HPFGU Digest Number 1843

[midgiecat at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 38535

Subject: The Prank  from katherine [ booklovinggirl" <katgirl at lava.net> ]

Quote Penny:

< We've no idea what Snape did to 
incite Sirius to pull the Prank; I don't think I'm alone in supposing 
it is most unlikely that Sirius did it for no reason at all.>

Quote Katherine:
< I must confess to taking a view akin to no reason. I believe that 
Sirius was having a bad day and Snape asking about and likely 
insulting Remus didn't do anything to help. So during they're third 
class together, Sirius turns around and says, "Well, why don't you 
find out for yourself, Snape?" and proceeds to give him directions 
into the Willow.  >
<snip>

< why didn't he consider Remus? <snip>  Sirius used Remus to get 
Snape, and even if he just did it out of frustration, after he cooled 
down he should have gotten Snape if only for Remus's sake. Suppose 
Snape HAD been killed? What would that have done to Remus?

So, in conclusion, I have to agree with Penny. There is more to the 
Prank that has been portrayed so far. >

I don't know if there is more to the prank than we have been told, but I 
don't think it's fair to Sirius to say he didn't give a thought to the 
repercussions for Remus.  I believe he thought that either Snape would not 
follow them through the tunnel - he isn't the bravest character in the 
series, after all -  OR  - when Snape arrived at the Shrieking Shack he would 
have found a full grown wolf and two other very large animals and  faint dead 
away.  Then one animagi would have to get Snape out of the tunnel while the 
other restrained the werewolf. 

Remember that during their years together at Hogwarts, since they became 
aware of Remus' secret,  that have had the worry that someone else would 
discover what happened at every full moon and cause Remus to be expelled from 
Hogwarts, or that Dumbledore would find out that they had evolved into 
unregistered animagi. { I, personally, don't think that would have been so 
bad, in fact, I think Dumbledore would have been proud of them for taking the 
initiative and trying to protect Remus each month).   Snape, according to the 
book, had been following them around, or watching from a distance and noting 
furtive activities - and being a smart wizard, was probably going to draw his 
own conclusions pretty soon. 

I believe it was in a fit of impatience that Sirius told him about the tree, 
but I wonder if he thought that Snape would run to the Headmaster to report 
what he saw - requiring Dumbledore to  perform a memory charm on him, which 
would make life a bit better for the group, but also relieve their anxiety 
about Dumbledore's discovery of their animagic powers. 

Brenda



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