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

[Ev vy]

No: HPFGUIDX 78427

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sjlupin" <sandyluppino at c...> 
<SNIP>
> And when I reread the Shrieking Shack scene and 
> heard him admit in what I picture as a pained voice and expression 
> that he had been cowardly and wrong, it was even more affective to 
> me. No one is perfect. Not a single human on the face of the 
planet. 
> I do feel like as an adult Remus understands his faults and tries 
to 
> come to terms with them, which is more than I can say for alot of 
the 
> adult humans I know! :)
> 
> sjlupin

*delurking*

Frankly, I disagree with the opinion that anything that Lupin did 
was done out of cowardice. I think that what motivated him (and 
still does) is his self-preservation and also a very strong sense of 
pragmatism. He's very well aware of his shortcomings, i.e. 
irresponsibility, sheer stupidity, inaction. And he's also well 
aware that given his knowledge as an adult, he would have reacted 
differently. Or maybe not.

In 'Snape's Worst Memory' we see Lupin's inaction. He doesn't use 
his Prefect privileges to stop his friends from bullying Snape. Is 
he a coward? I don't think so. Neither in PoA, nor in OotP Lupin 
struck me as a coward. Quite the contrary, Lupin exudes authority in 
both books. He has this quiet, strong manner that allows him to take 
over the control over the situation.

Naturally, as an adult he can see the cruelty of those events. What 
thay'd done to Snape was really unforgivable, and he might regret 
that he didn't stop it in time. But I wouldn't say he was afraid to 
act. Think of Ron. Ron doesn't act against his brothers, although he 
has the authority. Would you call him a coward? I wouldn't. I think 
both Lupin and Ron share a very strong sense of loyalty. Lupin is 
very loyal to his friends, so he simply won't go against them. As 
Ron won't go against his family.

I'm sure that a counter-argument to this would be Neville's 
behaviour in SS/PS. The problem is that Neville isn't really the 
Trio's friend. Neville feels loyal to Gryffindor, but not to the 
Trio. Whereas Lupin formed a much stronger bond with the remaining 
three Marauders to be concerned solely about them.

As for regretting what they did to Snape. Lupin certainly feels that 
the humiliation was something they could've spared Snape. And he 
might regret his decisions, but even with his current knowledge, if 
it were to happen again, it would happen exactly the same, or with 
little alteration. Lupin feels the wrongness of his actions, he 
regrets that Sirius put Snape in danger in the Shrieking Shack, he 
understand that Snape's hate runs deeply. But I don't think he's 
repentant of he or his friends did.

Why? One, too many fond memories are connected with that period, and 
actually admitting that they were wrong would undermine the 
importance of those memories. Two, Lupin provokes Snape in PoA. The 
Boggart incident is nothing else than taunting. Three, when Harry 
asks about Snape's memory, Lupin says that he didn't have guts to go 
against his friends. In the Shrieking Shack he explains that he was 
afraid to tell Dumbledore about Sirius being an Animagus.

Yes, start shouting at me, Lupin was a coward. I'll tell you, I 
think not. It's simply a very handy explanation. It's much easier to 
say 'I was a coward' than to say 'I wanted to see my old friend 
again' (Lupin very easily accepts Sirius's truth in PoA) or 'I 
really didn't care about Snape, I cared about my friends'. As I 
said, Lupin is a pragmatist. Not a coward, but someone who labelled 
himself as one.

As I read Lupin (and it's only my very own pragmatic and very 
cynical interpretation), I think he's even more human as a self-
preserving pragmatist, than as a coward. A coward would be 
ultimately unable to stand against anything or anyone (vide 
Pettigrew). A pragmatist would take a calculated risk. Especially if 
he formed a strong bond with someone.

I don't know how many of you remember Highlander The Series. But 
Lupin resembles the character of Methos very much. And I'd call 
neither of them a coward.

Ev vy
*back to lurking*

PS As for Lupin being a Headmaster, I think that he prefers life in 
a shadow rather than in a spotlight. Although, I think he possesses 
the natural power that Dumbledore has. Only to a lesser degree.