TBAY: Washing dishes and powders

[Risti <pretty_feet51@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52129

Risti was the only one left in the kitchen now, save Sneeky, who was 
running in and out with various teatime supplies.  Sneeky, however, 
had learned that it was best to leave anyone fiddling with the 
appliances in that corner of the kitchen alone.

"Now that I've had a chance to look at this a little closer, I think 
I'm starting to figure it out," Risti said to herself as she 
experimented with different knobs and buttons on the MAGIC 
DISHWASHER.  Right at that moment, a box appeared next to her with a 
pop.

"What could this be?" she wondered aloud, looking at the box from 
different angles.  "PERSIL AUTOMATIC," she read off of the 
label.  "Must be one of those British things, at least I've never 
heard of it."  She flipped it over, and read the back, "The alternate 
solution to what happened in the Shrieking Shack, if Lupin was the 
agent rather then Snape
  Very interesting.  Now, I wonder
"

A strange grin came to her face as the idea popped into her head.  "I 
wonder what would happen if I put the PERSIL AUTOMATIC inside the 
MAGIC DISHWASHER and try and run it..."

She had no sooner done that then hissing and steam warned her that 
something was not right.  Then the dishwasher stopped running all 
together, gave one final and loud hiss, as a great gust of steam 
escaped out the top and forced the door of the dishwasher to open 
again, with bubbles overflowing onto the kitchen floor.

"I've broken it!" she said in horror.  "Obviously the two theories 
can't work together!"

"It works if Lupin and Snape are both agents," came a voice from the 
corner of the room.

"Who was that?  What did you say?" Risti asked sharply.  You never 
knew who you could suddenly run into in the Bay.

"It works if Lupin and Snape are both agents," said the voice again, 
with a degree of satisfaction.  

Risti marched over to the corner of the room, only to discover a 
young woman sitting there, busily writing.

"Who are you, what are you doing here, and what are you saying about 
Lupin and Snape?"

The woman looked up at her in surprise, "Uh, I'm Shauna, I don't know 
where I am, or how I got here, I was just sitting at home, working on 
a theory..."

"I'm Risti," she interrupted, catching on to what had happened, "and 
it appears that you have hypothesized your way right into Theory Bay, 
into the Safe House no less.  So what is your theory?"

"Snape and Lupin are both Secret Agents, working together in the 
Shrieking Shack."

"But that's my theory!" Risti snapped.

"Your theory?" Shauna sounded confused, "But I've written it all out 
here, on my own."  She passed the pad that she was writing on to 
Risti.

"Oh yes, that's right, I guess I hadn't actually mentioned that 
theory in a post yet," she blushed, and read down the page, "You do 
seem to have most of it worked out, although I'd change one or two 
things.  Well, I guess you'll just have to come with me."

"Come with you?  Where?" Shauna asked, sounding no less confused.

"To go see Pip, Grey Wolf, and Melody, and show them that," Risti 
told her, pointing at the broken dishwasher.

"Umm, are you sure you need me?" Shauna asked, "I mean, are my 
theories that good?"

"You bet they are, which is why I thought of them too!  Great minds 
think alike, you know.  Now let's get this hunk onto that cart over 
there, and go join them for tea."

It may have been a strange sight, two girls pushing a serving cart 
with a dishwasher on top of it into the living room of the Safehouse, 
but that didn't stop them from doing it.

"Risti," Melody was the first to speak, "What are you still doing 
here?  And who is that with you?"

"You didn't expect me to leave the Safehouse quickly after I finally 
stopped by for a visit, did you?  I've wanted to check this place out 
since my first trip to the Bay.  Besides, I thought I thought I heard 
someone mention an invitation to join you for tea.  I invited my new 
friend, Shauna, to come with me as well," Risti explained.

"What," growled Grey Wolf, "Is that?"  He was glaring at the broken 
dishwasher.

"Oh yes," Risti said, her confidence faltering slightly, "That.  
Well, I guess the quick way to say it would be that the Magic 
Dishwasher doesn't work when you put the Persil Automatic inside of 
it."

"We were just discussing that, actually," said Pip, taking a sip from 
her tea."Non agent and agent Snape with an agent Lupin are 
inconsistent with canon." 

"You raise some very valid points, but can they be explained if Lupin 
and Snape are *both* agents?" Shauna surprised herself by speaking 
out.  She looked to Risti for reassurance that she should have 
spoken, to which Risti smiled and nodded.

"We've covered that too," said Grey Wolf, putting down his 
muffin "What would a second agent be doing there anyway.  By what you 
say, Agent Lupin has already got everything in hand, while Snape only 
manages to disturb everything."

"Not so!" Risti interjected, "Shauna, I like the way that you worded 
this one."  Risti motioned for the other girl to speak again.

"The fact is that Spymaster!Dumbledore wants both minimum and a 
maximum control. On the one hand, he wants to make sure that his plan 
works out, and that nothing goes horribly wrong. So, in order to have 
a maximum of control over the situation, Dumbledore plants *two* 
spies in the situation," Shauna said, "This is important, because 
both Sirius and Peter may be dangerous, and if you take HRH out of 
the equation, you have a 1:1 agent-to-death-eater ratio. Yet aside 
from the very beginning, they each take turns controlling the 
situation. First, Lupin calms everybody down and explains while Snape 
gets to the SS and listens. Then, Snape ties and shuts Lupin up while 
he takes control of the situation. When he is knocked out, Lupin is 
released and again regains control. And when Lupin transforms, Snape 
regains consciousness."

"They're playing Good Cop, Bad Cop," Risti giggled, "JKR took a 
standard agent cliché, and added a twist for her book.  Snape was 
showing Harry how chaotic things get when you allow your desire for 
revenge to overtake your senses."

"Isn't that-"

"Yes, it is Meta-thinking.  I'll go on the record as saying that I 
love meta-thinking.  Actually, I've half composed a defense of Magic 
Dishwasher using meta-thinking a couple of times."

The Defense Trio seemed unsure of what to say to that.  Risti knew 
they were all going to get confused if they kept on like 
this.  "Look, we're basically proposing a new theory here, one that 
we think works along side MD.  why don't you let us explain it from 
the beginning?"

Taking the silence and a couple of brief nods as a go ahead, Risti 
sat down in an overstuffed chair, and pulled out a notebook.

"Let me first tell you a story.  A story that involves our favorite 
Potions Master as a brave, solitary Secret Agent for Dumbledore."

"Ooh, that's my favorite story!" said Melody.

"One day, Secret Agent Snape is on his way to give Lupin, his fellow 
teacher and enemy, his potion to stop him from turning into a 
werewolf.  He is worried, because the Potion needs to be drunk right 
away, or dire consequences await.  But wait, what is this, Lupin's 
room is empty.  He notices a map sitting on the table.  When he looks 
at it, he sees Lupin, alone, running.  Running along a path to the 
Shrieking Shack which is off the map.  Not knowing anything else 
about that evening, what does Secret Agent Snape deduce?  Lupin is 
running to go meet up with Sirius Black.  He also has Harry, Ron, and 
Hermione with him in that Shrieking Shack that is beyond the maps 
boundaries.  `I'd better go follow them,' he says to himself.  Then 
Snape puts down the Wolfsbane potion, and goes to find Lupin about to 
turn into a wolf.  Snape running to the Shrieking Shack where he will 
find werewolf Lupin.  Why does this story sound familiar
" Risti 
paused for a moment, but before anyone could question her story, she 
continued.

"So Secret Agent Snape, armed with no plans, no real idea of what's 
going on, and most importantly, no wolfsbane potion, heads out to the 
Shrieking Shack.

"No Wolfsbane potion?" Grey Wolf couldn't help but interrupt, "But 
Snape clearly says-"

"Snape clearly says that he was bringing Lupin his potion-in a goblet-
when he saw the map.  JKR just told us, however, what Snape currently 
has in his hands, "'I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow,' 
said Snape, throwing the Cloak aside, careful to keep his wand 
pointing directly at Lupin's chest."(p263, PoA, softcover).  No 
mention is ever made of Snape putting down a goblet of potion, and 
surely such a thing would be a nuisance to carry around when you have 
an invisibility cloak and a wand pointed at a possible enemy.  So 
Secret Agent Snape left the potion back in Lupin's office.  Brilliant 
plan!"

"I was wrong," said Melody, "This isn't my favorite story."

"Then, Secret Agent!Snape binds Potential Werewolf!Lupin, his first 
truly thought out move of the day.  Then he gets the kids riled up, 
so that he can fake that they knocked him out.  This gives the chance 
to free Potential Werewolf!Lupin.  Yet now, to stay undercover, he 
can do nothing.  So Secret Agent Snape listens – he can't even watch 
since his eyes are closed – as the trio deal with Potential Madman! 
Sirius, Potential Werewolf!Lupin, and then, Servant of Voldemort!
Pettigrew.  He crosses his fingers as the crucial moment of his 
brilliantly thought out mission comes when Pettigrew's life is 
threatened.  Finally, he does nothing some more until after Lupin has 
transformed into a werewolf, and the Dementors have attacked two 
people he knows are innocent – Sirius and Harry.  It's interesting 
that both times, Harry's life is in danger, Snape doesn't step in. 
His goal that night was to cause a life debt, but that life debt can 
only matter if Harry Potter is still alive, wouldn't you say so Pip?"

"Well, uh
" Pip stammered.  Risti just winked in triumph at Shauna 
and continued.

"Then, when all the action is over, Secret Agent Snape snaps up, 
collects the four key people in the plan, who are lucky enough to 
still be alive, and brings them to Dumbledore."

Before Risti could ask the MD Trio what they thought of her story, an 
owl flew in.

"Hey, isn't that Tom's owl?" asked Melody.

"Tom?" asked Pip, "Tom is the one behind the PERSIL AUTOMATIC."

"One of these days that boy is going to have to stop hiding behind 
his owl," Risti said, shaking his her head.

They all took turns reading the letter.
"He'd rather it be a DARK LADLE then PERSIL AUTOMATIC?" asked Grey 
Wolf skeptically.

"I don't get it, didn't we already argue against those points?" 
Melody asked.

Pip snorted, "He doesn't even really believe in the methods he used 
to create the theory.  No wonder there are so many holes."

"He does make one very good point, a point that if you were listening 
to Risti's story, you should have caught," said Shauna, putting the 
letter back down on the table.

"What point is that?" asked Grey Wolf.

"As it stands, MD!Snape really didn't have much of a game plan.  As 
Tom said, you've admitted that yourself.  What little plan he had 
relied heavily on luck.  That really wasn't a smart move on Spymaster!
Dumbledore's part.

"So I suppose you have a better theory too?" Pip asked with a chuckle.

"Well, now that you mention it," Risti wiggled a bit in the chair to 
make herself more comfortable, and flipped to the next page of her 
notebook.  "I do have another story, if you'd allow it."

"Will this one have pictures?" asked Melody.

"No, but you can ask questions this time," Risti offered.  Seeing 
nods around the room, she began.

"Now this story begins just a little bit earlier.  In the summer, 
Dumbledore learns of Sirius's escape, and the fact that he is 
supposed to be after Harry.  Around the same time, he's reviewing the 
very short list of potential DADA Professors.  Spymaster!Dumbledore 
realizes that Harry is going to need some extra protection this 
year.  He also knows that Harry is going to need to have someone 
around who can sympathize when he inevitably finds out the truth 
about Sirius Black's crime.  So Dumbledore decides the best plan 
would be to hire Remus Lupin in the official position of DADA 
Professor, and the unofficial position of Secret Agent."

"And just what canon is that based on?" asked Grey Wolf with a growl.

"Well, for one thing, the best protection that Lupin offers Harry is 
as a DADA Professor who isn't trying to kill him, and can actually 
teach him something about defending himself.  Lupin is someone who 
Dumbledore trusts – yes, the `Old Crowd' reference should be taken 
with a grain of salt, but I think it at least shows that.  Lupin is 
also someone who has a personal reason to protect Harry – He can 
remember what happened to James."  Risti paused to take a 
breath, "So, Secret Agent!Lupin loses no time in beginning his 
protection of Harry, his first mission is to get Harry safely from 
the Weasley's protection to Hogwarts – on the train.  Do you really 
think it was coincidence that Lupin was in the same compartment as 
the trio, when we've never even seen a teacher on the train?"

"What about Snape?" Pip asked, "you said that Snape was an agent as 
well, where does he fit in?"

"Hold on a moment, I'm getting to him.  Now, Dumbledore knows that he 
can't just go and forget about his main Secret Agent, Snape.  
However, Snape isn't too pleased when Dumbledore tells him that he's 
going to be working along side his school days enemy.  No wonder 
Harry recognized it as the special sort of loathing Snape usually 
reserved for him – It was the same look, for the same reason.  He was 
being made to work with someone who he truly did not like."

Just then Sneeky came back into the room, with a fresh pot of tea and 
some scones. 

"Raspberry tea, with a large teaspoon of honey Miss Risti?" asked 
Sneeky, bringing her a cup.

"Hmm, my favorite.  Just what I needed, too.  All this talking is 
making my throat a little hoarse."

"Well I've got something to say at this point," interjected Shauna, 
after taking a bite of a fluffy pastry.  "I don't know if I agree 
with you about that last point."

"You don't?" Risti said, surprised, "How so?"

"I don't think that Lupin and Snape really hate each other," Shauna 
said, causing the jaws of everyone else in the room to drop. "Though 
they certainly do put on a good show of it. But let's look at the 
cases of their so-called enmity. First, at the feast, Snape gives 
Lupin the type of "loathing" glare he reserves for Harry - in front 
of the entire school. The next instance we have is the Boggart scene. 
Note that it is Lupin who decides that Neville should defeat his 
Snape-Boggart by dressing him in drag. "No, no you misunderstand me," 
said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what 
sort of clothes your grandmother wears?"... "And a handbag?" prompted 
Lupin. (p.135 PoA hardcover). This, unsurprisingly, is soon the talk 
of all of Hogwarts. There are several other instances of this - and 
they are all in front of crowds. Now, there isn't any way that JKR 
can show us how they interact when no one else is there, because it's 
from Harry's point of view. So she does the next best thing - shows 
unplanned interaction, with just Harry to watch. Recall, if you 
will, "Flight of the Fat Lady" (p. 156) where Snape unexpectedly 
walks in on Harry and Lupin conversing. How do they address each 
other?  "Thanks very much, Severus." "Not at all," said Snape. Where, 
in this conversation, is their vicious enmity? Where is the anger 
that will cause Snape that very evening to accuse Lupin of aiding a 
Death Eater in front of Percy Weasley? Perhaps Snape knew that Harry 
was listening in, and was compensating?" 

"But why?" asked Pip. 

"Because I'm betting, for all Lupin was a Marauder, Snape didn't hate 
him nearly as much as he did James Potter and Sirius Black. And Lupin 
hates Sirius now, too. Given that, and the similarities of their 
situations - they're both "dark creatures", in a way, who have been 
redeemed by Dumbledore - it's not too much of a leap to suspect that 
they'd be working together. So they must seem like they hate each 
other. Otherwise Black/Pettigrew will be suspicious when together 
they control the events of the Shrieking Shack.  When Snape outed 
Lupin at the end, it's because that's what the trio would expect him 
to do." 


"Interesting point, and while I still don't agree, I think it helps 
to bring out the strength of this theory: It's flexible, It works 
whether or not Snape and Lupin are chummy, or just tolerating each 
other" said Risti, taking another sip of her tea.

"The theory may be flexible, but you still haven't told us how it 
really works yet, other than that Lupin is there as Harry's 
bodyguard," said Melody.

"Right," said Risti, draining her tea cup, "I should get on with 
that.  Now where was I? Oh yes, Snape and Lupin are working together 
from the beginning of the year.  Spymaster!Dumbledore may have 
started with the idea of extra protection for Harry, but I'm sure his 
mind didn't stop there.  He knows that Sirius is going to try and 
attack Harry, and he has to be ready for it."

"Wait a second, Sirius is going to attack Harry?  Doesn't Agent!Lupin 
know all about Pettigrew and the Secret Keeper Switch?" asked Pip.

"Well
this is an area that I'm not too sure of," said Risti slowly, 
looking over at Shauna.  "I can see the argument for both, but right 
now I'm leaning towards the idea that they didn't know until the 
night of the Shrieking Shack.  It's an area, however, that Shauna and 
I have agreed to disagree on right now."

"That's the beauty of this theory," Shauna said passionately, "It's 
flexible.  Whether or not they knew about Pettigrew, they still have 
two agents, and can plan for so many more situations."

"As they're making these plans, certain actions do start to take 
place.  When Lupin is unavailable to teach, Snape steps in, to 
strategically place some information.  In his usual manner, he checks 
to see if anyone knows anything about werewolves.  As he expects, no 
one but Hermione does.  He then continues to antagonize the class, 
knowing full well what he's doing, and assigns and assignment truly 
with the hope that *someone* will figure out who Lupin is.  A very 
specific person, actually: Hermione.  With Hermione, they can count 
on her doing any assignment, no matter how unfair it is, and deducing 
the right conclusions from that assignment.  Most importantly, they 
can count on her loyalty to the Hogwarts staff.  They know that she 
won't tell anyone, except maybe Harry and Ron, unless it is vital 
that the information comes out."

"Why does the trio need to know about werewolves anyhow?" Grey Wolf 
couldn't help but ask.

"Just in case," said Risti with a smile, "This theory is full 
of `just in case' reasoning, as any good spy plan should be.  The 
other action being taken is Harry's Dementor lessons.  Lupin is 
making sure that Harry can protect himself, because where Sirius is, 
Dementors probably aren't too far away," Risti paused for a moment, 
and appeared to be thinking.  When she finally spoke again, it was in 
a reflective tone.

"You know, I really do admire the way that you've put MAGIC 
DISHWASHER together.  It is very well thought out, and shows, 
logically, that a lot of planning went on behind the scenes on 
Dumbledore's part.  The Shrieking Shack incident, and the build up to 
that, is really the only part that was weak on planning.  All we're 
trying to do is show a way that Dumbledore, who has thought 
everything else out thoroughly, would have thought out this 
situation.  Planting information, making back up plans, it's 
scattered everywhere else in MD, why not here?"  Risti picked up her 
tea cup, and stared into the empty bottom for a moment before 
snapping her head up.

"But I'm digressing again, and we're going to be here all night if I 
don't finish up soon," Risti looked down at her notes again, flipped 
a couple of pages, and then continued.  "The next big moment comes 
when Lupin discovers that Harry has the map.  First of all, both 
Snape and Harry use their own methods to impress upon Harry just how 
dangerous the situation is for him, and hint at the protection 
surrounding him.  Incidentally, this is the scene that I think the 
strongest proof of Lupin's ability to play two roles comes in."

"What? How?" interjected Melody, frantically searching for her copy 
of the book.

"While many other characters have said lines that *could* be bending 
the truth, in this scene Lupin becomes the first to say something 
that is backed up in canon as being bent specifically to keep Harry 
from knowing things he shouldn't know.  When Harry asks him if he 
knows the mapmakers, Lupin answers him `we've met'(p212, PoA 
softcover).  This is technically not true, since Lupin *is* one of 
the mapmakers.  Now turn a few pages with me, until you reach the 
morning of the Quidditch final.  Lupin is in possession of the map, 
and this is where things start to get interesting.  On page 224
(softcover), Harry sees Sirius in Animagus form on the grounds.  If 
Lupin is looking at the map at this point, which Secret Agent!Lupin 
should be doing, then he'd see that Sirius Black approached the 
Whomping Willow."

"Aha!" cried Pip in jubilation, "If Lupin is a Secret Agent, then why 
didn't he go and capture Sirius then and there?"

Risti looked at Pip blankly. "You came up with MD, right?"  Pip 
nodded.  "What's the whole purpose behind this year."  Pip's face 
looked confused for a moment as she thought about what Risti said, 
and then it dawned on her.

"Oh, right.  Dumbledore wants Harry to get the life debt."

"Exactly, so now, or whenever Lupin sees Sirius on the map, since 
he's bound to at some point if he doesn't see him then, he's tracking 
him, making sure he doesn't get to close to Harry.  I think that this 
point would be the absolute latest that Lupin would allow himself to 
keep the secret of Sirius being an animagus.  Lupin would realize 
that Sirius was heading to the Shrieking Shack, and would have to 
explain to Dumbledore, if he didn't already know, exactly *how* 
Sirius came to know of the Shrieking Shack.  The map hasn't finished 
giving away its secrets yet, though."

"It hasn't?" Grey Wolf asked.

"No, it hasn't," Risti said with a grin, flipping to the next page of 
her notebook.  "You see, I propose that the evening of the Shrieking 
Shack incident, Lupin noticed something very strange on the map.  
There were *two* Harry's and *two* Hermione's.  This is the answer to 
my personal biggest problem with MD as it stands, a little thing that 
I like to call the randomness factor.  Snape on his own had no idea 
when or where Sirius, or Pettigrew, would attack.  Remember what I 
pointed out earlier.  If Snape saw the map only after Lupin had left, 
the only person he'd see on it is Lupin, since the Shrieking Shack is 
off the edge of the map.  But Lupin having the map solves 
everything.  Most people have wondered why Snape or Lupin didn't 
notice two sets of Harry and Hermione.  The answer is, they did 
notice, that's what tipped them off that something happened that 
night.  Remember, Harry and Hermione went back to before Buckbeak's 
Appeal.  If Lupin noticed them right away, that actually gives them 
quite a bit of time before Lupin actually enters the scene.  During 
this time, Snape either comes in with the Wolfsbane potion, or Lupin 
summons them.  I also think that they might have notified Dumbledore, 
although I can't find a time for them to have done that."  Risti 
paused for a moment to refill her tea cup.  "Shauna, why don't you 
explain the wolfsbane part."

"You know," said Shauna slowly, tugging on a lock of her hair, "if 
there was only one argument I could give for our theory, it's the 
wolfsbane potion."

"Why?" asked Melody. 

"Listen, there are four different possible combinations of agents. 
You have what non-MD people believe - regular!Lupin and regular!
Snape, you have your version of MD, regular!Lupin and agent!Snape, 
you have Tom's version, agent!Lupin and regular!Snape, and you have 
what Risti and I are saying - that they're both agents." Shauna held 
up her index finger. "Combination one. Non-MD. I'll be brief here, 
because I know none of us believe it. In it, you're supposing a Lupin 
so thickheaded that even after a very vehement Snape reminds him he's 
going to transform that night, he stills handcuffs himself to a 
prisoner and an injured boy. You're also supposing that Snape is 
telling the truth. He realized that Lupin had forgotten to take his 
potion and was bounding out the passageway. So he follows him. 
Leaving aside the dangers of doing so, why doesn't he take along some 
of the potion?" 

Everyone nodded. This they could agree on. 

"Okay, then there's your version," Shauna continued. "This one has 
just as many problems. How can Snape count on Lupin forgetting to 
take the potion, which is vital both for Snape's having a reason to 
enter the Shack, and to Pettigrew's escape?" Risti nodded 
enthusiastically. The others scowled. Shauna raised a third 
finger. "Third - Tom's version. There is no way that Agent Lupin (or 
Spymaster Dumbledore) would take the risk of skipping his Wolfsbane 
potion when there is a much simpler way around it - to take it and 
pretend that he hadn't. Wolfsbane rids the werewolf only of his 
dementia, not the transformation itself. He can fake it. Why endanger 
everyone if he doesn't have to? If he truly didn't want Snape there 
that night, all he would have had to do is take it and tell 
Pettigrew, Black, and the Trio that he hadn't. And there's no way 
that Agent Lupin *actually* forgot. I mean, that's one hell of a 
mistake.  If he did, no wonder Dumbledore accepted his resignation!" 

"But then," Risti cut in proudly, "you have our version." Shauna 
grinned.  "Snape brings Lupin the potion, and Lupin shows Snape the 
map, complete with two sets of Harry and Hermione.  They start to 
discuss various plan options from what has been thought of throughout 
the year, while Lupin is drinking his potion in the time of 
Buckbeak's appeal.  They finally set out a plan.  Lupin follows the 
trio when Sirius shows up, scopes out the situation, and fills Harry 
in on any background details he may not know.  Then Snape comes in 
and plays bad cop, to show Harry how stupid it can be to take a 
desire for revenge too far.  Then Snape slips to the background, 
where he will be ready to step in if the danger ever becomes too 
much. While he's there for backup, Lupin threatens Sirius's life.  
Here they have two options.  If Harry doesn't step in and stop him, 
Lupin will kill Sirius, just payment for all he''s done.  I believe 
that Lupin had a desire to kill the man who had betrayed the trust of 
friendship, and killed his best friend.  If Harry saves Sirius, then 
the plan is to bring Sirius back to the castle, chained to Lupin. 
When Lupin transforms, they know Sirius will transform as well.  
Lupin will use his form to chase Sirius far enough away from the 
castle that he can escape.  Snape will wake up at this point and 
bring the trio safely into the castle."

"And where is Pettigrew in this brilliantly thought out plan?" Pip 
asked, now learning forward as if to pounce.

"Ahh, but even the most brilliantly laid plans must sometimes be laid 
aside.  When Lupin and Snape spotted Pettigrew on the map along with 
Sirius, they knew that something wasn't right.  They didn't have time 
to come up with too many other plans, however, and decided that 
they'd probably have to wing it off of the plan that they'd already 
come up with.  So Lupin ran to follow the trio, along with Sirius 
Black, into the Shrieking Shack.

"Wouldn't a Mr. Calm and Cool agent Lupin be ready for this?" asked 
Melody, " This is what is he is trained and ready to do. He should 
have entered calmly but 
decidedly to bring the situation to a calm hand. He busted into the 
room with sparks flying. Seems he is a bit too excited or a bit too 
afraid."

"Except that until Lupin gets into the Shrieking Shack, events are 
being played out by themselves," interjected Shauna quickly, "No 
agents, just a traitor, a possibly deranged person, and three kids. 
Also, when Lupin leaves the Map for Snape, he's without it for 
several minutes. He doesn't know what's going on. He's *worried*. 
Once he gets inside, sees that Sirius is apparently sane, and that 
Peter has not yet transformed, he's able to go back to his calm, 
collected self."


Pip stirred her tea quietly and spoke up, "My problem is that Sirius 
innocence is NOT obvious just because Peter survived. Not for a 
spymaster."

"You're right, Pip," Grey Wolf nodded. "Lupin should have been more 
careful."

"He has much evidence against Black," Melody chimed in. "But he goes 
in and hugs him."

"But Lupin doesn't just go in and hug Black," said Risti, getting 
back on track.  "After assessing the room, and crying Expelliarmus 
(which, incidentally, would have reminded Harry of that spell as a 
possibility for upcoming events), he asks Sirius `Where is he?"(pg 
252, softcover).  He's testing Sirius to see if he even knows about 
Pettigrew, which Sirius shows that he does.  Then Lupin thinks for a 
moment, partially out loud for our benefit, and finally reaches the 
conclusion that they switched Secret Keepers."

"A good spy wouldn't just be able to make the decision that Sirius is 
innocent because Pettigrew is still alive," said Grey Wolf.

"No, but a good friend, who has always wanted to believe despite the 
odds that his close friend wasn't really an evil turncoat would take 
this bit of evidence the way that we take a piece of canon that 
suddenly allows for our entire pet theory to work.  Proof of what 
we've always known, deep inside.  From here, as I said earlier, Snape 
and Lupin play good cop, bad cop to show Harry the friendship between 
Lupin, Pettigrew, Sirius, and James, and just what can happen when 
you let a desire for revenge take over your life.  Incidentally, 
that's one of the key themes in PoA, infact-"

Grey Wolf cleared his throat, and Risti realized where here rambling 
was leading her.

"Oh, right.  Meta-thinking.  Sorry.  Couldn't help it you know.  So 
Snape fakes being knocked out, and continues to keep an ear out to be 
ready to pounce if needed, and Lupin adjusts the plan from Sirius to 
Pettigrew.  Again, he has two possible options.  Hopefully, Harry 
steps in and creates the life debt, but if not, or if Sirius refuses 
to listen to Harry, then at least they have gotten rid of a servant 
of Voldemort, and the person who caused James and Lily to be killed.  
Then, it is time for the escape.  Lupin can't really deny Ron's 
request to be chained to Pettigrew, and he knows that once he 
transforms, he won't be a danger to Ron.  The plan doesn't really 
need much altering at this point.  This time, when Lupin transforms, 
both Sirius and Pettigrew need to escape.  It almost works, but Lupin 
forgot about one thing.  Sirius wouldn't know that Lupin wasn't 
dangerous, and, being innocent, would want to protect Harry rather 
then run for his freedom.  Then those Dementors come into the 
picture."

"So why doesn't Agent Snape intervene at this ponit?  Isn't that what 
he's there for, back up?" asked Melody.

"We know that the power of Dementors is dependent on just how bad 
your worst memories are.  How much power do you think they'd have 
over Snape?"

"Oh," said Melody softly, "good point."

"Besides, Lupin has trained Harry for just this moment.  He knows 
that Harry knows how to fight a dementor, and he knows that at this 
point, there are probably *two* Harry's running around, one of whom 
is probably there to fix up the messes that were left behind.  Snape 
does step in as soon as he is able, and brings the trio safely back 
to Dumbledore."

With that, Risti closed her notebook.

"That's it?" Pip exclaimed, "You just end your theory there?"

"We end our variance there.  After that, MD stands perfectly well on 
it's own," Risti said, finishing off her second cup of tea which was 
now only lukewarm.

"Do you at least have a name for it?" Grey Wolf asked incredulously.

"Oh yes, nearly forgot about that one," Risti said, looking down at 
the front of her notebook.  "You see, while PERSIL AUTOMATIC just 
doesn't work with a MAGIC DISHWASHER, we think we've created 
something that does."  Risti got up, and put her empty teacup into 
the MAGIC DISHWASHER, pulled a box of detergent out of her robes, put 
some in the dishwasher, and started it.  A quiet hum indicated that 
it was running smoothly.  With that, she showed the front of the box 
to the room.

"SUNLIGHT ULTRA: Snape Undercover Needs Lupin In Getting Harry To 
Give Lifedebt To Restrict Adversary," she read out loud for 
them.  "All the MAGIC DISHWASHER needed to run smoothly was the right 
detergent."





-----
Written by Risti with alot of help from Shauna.  Quotes from messages 
51925 and 51926 were used.  The letter that Tom's owl delivered is 
message 51990. Stay tuned for the theory's non-TBAY manifesto which 
should be coming soon from Shauna.  Sorry about the delay in 
responding and thanks for the tea.  Maybe now I can get back to the 
other discussions I've been ignoring for the last 72 hours because of 
this post.