Fudge's version of the Sirius/Peter encounter

[siriusgeologist]

No: HPFGUIDX 32762

Oh my I'm actually posting on the main list! It's been a verra verra 
long time...but then this is a sirius question <vbg>

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "dicentra_spectabilis_alba" <bonnie at n...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Liz Sager" <ChaserChick at h...> wrote:
> > 
> > >"dicentra_spectabilis_alba" wrote:
> > >In PA, Fudge says that when he arrived on the scene, shortly 
after the
> > >blast that "killed" Pettigrew, Sirius was laughing.
> > >
> > >Is this an embellishment of Fudge's or was Sirius laughing (or
> > >something similar) and Fudge misinterpreted what he saw?
> > 
> > Fudge seems to be the type of man that would embellish that kind 
of
> thing, 
> > whether it was for motives or other things. OTOH, Sirius might 
have
> been 
> > really laughing, though I fail to find the humor in the 
situation. I
> guess 
> > you had to be there and not die :P

I don't think Fudge was embellishing at all in this instance.  What 
could he do but laugh.  Note that he laughed hysterically.  Imagine 
you are Sirius.  You know who betrayed James and Lily, but you also 
know that you will be blamed since no one else knew of the secret 
keeper switch.  You feel incredibly guilty because it was your stupid 
idea that sent your best friends into the hands of V.  And here's 
your chance to make it right.  But before you can act, Peter casts 
the spell and vanishes leaving you holding the bag for not only the 
12 muggle deaths + his own but also for James and Lily's death as 
well. Sirius saw Peter disappear down the crater with the rest of the 
rats.  He knew how it would look.  He knew what was about to happen 
to him and what he faced (and no doubt felt he deserved it at that)

So what do you do in that case where a surge of emotion catches up to 
you and your world just crumbles around you...you have a break down 
and either go catatonic or begin to laugh hysterically.  I see it as 
quite a true emotion of desperation for his situation.

> 
> Which brings up another point: how did Sirius survive a blast at 
close
> range that killed 12 muggles who were, presumably, farther away from
> ground zero than he was?  Natural wizard durability?
> 
> It's also possible that Sirius, believing that Rat Pettigrew had
> accidentally blown himself up, was laughing at the irony of it all.

No he saw Pettigrew transform into the rat and slither on down into 
the crater.

As to how he survived (Penny and I wote a bit about this in our 
fanfic...so we've thought it all out)  IMHO and this is just 
speculation and theory on my part...but..It states that Peter was 
facing Sirius and had his wand behind his back.  I think the spell 
that was cast was cast from behind Peters back and therefore directed 
away from Sirius.  The energy would be directed out towards the 
street...otherwise Peter would also be killed in the explosion.

I don't think Peter wanted Sirius dead.  It would be too easy for the 
Ministry to turn it's investigative eye to Peter.  He wanted to fake 
his death and blame Sirius for it and J/L  this meant he needed 
Sirius alive. 

carole