OotP: Sirius and plot development

[Rach]

No: HPFGUIDX 61587

Although I was thoroughly shocked and very upset by Sirius' death, I 
can now see the plot development aspect, and why JKR in numerous 
interviews has pointed out why even after crying over the death 
herself she could not change it. I relished JKR's development of the 
adult characters in this book, exposing flaws and insecurities, 
making the character of Sirius truly three dimensional by exposing 
his part miseries – forcing the reader to feel the full impact of the 
loss.

Harry now understands that he must kill or be killed. Not a nice 
prospect. At the beginning of PS Harry has nothing to loose, his 
family life is miserable and his future bleak. Progressively through 
the books Harry builds up a network of friends and in a very real 
sense - family (the Weasleys, Sirius, Lupin etc). Never before has 
Harry had an emotional support network as strong as at the beginning 
of  OotP, or as much to loose. The despondency felt by Harry 
immediately after Sirius' death could have been enough for him to 
give up, and he almost did, feeling that death would be better than 
living on in the days to follow. 

I look forward to finding out how Harry gets through this and finds 
the strength to go on.  I don't believe revenge over Sirius' (and his 
parents') death is powerful enough to sustain him through the next 
two years.

All this being said, I wish Sirius could have been made a ghost, or 
that Harry could have found him in the mirror – he was my favourite 
character!