Sirius - who is right?

[mkaliz]

No: HPFGUIDX 73497

Wanda said:

> There are lots of opposing opinions on Sirius among readers, but I'm 
> intrested in the one that occurs at the end of OotP.  Harry states 
> that Sirius was hurt by Snape continually twitting him on being 
> stuck at HQ, and Dumbledore immediately replies that that was not 
> true; that Sirius was too mature to be hurt by something so 
> insignificant.  Now, just who is right here?  One must be wrong.

Actually, I think that both Harry and Dumbledore are "right" in this
case. 

(UK edition, p. 734)

Harry says: "Snape - Snape g - goaded Sirius about staying in the
house - he made out Sirius was a coward -" 

Dumbledore replies: "Sirius was much too old and clever to have
allowed such feeble taunts to hurt him."

Snape *did* goad Sirius and Sirius really *was* much too old
(chronologically) and clever to take yet another one of Snape's lame
insults to heart. Therefore, I think AD and Harry were *both*
technically correct here. 

Unfortunately, Dumbledore underestimated the depths of Sirius'
frustration, depression, and emotional vulnerability.

Snape's constant taunting wasn't 100% the cause of Sirius' decision to
head to the Ministry (no matter how sane/mature Sirius might have
been, I can't see him hesitating for one second to go to Harry's aid,
no matter how nicely he was asked to wait for Dumbledore!), but I
think it certainly contributed to Sirius' screwed-up emotional state.

But then, Dumbledore has always seemed to place individual's physical
safety ahead of their emotional welfare/needs/vulnerabilities. 

--kai