[HPforGrownups] Black vs. Pettigrew: Why was Black Laughing?

[millergal8 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 44238

In a message dated 9/19/02 5:11:28 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
rlundgren at gov.mb.ca writes:

<< It was hysterical laughter, desperate >>

  Black was completely hysterical at that point.  Think of all the stress he 
is under and the emotional rollercoaster he has just been subjected too.  
Lots of people laugh when it is completely inappropriate to do such.  I have 
been at funerals where people start to laugh.  You can only take so much 
before your brain realizes it must release some of the emotion or it will 
just shut down.  This can come out in many ways, laughter being one of them.  
Sirius' laughter wasn't at all out of context to me.  Look at his situation:  
Two of his best friends have been murdered.  He has been denied the right to 
care for his godson, he feels responsible because -he- convinced the Potters 
to go with Peter as the secret keeper.  He has just been outsmarted by 
someone he considered inferior, and now he knows he has no proof.  He knows 
where he's going (Azkaban), and knows it isn't going to be a walk in the 
park.  All in all, I think he shows remarkable strength at that point.  By 
that time, I think most of us would simply shut down.  Thats a lot to handle 
in only about 2 days.  

Christy