TAGS and moonlight (was T.A.G.S. re-opens for 2002 with another long acronym

[ftah3]

No: HPFGUIDX 32725

Tabouli wrote:
> R.O.T.T.W.E.I.L.E.R.O.F.S.W.I.T.C.H. (Remus Only Truly Transforms 
When Experiencing Intense Lunar Exposure, Rendering Our Friend Safe 
When It's Totally Cloudy at Hogwarts)<

You know, I don't know if I'm on board with the direct moonlight 
theory (I do sort of think that bit is a consistency flub), but there 
is something greatly appealing in the thought of being a 
rottweiler....  Grrrrr, woof!

By the way, I'm going to take a stab at explaining the 
moonlight/transformation thing.  (Yes!  Another theory!  A crackpot 
one, too!)

Do we have any concept at all as to what time it was when Lupin 
transformed?  I was thinking about the fact that he ran out of the 
school having forgotten to take his potion ~ I mean, with werewolvery 
being such a huge part of his life, I just don't see him, on the 
night of the full moon, both forgetting to take the potion *and* 
running out and putting others in danger of his transforming, you 
know?

But what if he thought he had time?  It was the full moon that night; 
he hadn't taken his potion; he had the map on his desk (which is how 
he saw Pettigrew et al).  

What If: he knew it was the full moon that night, and was going to go 
get his potion from Snape.  However, he knew the kids might sneak off 
re the Buckbeak thing.  He glances at the clock.  It's evening, but 
on the first night of the full moon the transformation does not occur 
until (to pick a common 'witching hour') midnight.  So he has time to 
check the map, make sure Harry & Co. are either safe in their 
dormitory, or else to go collect them from wherever they've snuck off 
to ~ and still get back, take his potion and curl up under his desk.  

He checks the map.  Cue dramatic music: egad, there's Sirius! Near 
the kids! And ~ can it be?  It can't! But the map doesn't lie! ~ 
Peter Pettigrew!  Alive?  How??

Things are a-clickin' in Lupin's mind.  The kids are in danger; if 
Peter is alive, then Sirius didn't kill him; if Sirius didn't kill 
Peter, could it be that he didn't betray the Potters; he has to get 
out there at once!  In the excitement of the moment, he still has at 
the back of his mind the full moon, but also the disarming 
thought "*I still have time*."  Running out now without taking his 
potion will be cutting things close, but his split-second decision is 
that he must.

So out he runs...events happen...things get out of hand...and when 
they leave the tunnel under the Whomping Willow, it's not the fact 
that the moon breaks through that causes Lupin to change.  The 
appearance of the moon is simply what alerts Sirius to the reason 
behind Lupin's sudden change in attitude.  The cause of the change is 
simply that Lupin's time has run out.  Midnight of the first full 
moon is at hand.

Maybe?  It's a theory.  And, now I think of it, maybe someone has put 
it forth before; sorry, if that's the case!  I'm thinking it will be 
easily debunked by you very intelligent people, at any rate.  :-P  

On the other hand, it explains, to me, four things that have bothered 
me:

1.  Why did he forget to take his potion, when it's so critical?  (He 
didn't; he just put it off, because he thought he would have time to 
get to it later.)

2.  Why did he run out of the relative security of his office on the 
night of his transformation?  (Again, he thought he had time to get 
back to the potion/his office before he transformed.)

3.  Why did he not transform until that one particular moment, when 
it *seems* clear that the moon has been up for a while?  (Because it 
isn't just the appearance of the moon, but the 'witching hour' on the 
first night of the full moon that dicates his transformation.)

4.  Why did he berate himself and consent to leave Hogwarts, when 
he'd only made the one mistake, and knew that so long as he stuck to 
the potion he would be harmless in the future?  (Because it wasn't 
just that he'd put innocents in danger by forgetfulness; it was 
because he'd made a conscious choice to take a risk, and in doing so 
he realized that he'd taken his dangerous condition for granted.  He 
didn't forget his potion, he forgot to keep in mind how dangerous he 
was.  Which is almost scarier. Er, you know?)

Anyhoo.  Just a thought.

Mahoney