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

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 78464

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jwcpgh" <jwcpgh at y...> wrote:
> Laura:
>
> We should distinguish between what Remus (this applies to James and
> Sirius and even Snape as well) was as a teenager and what hebecame 
as
> an adult.  Remus may have been on the spineless side at school (at
> least toward J&S) but as an adult, he seems to me to carry a lot of
> moral authority.  He never hesitates to stand up to adult!Sirius 
and
> he can keep such volatile personalities as Mad-eye, Tonks and Molly
> in line.

Well, it was the adult Remus who kept quiet about Sirius' Animagus
abilities and knowledge of the secret tunnels into Hogwarts because 
he was unwilling to lose Dumbledore's regard by revealing his 
youthful indiscretions.  I suspect that his current ability to keep 
the people around him in line comes not so much from increased moral 
authority as from increased facility for judging how far he can 
afford to go, and which buttons he needs to push.  I think the adult 
Remus is a rather manipulative man, actually.  Not from any 
malicious motive, but from the same defensiveness and need for 
acceptance that motivated him as a boy. Young Remus protected 
himself by not provoking reactions from other people.  Older Remus 
protects himself by controlling the reactions he provokes.

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com