Spoiler: Sirius the 'Jerk'

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 63905

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "D.J." <contra75 at y...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "edisbevan" 
<A.E.B.Bevan at o...> 
> wrote:
> > S
> > P
> > O
> > I
> > L
> > E
> > R
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > S
> > P
> > A
> > C
> > E
> > .
> > .> Sirius had a lot of insights and blindnesses... 
> > 
> > In GoF he says (paraphrase follows) 'look at how someone 
treats 
> his 
> > inferiors not his superiors that gives the measure of a man...'
> > This in support of Hermiones comments on Crouch senior's 
treatment 
> of 
> > Winky...
> > 
> > Now in OOTP Sirius is measured by that test on the 
treatment 
> of 'his' 
> > house-elf and fails it.  And this choice rebounds on him...

I think it's more complicated than that. I've posted about this on 
another list, so pardon me if you've read part of this before...but 
Sirius's comment, though certainly kind, isn't exactly enlightened.
What gives him  the right to consider  people his 
inferiors? The fact that Hermione didn't catch this when Sirius 
said it shows she's also not as enlightened as she thinks she 
is.

Sirius Black's superior attitude is his tragic flaw. It's even in his 
name...he had to be the star. He doesn't seem to have regarded 
anybody as his equal except James. Sirius's  refusal to free 
Kreacher sealed his doom. Yes, it would have been dangerous 
to give Kreacher a choice about what to do. The Elf  might have 
run straight to Voldemort. That's exactly the rationale Fudge used 
for wanting Sirius Dementor-kissed. Freedom of choice includes 
the right to make bad choices, and be judged by those, not by 
one's abilities, or even one's previous actions.

The real irony is that Sirius enslaved himself by enslaving 
Kreacher. If he'd only let Kreacher go, the house would have 
been useless to the Order, and Sirius could have left it too. 
Kreacher might not have been saved if Sirius could have treated 
him as an equal, but Sirius might have been.

Pippin