OOP: some questions - Molly/Lupin/Dumbledore - SPOILERS

[Alon van Dam]

No: HPFGUIDX 66380

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Beth Currie" <lists at d...> 
wrote:
> I'm now on my second read and happy to say I'm enjoying it much more
> this time round at a more leisurely pace.  I have a couple of 
questions
> I'd love to hear opinions on:
> 
> 1)  Molly & Lupin.  Does anyone else think there is some sort of
> history/relationship going on here?  When Molly sees the boggart, 
she
> ends up crying in Lupin's arms; also when Percy sends back his 
Christmas
> jumper we are told by the twins that Lupin is comforting her.  I 
think
> Molly is older than him so I doubt they are old flames or anything, 
but
> these bits in the book did jump out at me.  Any thoughts?
Me:

Well, we've seen a great number of times in both PoA and OOP that 
Lupin is just great at comforting people and that he goes out of his 
way to do so. He makes everyone feel better in PoA, most notably 
Harry and Neville, and continues to do so in OOP: He is the one who 
manages to quasi-comfort Harry after the "Worst Memory"-pensieve 
scene (not Sirius). He also goes over to comfort the Werewolf in St. 
Mungo's and, obviously, comforts Molly. JKR has said many times that 
Lupin is the perfect teacher, the teacher everyone would like to have 
had, and I see him in this light: Just a really nice guy who's great 
as a shoulder to cry on. Seeing as Molly and Arthur got together in 
Hogwarts (as she states in GoF), I /sincerely/ doubt anything 
transpired between them... Come to think of it, we don't 
know /anything/ about any romances that MWP might've had, do we? And 
that while we get reminded time and again how handsome Sirius was...

> 2)  What is Dumbledore on about with that silver thing in his office
> when he says "in essence divided"?  I didn't get this first time 
around
> and I'm no wiser this time!  Please help as it is bugging me!!
Me:

I think that's when he realises that Harry and LV share a mental link 
which can go both ways and decides that Harry should study 
Occlumency. He had a feeling about it before that (which is why he 
refrained from looking at Harry throughout the book) but decides to 
let Harry study Occlumency only after the Arthur-incident. He figures 
that two minds can be inhabiting the same spot at the same time. I 
thought that's what he meant, but I'm not wholly conclusive on the 
matter.

> Also on my second read I found the scene where Harry says goodbye to
> Sirius after Christmas very poignant, knowing what happens later.  
When
> Sirius gave him a hug I found tears in my eyes.
Me:

I'm now also on my second read, and I also found the goodbye quite 
poignant. I did not have tears in my eyes, but I was rather saddened 
by it, and found myself shouting at the book for Harry to say 
something nice, something sweet, something warning, anything... Also, 
I found myself reading with the ludicrous wish that Harry won't 
forget the package this time round. ;)

> Beth, still missing Sirius

Alon, missing him as well, and not /believing/ that Harry broke the 
last present Sirius gave him.