he was the spy.

The reason I'm not sold on that part of the argument is that I can't 
imagine Lupin's Edge causing any problems for Sirius.  Sirius would 
view Lupin's Edge as evidence of Lupin's understated manner, his 
inability to connect emotionally.  Sirius would think that Lupin just 
needs a good, stiff drink and ought to loosen up and live a little.  
Sirius wouldn't start to suspect Lupin, I don't think, based on 
Lupin's Edge.  

So what did cause Sirius to suspect Lupin and prefer to switch to 
Peter?  Peter, that's what.  It is reasonable to believe that Peter 
was in on the planning of the Fidelius Charm, at least in the last 
stage of it.  Peter was probably telling Sirius and James all manner 
of lies about Lupin, raising false suspicions, doing whatever he 
could to create discord and confusion in Dumbledore's camp.  After 
all, the less Sirius and James trust Lupin, the more they might trust 
Peter.  

As a result of Peter's influence, Sirius in particular started seeing 
Peter as the more reliable friend.  Then, when they learn there is a 
spy in their ranks, Sirius jumps to the conclusion that it is Lupin 
because of Peter's influence.  (It isn't very hard to imagine Sirius 
jumping to an incorrect conclusion, is it?).  Peter didn't even have 
to ask to be the SecretKeeper; instead, Peter made Sirius think it 
was all Sirius' idea, when in fact Peter had cleverly manipulated 
Sirius into doing it.

Debbie wrote (about whether Lupin would Crack):

> Lupin's another character who may have some weaknesses.  Though I 
> think his feelings for Pettigrew will see him through any attempt 
to 
> make him crack (and he's survived enough pain as a werewolf to help 
> ward off any Cruciatus attempt), is anyone worried that he didn't 
> have the guts to tell Dumbledore what he knew?  Can he be 
blackmailed 
> into cracking or has he learned his lesson?

Boy.  More subtle character questions about Lupin.  Initially, I was 
going to say "Of course Lupin would never Crack.  What?  Are you 
kidding?  He's Tough and Cold-Blooded."

But then again, one thing a person has to have so that they won't 
Crack is loyalty.  Lupin hasn't shown me a whole lot of loyalty.  
He's only in one book, and already he has betrayed Dumbledore's trust 
many times.  Every werewolf adventure was a betrayal.  Not ratting 
out Sirius was a betrayal.  Giving Harry the Map was a mini-
betrayal.  This leads me to the conclusion that Lupin is loyal, but 
not blindly loyal like Hagrid.  In the end, Lupin will do what he 
wants when he feels like it, regardless of Dumbledore's authority.  
(Dang, I hope Pippin isn't listening to this.)

So would Lupin Crack if he thought it served his own interests, and 
to heck with Dumbledore?  I don't think I want to answer that 
question.

Cindy (who can only explain "Crack" in a Schwarzenegger Action Movie 
kind of way, so she hopes someone else will explain it better)