Harry and Sirius /processing death/Confusing Draughts

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 69977

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "susanbones2003" <rdas at f...> 
wrote:
> Annemehr,
> You hit some nails on the head. The man we got to know in GOF was 
not 
> the same man in OOP. But so much happens in that month that we are 
> not around, it seems ridiculously abrupt.

Annemehr:
Well, not to get into personal details, but when bad things happen, 
you can get abruptly thrown into depression.

Jennifer (Susanbones2003):
 I remember him with his 
> hands on Harry's shoulders as Harry tells the story of the 
graveyard 
> and I think, that's the most contact they had other than shaking 
> hands a few times. I feel so cheated, that I never saw him pull 
Harry 
> into a one-armed hug or ruffle his hair or anything.

Annemehr:
Absolutely -- that's what sharpens the tragedy unbearably.

Jennifer:
 At his mother's 
> hated house Sirius just seemed to turn into a different person. I 
> know he was good, he comforted the Weasleys and cared for everyone 
> and bustled about and all but something seemed to go out of him 
and 
> you pointed out that he may have just been ready to crack after so 
> much pressure. That makes more sense than anything I have heard so 
> far.

Annemehr:
I'm going to add something I've been thinking about.  Do you 
remember near the end of GoF when Dumbledore said Voldemort had a 
talent for spreading enmity and discord?  Then, in OoP Ch. 18, Harry 
is trying to read about potion ingredients to do his Potions essay, 
just before Dobby comes to tell him about the Room of Requirement.  
I quote here from the potions book, leaving out Harry's thoughts 
which were intermigled with these words (to which he was not really 
paying any attention):

About the uses of scurvy-grass, lovage, and sneezewort:
"These plantes are moste efficacious in the inflaming of the braine 
and are therefore much used in Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts, 
where the wizard is desirous of producing hot-headedness and 
recklessness..."

Exactly the opposite of the Draught of Peace they did in the first 
potions class that year.

This just has to be important.  I admit it seems farfetched that 
Voldemort could be slipping Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts into 
the  food supply for the entire country, but this and Dumbledore's 
warning have to be telling us something.  I also wish someone would 
have thought of trying to *use* the Draught of Peace.

Getting back to Sirius, I am afraid it may be quite possible that 
the Malfoys gave something to Kreacher to cause problems at 12 
Grimmauld Place, just to add to Sirius' problems.

Jennifer:
 I know this is going off thread, but I don't see how Harry can 
> just shake off this death.[...]How is 
> Harry going to process this first real loss he can feel without 
> becoming very hard or very mean? This worries me.
> Jennifer

Annemehr:
It worries me, too, and I just hope Dumbledore has learned his 
lesson and actually keeps in contact with Harry, and that Harry 
hasn't lost faith in him. We can but wait and see.