Remus, Severus, mind-games? (Was: Snape: The fact that he exists)

[aurigae_prime]

No: HPFGUIDX 71496

Mim wrote:
> 
> I'm glad someone brought up the map scene. I was just rereading 
it, 
> in the light of what we know of Snape's Worst Memory. Doesn't 
anyone 
> recognise the insults Snape receives from the artefact? Why, Mr 
> Mooney tells him to keep his abnormally large nose out of his 
> business. Carrying Remus' ever so pleasant personality, doesn't 
it? 
> Anyone want to insist Remus didn't call Snape Snivellus? And why 
> should we rejoice over the fact that Lupin uses Severus over 
> Snivellus, anyway? Suddenly not calling someone by their hated 
> childhood nickname is something you should be complimented on?
> 

Saying that Lupin uses Severus' given name pointedly to indicate 
that he, Remus Lupin, is ready and willing to put their past behind 
him is a far cry from saying that he should be complimented for it. 
Of course he shouldn't. He and his friends were WRONG, and although 
I think Lupin indicates that he would be ready to apologize, we 
certainly don't see him make an attempt to do so. Though I don't 
believe I've seen anyone making a case that Snape was a totally 
innocent victim in his Hogwarts days. He's a git now, and I would 
expect he was just as much of one then, even if all we have is 
Sirius' (admittedly biased) opinion on the matter.

> And then Remus lies through his teeth to Snape who is on to him 
and 
> who, let's not forget, is obviously acting in Harry's best 
interest 
> in that scene. Remus undermines Snape's authority, not to mention 
> passes by an oportunity to start making some sort of amends with 
> Snape.
> 

Actually, I would argue that Lupin was acting in Harry's best 
interest to the same extent as Snape. The difference in their 
attitudes is that, had Snape been allowed to punish Harry, Harry 
would have taken his punishment and *gone right back to sneaking out 
to Hogsmeade.* However, after Lupin's little speech about "gambling 
his parents' sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks," Harry actually 
does think about what he's been doing, and feels guilty about it. 
That's the thing about Professor Lupin: he gets results. This scene 
could also support Remus' guilt over not having stopped James and 
Sirius more often in his own school days, though admittedly that may 
be stretching the interpretation.

> Courteous, pleasant and mature, of course. Maturely forgets his 
> potion, pleasantly greets Pettigrew as he is about to kill him and 
> very courteously puts Harry's life in danger first by not 
revealing 
> that Sirius is an animagus and by giving Harry the Marauder's map 
> again at the end of PoA.
> 

I'm with you up to the "giving back the map." If that's endangering 
Harry, then Dumbledore has put him in just as much danger by 
repeatedly returning his Invisibility Cloak. As for "pleasantly 
greeting Pettigrew," well, I can't say that I wouldn't have done the 
same. I adore that "hello, so nice to see you... you evil bastard!" 
sort of style. 

>  I'd take Sirius over Remus, any day. At least with Sirius you 
knew 
> where you stood.
> 

Yes. But Sirius seems quite unable to let go of his grudges... and 
for that reason alone, I'd rather have Remus. He may not be 
perfect... but who is? 


Rhiannon the RavenSlyth