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

[frumenta]

No: HPFGUIDX 71513

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "aurigae_prime" 
<ZaraLyon at a...> wrote:
> Mim wrote:
> > 
> > >> > 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?
> > 
> 
> <snip> 

> 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.

No argument here. Snape gets results. Anyone would get results with 
Harry, rather than Snape. Crouch!Moody certainly got the boy to 
consider becoming an Auror. Snape has alienated Harry. It's just 
that this scene bothered me in light of what we know from OotP. 
Remus faced with the past decides to lie just like he is lying to 
Dumbledore.

What got lost in the snippage in all replies to my (admittedly 
rather inflammatory) post was that I was reacting to the following:

Kirstini wrote:
> 
> > And me:
> > The Remus we know of PoA regards his teenage years with 
something akin to horror - the 
fact that he could have eaten someone "still haunts" him. Snape's 
little  excursion down to the Shrieking Shack as a teenager put him 
in more  danger from the werewolf than any other student that we 
know about - he glimpsed Lupin, remember? Why on earth would Lupin 
be playing "mind games" with this continual reminder of his latent 
 nature? Instead, he speaks courteously, pleasantly and maturely, 
and neutralises any threat posed by Snape, and any residual guilt of 
his own - not being the sort of man to carry a grudge cross 
generationally! <


It was just too sunshine and roses and along with all the other 
posts praising Remus' character, maturity and what have you caused a 
bit of an explosion of Remus dislike. 

> 
> > 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. 

Dumbledore never said that the Cloak was dangerous. Remus said the 
Map was dangerous in that it would lure Harry outside. And even with 
Sirius not really being a threat, outside is not a safe place.

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. 



It just chilled me to the bone. Seriously made me reconsider that 
whole "gentle Remus" thing

> >  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

Sirius was honest. He hated someone, he told him. Remus' passivity 
disgusts me. I can't explain it, it's just a knee jerk reaction. As 
for taking Sirius over Remus, I loathe Sirius with the force of the 
most ardent of Snape fans. But at least he was real.

Mim