TBAY: SUNLIGHT ULTRA - remixed (was Re: TBAY: SUNLIGHT in the Garden )

[Shauna <wind3213@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52967

Shauna was enjoying her stay at the Safe House.  She often 
hung about while others argued, her shyness allowing her to 
literally fade into the background.  It was a pleasant life.  Plus, 
there was a lot of tea.

Yet more and more she found herself wandering, discontented, 
back to the MAGIC DISHWASHER.

On this particular day she was alone by the dishwasher.  Pulling 
a rag out of her pocket, she began to polish the sleek surface.  
She hummed while she cleaned, studiously trying to ignore the 
big box of SUNLIGHT ULTRA on the shelf above her.  Finally, 
when the dishwasher glistened and sparkled, Shauna gave into 
the temptation she'd been feeling for days.  She grabbed the box 
of Sunlight Ultra and tore it open.

"Hmmm," she said, sniffing it.  "It seems - off, somehow.  It 
needs to be refined.  But Risti's not here.  And Grey Wolf would 
get mad if I messed something up and when anyone used it, it 
made the dishwasher go kaplooey.  And Melody - might bring out 
that awful sword - "

But Shauna was nothing if not brave.  Well, that wasn't true - she 
was shy, if not brave.  And a perfectionist, if not brave.  In fact, she 
was a lot of things, if not brave, and not the least of these things 
was a scientist.  She even had a Kiddie Kemist Kit from when 
she was little.

'That's it,' Shauna decided.  'I am going to fix this detergent.'

A little bit of wishful thinking later, she had a worn old box full of 
dangerous chemicals and dirty glass containers sitting in front of 
her.  Shauna sighed happily and began to pour out the detergent 
-

"What's all this?" came a voice from behind her.

"I'm - well, I'm - " stuttered Shauna.  "I'm trying to fix Sunlight 
Ultra..."

The person whom the voice belonged to stepped into the room.  
"Why?"  It was Pip.

"Well, er - I'm very grateful that you like it, but I'm rather a 
perfectionist.  I thought maybe I could use a little bit of canon, 
some logic, and this old used chemistry set to make it work 
better with the dishwasher."

"Shauna."  Pip said her name very slowly, very gently, as if talking 
to a rather dumb child.  "Please, tell me, what is Harry Potter 
about?"

"Is this a trick question?" asked Shauna.

"Magic," answered Pip, still being patient.  "And what's the magic 
version of chemistry?"

"Er - " Shauna frowned.  "Alchemy?  Potions?"

"Right on both counts," Pip replied.  "So what are you doing with 
a Muggle science set?"

"Oh," replied Shauna eloquently.

"Yes, 'oh'."  With a wave of Pip's hand, the science set 
disappeared to the nether realms of the imagination from which 
it had come.  Then, Pip wiggled her eyebrows in 
concentration, and a gleaming table appeared, on top of which 
was a big black cauldron (with a doubly thick bottom bearing a 
stamp of Percy Weasley's approval) and several bottles of 
unnaturally colored ingredients.

Shauna watched with wide eyes.  "How do you do that?"

Pip shrugged.  "You just do it."

"So next time Melody starts swinging her sword, I can snap my 
fingers, arm myself, and challenge her to a duel?"

"Sure," replied Pip.  "But I wouldn't suggest it, if you want to keep 
your limbs."

Shauna coughed.

"Okay," said Pip.  "This is your show.  How do you want to 
begin?"

"Well," said Shauna, grabbing a glass bottle and pouring exactly 
half of the Sunlight Ultra into it, "I think I'm going to start by 
saving some of this for Risti.  You know we disagree on a lot of 
things, so I'd better keep it simple by just working on my version 
of the theory."

Pip nodded.

"Let's see, where to begin... "  Shauna bit her lip, trying to 
remember her first day at the Safe House.

"Well, if I recall correctly, Melody argued against Dumbledore 
planting Lupin in the compartment on the train.  She said that the 
Trio went into Lupin's compartment, notthe other way round. [PoA 
p.59, Ch.5 UK hardback].  Arthur Weasley would also have had to 
be in the plot; it was he who delayed Harry until the last minute."

"That's easy," said Shauna, picking up a flask of clear liquid.  
"Lupin could have picked the most likely compartment and 
shooed the others out, then waited to see if the Trio came and 
found him.  If they didn't, he could have gone to them, offering 
them some excuse.  Or - perhaps Arthur Weasley *was* in on 
the plot.  Dumbledore obviously trusts him.  Plus, the Burrow is 
one of the few places Harry might run to during the summer.  
And Arthur Weasley might very well be the person who found out 
that Peter Pettigrew was alive in the first place.  After all, Melody 
herself said that: 'We are told on two different occasions that 
people outside Azkaban know what the prisoners scream in their 
sleep. Once by Black, once by Arthur Weasley.'"

"So," Shauna finished with satisfaction, letting a drop of the clear 
liquid fall into the bottle of Sunlight Ultra and mix around in the 
detergent, "you can take your pick.  Arthur either is, or isn't, in on 
it.  They both work."

Pip shook her head in exasperation.  "You just can't go two 
minutes without building a new variation into Sunlight Ultra."

"Maybe I should make different colored boxes for them," Shauna 
mused.  "Red Sunlight Ultra for knockedout!Snape.  Yellow for 
knowsaboutPettigrew!Dumbledore.  Orange for those who 
believe in both.  And then - "

"Why don't we just try to get one that works well?" Pip suggested 
gently.

"Right," said Shauna, blushing.  "Do you remember what the next 
argument was?"

"Hmmm," said Pip.  "Got it.  Melody said that there was no 
evidence of Lupin being the type of actor necessary to pull of his 
role as an agent."

Shauna smiled devilishly, rummaging among the flasks and 
pulling out an oddly pink vial.  "That might present certain 
problems for Risti, but I've left her a bit of Sunlight Ultra 
so she can correct it herself.  But I must say that Melody is 
absolutely correct on that count.  Lupin isn't an actor.  A liar, yes, 
as we've proved before.  But not an actor."

"Lying about Wolfsbane potion or who manufactured a map is 
one thing.  Faking emotions is rather more difficult.  Luckily for 
Lupin, all the emotions he must portray as an agent have some 
basis in real life.  His anger towards Snape?  He can easily draw 
on the well of emotions that comes from being best friends with 
Snape's worst enemies.  His anger towards Pettigrew?  
Obviously that has a basis in reality.  The rat did kill one of his 
best friends and frame another.  And his love for Sirius and 
happiness at being reunited?  Not faked at all."

"The one emotion that Lupin has to fake is - well, shock.  And to 
be frank, he's not very good at it.  Ingenuously, though, the plan 
he's worked out with Snape supposes that he's alone when the 
revelation of Pettigrew's continued existence comes.  In fact, 
Snape tells everybody, Lupin was so *startled* by this 
*incredible* news he forgot to take his Wolfsbane potion.  So 
everyone gets the impression of Lupin being thoroughly 
suprised by the revelations of the night.  But does he actually act 
surprised?  No, not at all.  He comes bursting into the Shrieking 
Shack with all the answers.  The occasional expression 
of shock is all that's necessary, and he performs decently.  It 
doesn't take much to convince a man whose been in Azkaban 
twelve years and three kids who have no idea what's going on."

Pip smiled encouragingly.  "Very good, Shauna!  You didn't build 
in any variations that time!"

Shauna beamed.  Then she poured a bit of the hideously pink 
liquid into her box of Sunlight Ultra.  It fizzed.

"Right, then," Pip said briskly.  "Next argument.  There was a bit 
of what Hagrid would have found out in Azkaban - that's irrelevant 
to your version of Sunlight Ultra - and then - aha!  The Wolfsbane 
potion."

Shauna smiled and pulled out a vial of shimmering silver liquid.  
"Ready."

Pip took a deep breath.  "Basically, Grey and Melody argue that 
Snape not bringing the Wolfsbane potion is inconclusive.  After 
all, how would he of carried it?  The route to the Shrieking Shack 
is out of the castle, across the grounds, dodge the Whomping 
Willow and poke the knothole, then go along of a long tunnel 
where, in PoA Ch.20, p.278 in the UK hardback, even the short 
Harry hits his head on the roof. How does he carry a goblet 
of Wolfsbane potion through all that?  Very carefully?"

"That's an excellent point," Shauna replied.  "Was there any 
more?"

"Just that he does what you could expect agent!Snape to do.  Tie 
up the werewolf as fast as possible."

Shauna nodded.  "I think it's a good argument.  A Snape who is 
not an agent might very well have followed that line of thinking.  
But neither you nor I, nor Risti or Grey Wolf or Melody, want to 
think like that.  Given that Snape is a solo agent, he still must 
work something out so that he does not depend on Lupin 
forgetting the Wolfsbane potion to find out about the Shrieking 
Shack and to allow Peter's escape."  Shauna grinned 
triumphantly and pour that liquid into the Sunlight Ultra as well.  A 
smell wafted up into the air reminscent of Wolfsbane potion.  
Shauna and Pip winced and held their noses until the stench 
dissapated.

"Okay," Pip said, "next point.  Is Snape faking conciousness?"

"No," said Shauna immediately, "although it's possible that he 
could be.  Risti makes a convincing case that Snape and Lupin 
together worked to get the Trio to knock Snape out, in which case 
they could have prepared for it.  Or, Lupin could have planned to 
knock Snape out if the Trio didn't - further emphasizing the 
perception that Snape and Lupin weren't working together.  In 
both cases, Lupin and Snape would have planned before 
hand.  In Risti's version, part of that planning included a potion to 
keep Snape from getting knocked out.  But I don't particularly 
care for it - after all, Lupin's already got control of the situation.  
It's Lupin, Black, and the Trio against Peter Pettigrew.  They don't 
really need the extra backup."

Pip surveyed the array of bottles.  "Aren't you going to add 
something to that mixture of yours?"

"Don't need to," Shauna replied.  "That argument wasn't aimed at 
me, it was aimed at Risti.  Likewise, the badguy!Black argument.  
I don't need to answer it because I think they knew all along that 
Black was good."  Suddenly Shauna grinned.  "I'm glad - I don't 
know how I would've answered that one.  I wish Risti good luck 
with it."

Shauna grabbed a long, thin piece of metal off the table and 
stirred the Sunlight Ultra with it.  Looking inside the cauldron, 
she saw that the detergent had begun to flash different colors.  
Shauna grinned.  It was quite pretty.

"Uh, Shauna - "

"Right."  

Pip shifted where she stood.  "This next objection is one of my 
own.  Lupin risks Harry's life quite directly.  If Harry had mistimed 
his leap in front of Pettigrew, he would have been toast."

Shauna sighed.  "Pip, there are a lot of things which Snape and 
Lupin, and through them Dumbledore, can try to control.  But 
Harry's actual physical movements are not some of them, short 
of putting him under Imperius.  However, I don't think the 
situation is quite as dire as you suggest.  Look at the order of 
events:

***
p. 375 "The Servant of Lord Voldemort" - US Hardcover

Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.

"You should have realized," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort 
didn't kill you, we would.  Good-bye, Peter."

Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the 
wall.

"NO!" Harry yelled.  He ran forward, placing himself in front of 
Pettigrew, facing the wands.  "You can't kill him," he said 
breathlessly.  "You can't."
***

"If you'll look at what happens, you'll see that Harry was not 
exactly throwing himself in front of a curse as the words 'Avada 
Ke - ' came out of there mouths.  First of all, after Lupin says 
good-bye to Pettigrew, Hermione has enough time to turn to the 
wall.  Harry also has enough time to run forward and put himself 
between them.  Harry and Pettigrew are a reasonable distance 
apart.  Earlier, Pettigrew had crawled up to Harry, but Black and 
Lupin 'seized Pettigrew's shoulders and threw him backward 
onto the floor'.  I think it's reasonable to think that Black and 
Lupin are in between Harry and Pettigrew before Harry makes 
his move and places himself between them and Pettigrew.  
Furthermore, there's no indication that either of them have 
started the curse.  They have several seconds in between the 
'good-bye' and Harry's reaching Pettigrew, and they haven't said 
a word.  They raise their wands, and then they lower their wands.  
That's all."

Pip shrugged.  "It seems like this one is pretty open to 
interpretation.  Still, let's move on, shall we?  Next we have Grey's 
objection.  Let me quote:

***
Message 52539
> Grey Wolf emerged briefly from the depths of the kitchen 
> appliance. `My problem with your theory,' he said, `is that Lupin 
> takes the control of the situation *away* from Harry, thus 
> preventing him from active action. It's Snape and his seemingly 
> irritable manner that pushes Harry into action - and only once > 
Harry 
> is forced to act (which Snape manages by purposely and 
unnecessarily 
> insulting all the people Harry loves) is Harry actually in a 
> situation where he will be the one establishing life debts.'
***

Shauna chewed her lip pensively.  "This is a toughie.  After all, 
the entire Harry Potter series is about choice and control - we 
should make sure our theories abide by that.  The question is, 
which parts of the night is it important Harry has control over?  
After all, Harry is hardly left unguided throughout the rest of the 
series.  It makes sense that Harry should have some guide at 
the Shrieking Shack.  But is Lupin too much of one?"

"I don't think so.  The key decision Harry has to make is whether 
or not to save Pettigrew.  Lupin doesn't make that choice for him.  
Both he and Snape are manuevering him into *position* to make 
it but they're not controlling Harry's actions, only his 
circumstances.  And it's necessary for Lupin to take some sort of 
control of the circumstances, so that Harry can wrest it away from 
him.  Harry needs a murder to stop, after all."

Pip made a noise of halfhearted agreement.  "Speaking of 
control, there's also this:

***
Message 52539
> This means that if Harry is to have any control over the situation 
> at all, Snape has to be out of the way. But it also has to be 
> obvious later that he knew nothing of Pettigrew hiding out as a 
rat. 
> Pretending to be unconscious is really a good solution.'
> 
> `But,' said Grey Wolf from inside the DISHWASHER, `no battle 
plan 
> survives contact with the enemy. Snape hits the wall too hard. 
He 
> did not think all three children would attack him. Instead of 
> pretending to be unconscious, he *is* unconscious. But there 
is no 
> mistake in the *idea*. That Snape's improvised plan doesn't 
work is 
> an accident.
***

Shauna gave a derisive snort, then looked surprised at her 
temerity.  In a more subdued voice, she answered, "I find the 
whole idea that he was planning on faking unconciousness 
to be somewhat far-fetched.  Shouldn't someone who was 
expecting to be thrown against the wall take some sort of potion 
to keep him from being knocked out?  I mean - it *should* 
have passed his mind.  It *should* have presented itself as a 
possibility.  So what we have is a truly dangerous, uncontrolled 
situation without any agent of Dumbledore at all because Snape 
was unprepared."

"But, if Lupin is an agent as well, Snape can afford to be a little 
more careless.  He can take himself out of the action knowing 
someone is there to help guide the situation - knowing that 
being knocked out actually helps.  He's not necessary anymore.  
The night resolves itself without reliance on stupid mistakes."

Pip frowned a little at Shauna's tone, and decided to bring up 
Melody's most - impassioned - argument.  "Then there's the 
objection that Lupin puts everyone in danger.  How did Melody 
put it?  Ah, yes - '`LUPIN DOES NOTHING!  HE DOES NOTHING 
TO SAVE ANYONE!  HE LETS THE DEMENTORS GRAB HARRY 
AND PREPARE TO SOUL SUCK HIM! HE DOES ABSOLUTELY 
NOTHING EXCEPT STAND BY AND WATCH PEOPLE DIE!'"

Shauna looked meek.  "Er - yes.  That ones quite simple, really.  
Lupin is pretending to be a werewolf.  Once he's transformed 
and caused his distraction, he goes into the woods.  He might 
very well have not even known about the Dementors.  Even if he 
did, he couldn't help without breaking his charade - although I'm 
sure he would have, if he hadn't seen Harry standing across the 
way casting one of the most amazing Patroni ever.  So either he 
doesn't know, or he knows they'll be okay."

While Pip thought on this, Shauna took several more vials and 
poured them into the cauldron of Sunlight Ultra.  She stirred for a 
little while, then whispered, happily, "Perfect."

"Wait.  I've remembered one last complaint."  Pip looked at 
Shauna measuringly before continuing.  "Is Lupin trustworthy?"

"Is Lupin trustworthy?" Shauna repeated blankly.  "Is *Lupin* 
*trustworthy*?"

"It's a valid question," Pip responded.  "After all, we haven't 
learned why Sirius suspected that Lupin was the traitor.  
Whatever reason it was, Dumbledore might've known it, too."

"Or he might not have.  Or, in the intervening decade, 
Dumbledore might have asked Lupin to prove himself good and 
gotten a satisfactory answer.  Given that Dumbledore places 
Lupin in a position of power and authority over Lupin, it's not 
likely that he suspects him.  Also, in Snape and Dumbledore's 
conversation on pg. 166 (US Hardcover) Dumbledore makes it 
clear that he trusts Lupin."

"But why?" Pip persisted.  "And with Sirius innocent, doesn't that 
make Lupin a possible traitor?"

"Listen - that argument relies solely on the assertion that 
Dumbledore found out that Sirius was innocent but not that 
Pettigrew was guilty.  It's possible, yes, but whyever should it be 
likely?  Furthermore, logic says that if *Sirius* is innocent, then 
*Peter* is guilty.  At least Peter, anyway.  Given that Lupin has 
shown no signs of disloyalty while given amply opportunity, why 
should Dumbledore suspect him?"

Pip looked uneasy at that answer, but relieved that they had 
come to the end of the debate at last.  She picked up the brightly 
glowing detergent.

"Well?" Shauna asked.  "What do you think?"


~ Finis ~

Written by Shauna (sorry for appropriating you, Pip)
Arguments taken from Melody, Grey Wolf, Pip and Risti