First OotP thoughts (SPOILERS)

[kiricat2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 61433

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Madam Rosmerta" 
<schwaben at b...> wrote:
> S
> P
> O
> I
> L
> E
> R
> S
> 
> A
> H
> O
> Y
> !
> !
> !
> 
> First thoughts.....
> 
> One thing did bother me. Sirius's moodiness and recklessness, I 
felt 
> so sure, must be partly due to Kreacher's dosing his food and drink 
> with some of the scurvy-grass, lovage, and sneezewort described on 
> pp. 383-384 (American edition) -- JKR seemed to be planting clues 
in 
> that direction -- but the clues were never followed up.  I couldn't 
> believe Sirius was so ready to dismiss Harry with his scathing 
> comment about not being as much like James as he'd thought -- how 
> cruel!  I really disliked Sirius at that moment and was ready to 
> agree with Molly about his recklessness.  

Interesting.  I'm about to start my re-read.  Didn't pick up on the 
drugging possibility.  Sirius struck me as being depressed.  And, no 
I'm not a mental health expert, so this is a lay-person talking.  
He's always described as being unkempt.  His moods are somewhat 
volatile.  For instance, when people show up for Christmans, he helps 
decorate and sings carols, and then his mood darkens as the time 
comes for people to leave.  When the gang shows up when Arthur is 
hurt, Sirius is again described as unkempt, unshaven, with a whiff of 
old drink about him.  

He's challeneged early by Molly as to his fitness to influence Harry. 
He's challenged by Snape, apparently more than once, and by one of 
the twins with cowardice.  Yet, he's following Dumbledore's orders to 
stay put, in the very house that is so filled with horrible memories 
for him that he spends time tossing out as many of his parents 
possessions as he can.  I found the scenes in that house malevolently 
claustrophobic.  And I couldn't help but feel that Sirius had 
exchanged one prison for another.

Marianne