A theory regarding the "innocence" of Sirius Black and the Redemption of Peter

[kiricat2001 <Zarleycat@aol.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 50923

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "christi0469 
<christi0469 at h...>" <christi0469 at h...> wrote:
> > "Didn't make any difference?" said Dumbledore quietly. "It made 
> all 
> > the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. 
> You 
> > saved an innocent man from a terrible fate."
> 
> > Now, although Dumbledore again mentions no names, who else can he 
> be 
> > talking about here, except Sirius? 
> > 
> >
  
> Dumbledore could have just as easily been referring to saving 
> Pettigrew from being killed be Remus and Sirius. I happen to 
> personally believe that Sirius was the innocent man based on 
> Dumbledore's apparent trust in him at the end of GOF; however, I 
> think JKR is setting us up to doubt Sirius in the future.
> 

No, I don't think that flies because Dumbledore used the 
phrase "innocent man."  There is no way that Peter comes off as 
innocent or blameless after the Shrieking Shack scene.  And, if 
Dumbledore believes that Sirius is innocent of the crimes he was 
imprisoned for, then that means he has to believe the real Secret 
Keeper, Peter, was guilty of betraying the Potters, etc. 

I don't quarrel with your thought that JKR is setting us up to doubt 
Sirius.  A lot of people on the list have problems with him already - 
he's got a temper, he's too impulsive, he'll go off half-cocked and 
make a bad situation worse, he's a bully, he's arrogant, he's 
mentally unbalanced, he doesn't apologize. So, if he does something 
shady or ambiguous in OoP, that will certainly add fuel to the fire.

I, however, remain steadfast in the belief that he's a good guy, with 
his own bundle of faults, but with his heart in the right place.

Marianne