Lupin's Edge/Twins' Edge? (was Why Suspect Lupin?)

[moongirlk]

No: HPFGUIDX 35423

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "ssk7882" <theennead at a...> wrote:
> Cindy wrote:
> 
> > 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.
> 
> <crossly>
> 
> Well, *I* most certainly can't.  Lupin is not a screw-up, and he 
> isn't 'too perfect,' and he is most certainly *not* boring!
> 
> Hmmph.  Who says such things?

I don't know who, but maybe there are some hanging out in the 
dungeons with Snape.  Let's go suss out their insecurities and use 
them against them!  Nevermind (sigh), I may find Edge hot, but I 
don't think I've actually got any.  
  
Cindy:
> > What we have here is a sneak attack. I can't really deny that 
Lupin 
> > has Edge. 
> 
Elkins
> 'Sneak attack?'  But Edge is *good,* Cindy.  Edge is really really 
> *good.*  Edge is...

Sexy?  Intriguing?  Powerful?  Yes, the more I've thought about it, 
the more I think Edge definitely is Good.

Cindy worried:
> > 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. 
> 

Elkins replied lazily:
 
> Nah, I'm pretty sure Lupin's slated for heroic death.  It will be 
> very sad and noble, and we will all cry.

See, now I'm pretty sure Elkins has Edge (as she's just hit on one of 
my worst fears and has me frantic) and all the more sure that I 
don't, as I can't think about it in such an off-hand manner.  WHY oh 
why must my Lupin die?  Couldn't we kill off Sinistra and Vector?  
See - I'm offering two for the price of one!  I'd be sad, but at 
least I wouldn't have to call off work to have a memorial service in 
my jammies and write a eulogy to read to all the dust bunnies who 
will be in attendance.
 
> Eileen wrote:
> 
> > "'They call it the Dementor's Kiss,' said Lupin, with a slightly 
> > twisted smile."
> 
> > And at that moment, I was crying, "Harry! Harry! It's Sirius 
Black! 
> > When will you realize?" "Slightly twisted." That is awful. 

As for this, I never once thought Lupin was Sirius Black.  Thought 
never entered my mind.  I was too busy doing a happy dance that the 
kids got a new teacher that fulfilled my need for a yummy grownup 
male in the story and "whew"-ing that surely *this* DADA teacher 
wouldn't end up a baddie because he carried chocolate!  Bad people 
don't give you chocolate, right?  Right?  

And then Elkins soothed my fears about the gradual Edge epiphany I've 
been undergoing:
 
> Kimberley wrote:
> 
> > I tried and I tried to get caught up before commenting on this 
> > thread, but I'm all in this dark, sexy place Lupin-wise now, and 
I 
> > just can't wait.
> 
> Hi, Kimberley!  I remember that you leapt to my defense 'way back
> when I was claiming Lupin's dialogue in Shrieking Shack as mildly
> sadistic.  I always meant to continue with that thread, but it sort
> of fell by the wayside, so a belated thanks.

Of course!  Any time I can bask in the glow of Lupin's (mostly) self-
control, I'm there, and now I owe you for pointing out exactly why 
that is!

Thank you for the reassurance:
 
> No, no, no!  Not sick and twisted!  Not at all!
> 
> Of course it's sexy.  I mean, if someone has the insight to know how
> to really hurt you, then you've gotta figure they've got the insight
> to know how to really *please* you as well, right?
> 
> And besides, "could really hurt me...but never would."  That's sort 
> of the entire underlying dynamic of intimacy right there in a 
> nutshell, isn't it?
> 
> Relax.  You're normal.  
> 
Yay!  I'm normal!  AND I get to enjoy the Shack scene without feeling 
like a heel.  This is great!  I love Edge!  Ahh, that feels so 
liberating.

And since I'm feeling all liberated... I thought maybe I'd try to 
bring you around a little on the subject of Fred and George, if I may.

You wrote, among other things:

>Their constant attacks on Percy, though...well, there's malice 
>there. There's definitely malice there, and more than a shade of 
>harrassment, as well. But it's nice that even within their treatment 
>of Percy, we see a wide range. When they manhandle him into his 
>Weasley jumper and insist that he spend Christmas with them because 
>they're "family," their behavior is certainly bullying, and I'm 
>sure that it was very annoying to Percy -- but I'm equally sure that 
>it made him feel loved. Unlike, say, their unceasing attacks on his 
>badges, which I don't think made him feel in the least bit 
>appreciated or valued.

I kinda think that this, like the example you mentioned with Ginny, 
is not about malice, but about an attempt to "cheer" him up, although 
in another sense of the word.  Percy's wound up tight, and takes 
everything (including himself) very seriously.  From the beginning 
I've gotten the impression that he's not a particularly happy guy.  
Other than the joyful relief he expresses when Ron ends up not dead 
in the lake, the most pleasant emotion I can think of him having 
shown is satisfaction in re: his accomplishments.  While that's great 
and all, what will happen on the occasions when he fails if the only 
happiness he gets is from success?  I get the impression that the 
twins' teasing is just an ill-advised attempt at getting him to 
lighten up.  I think Fred and George are trying (in the way that is 
their specialty) to teach him to laugh at himself.  Obviously it 
backfires and instead he just gets mad, but I think they feel like 
even that is better than distance and impatience, which is what he 
usually displays toward the twins and Ron.  It's obvious they love 
their brother, or they wouldn't bother forcing him to spend Christmas 
with them, so I don't think the rest of the teasing is malicious.  I 
think it's like you said, sometimes practial jokes and teasing 
backfire, and they haven't yet learned to apologize and try a 
different tack.

Now, for the harder bit to explain, you also mentioned:

>I still say that the Hissing of Malcolm Baddock was a DEAD GIVEAWAY, 
>they showed their true natures there, all right, oh yes, indeedy

Hmmm... the hissing.  That's a hard one.  They were probably hissing 
at Slytherin, not really the kid himself, and I doubt they even 
considered that he might hear them.  I don't think they were being 
intentionally malicious toward the little guy.  That probably doesn't 
make you feel any better, but it's the best I can do for the moment - 
I'll keep thinking about it.  I looked for Baddock in PS/SS and had 
no luck, I'll have to check in GoF.  Maybe I can come up with 
something that would make you feel better about that bit.

So basically what I'm saying is that Fred and George are sort of  
thoughtless, but I think they mean well.  Judging from the way they 
zoom in on Percy's sore points, they do have the insight, so when 
they grow up enough to realize how they push people's buttons maybe 
they'll develop the kind of strenght and control that will make them 
characters with Edge too.  After all, with the war on and practically 
everyone predicting a Weasley will die (please no!), they're bound to 
be doing a lot of growing up soon.  

I think maybe I'm still too distracted by Lupin's Edge to do this 
properly, but that's it for now.

kimberly
lover of Weasleys big and small