Lupin's personality (WAS Re: Lupin as next Headmaster)

[maria_kirilenko]

No: HPFGUIDX 78355

Sachmet wrote:

>First of all Lupin is one of my favourite characters but I think he 
>is too unfair and irresponsible to make a good headmaster. 

Maria Alena:

Hi,

Some thoughts on Remus Lupin here. BTW, to save myself some flames, 
I'll go ahead to say that I adore him and want to cook him three-
course dinners...

Margaret replied to Sachmet:
> I have to step in and say a few things here. I adore Remus Lupin, 
> and think calling him unfair or irresponsible is comepletly unfair. 

I, uh, disagree. I'm going to argue against the unfairness claim, but 
for the irresponsibility claim here. You're going to wish that he 
were unfair rather than live with the shocking revelation of what he 
really is, though. Consider yourself warned. :-)

> He is not irresponsible for forgetting his potion on that 
> particular night. How would you react in his position. 

<Here Margaret lists several points that illustrate the fact that 
Lupin was much too agitated to remember that it was full moon>

Yes, Lupin is understandably disconcerted and stressed by the sudden 
exposure of the true events of November 1st, 1981. But, consider:

`"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping 
Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too - *he's a 
werewolf!"' (Ch 17 POA)

The phrase is followed by a long discussion of Lupin's ailment.  In 
the next chapter, Lupin in great detail, and *quite calmly*, 
describes MWPP's full-moon romps in the Forbidden Forest and on 
Hogwarts grounds and the Prank. Also, he mentions Wolfsbane Potion. 
Right after that, entre Snape and says:

`"I've been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion 
tonight, so I took a gobletful along."' (Ch 19 POA)

OK, so all they do for at least a half an hour is discuss Lupin's 
lycanthropy. And not once, *not even once* did Lupin remember that 
that night – big surprise – was full moon and that it might be a good 
idea to run along to the castle and have a drink of that nice tasty 
potion. 

It has been suggested that Lupin is in denial about his illness. 
Whether it's true or not, he certainly acts irresponsibly in the 
Shrieking Shack.

Sachmet wrote:

>And he is unfair and unjust to people he doesn't like or who his 
>friends don't like <snip> He was prefect 
>but didn't do anything to stop his friends tormenting Snape <snip>

Nah, that's not unfairness. That's cowardice, nothing more, and 
nothing less. I think that part of the Second Pensieve Scene's (we SO 
need another name for it) function is to underline this particular 
aspect of Lupin's character, in case any of us missed it in POA <g>. 
BTW, Ron The Prefect's situation with the twins also serves to 
emphasize this.

(Don't feel that you have to like Lupin less because of his 
cowardice, though. To me, this trait is actually endearing. It makes 
him astonishingly human in my eyes, even though there's absolutely no 
self-identification in this scene for me at all. Anyway, the Hurt-
Comfort reaction was really kicking in. Apart from wanting to hug 
Remus and test him in Transfiguration, I felt an acute desire to 
strangle Sirius. <g> It may be just me, though.)

Aside - was JKR taking a risk in giving Lupin such an unappealing 
negative trait? There's no questioning the fact that cowardice is 
less likeable than hot-headedness, recklessness and a tendency to 
show off. It certainly increased *my* affection for Lupin, but how 
about other readers? 

Margaret continued:
> Hogwarts was the first place Remus ever had friends 
> (being a werewolf and all) he wasn't likely to risk losing them by 
> criticizing them too much. (which is not nessecarily weakness of 
> character but teenage human nature) 

Well, in his case, it turned out to be a weakness of character, since 
he chose not to risk losing Dumbledore in POA by telling him about 
the MWPP Romps.

> Remus seems like the best 
> candidate for prefect in Gryffindor.

It's possible. 

> As for not stopping Black from letting Snape's head scrape the 
> ceiling in the tunnel to the Whomping Willow, <snip> He was a 
> bit busy at the moment.

Heh. I think that Lupin didn't stop Sirius because, had he been the 
one levitating Snape, he would have done the same, and for the exact 
same reason – a petty, childish wish for revenge. 

Maria Alena, happy to see that 15-year-old Lupin had Edge as well: 

"Loved it," said Lupin briskly. "Give five signs that identify the 
werewolf. Excellent question." (OOP, Snape's Worst Memory)