Sirius' House

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 62838

Marianne wrote:
> The problem I have with this is these people know magic.  Why was 
> Sirius forced to stay in the house?  I mentioned in another post that 
> he could have Polyjuiced himself, if for no other reason than to take 
> a stroll through London.

Beyond the technical difficulties of preparing him polyjuice (the 
ingredients are uncommon, and I doubt Snape would collaborate), it is a 
*security* risk. Dumbledore and the OoP can't afford to have Sirius 
walking around London, disguised or not, simply because there is no 
such thing as a foolproof plan. He could've been captured and killed 
(the order of being kissed by a dementor is still valid). A lot of 
resources have been put into protecting him, just like resources were 
put into protecting Harry, and there is no reason for him to go walking 
in the parks just because. He's suposed to be an adult, and staying at 
home isn't *that* bad, in principle.
 
> Remus supposedly lived somewhere.  Could Sirius not occasionally have 
> gone there?  He had a wand.  Could he not have Apparated to a known 
> safe place, just for a respite?  

I think you missed the point: Sirius's house *IS* the safe place. 
That's the reason why Sirius's there. That's the HQ of the OoP. 
Besides, we have no canon for Sirius being able to apparate. Many 
wizards never learn, and Sirius in particular has run across England in 
dog form and later on Buckbeak rather than apparating, so it seems he 
cannot (or couldn't).

> I mean, these people know magic, do 
> they not?  Do you mean to say that not one of them could think of a 
> way to give Sirius a break in his stay in this house that is so 
> dreadfully awful? 

These people have all got better things to do than to find ways to give 
holidays to Sirius. They all have jobs, and then they work for the OoP. 
Sirius should've found ways to make himself useful from the house. The 
months after the return of Lord Voldemort aren't a moment to ask for 
breaks.

>  This whole idea that he *had* to stay in the house just reeks of a 
> set-up to provide a convenient way for JKR to play into his reckless 
> streak to ensure he got killed. It's all too pat for me.

It may reek to you. To me it was obviously a security reason, just like 
keeping Harry in the dark and forcing him to go to the Dursleys every 
summer. I wonder if it's simply that you're itching to find plotholes 
in JKRs books, instead of trying to see things from the characters 
perspectives. Sirius *was* in big danger of being killed. No-one wanted 
him killed, and they were all trying to keep him safe where no-one 
could find him. 

Those times when he is allowed some liberty - like going to the station 
with Harry- he is put in big danger. We know that Sirius has always 
been reckless (running around a village having close encounters with 
people while accompanied by an untreated werewolf sort of leaps to 
mind), so *he* wouldn't pay any attention to the dangers, but the other 
people with him are less stupid. Sirius should've grown up (although I 
accept it wasn't really his fault, being stuck in Azkaban), but the 
others were just trying to protect him.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf