OOP: (Sirius) A person is more than the worst thing they have done

[kiricat2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 63918

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "bluesqueak" <pipdowns at e...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Juliet" <lilpurplealdy at n...> 
> wrote:
> > From an old post:
> > >>I keep going back to: *why?* What qualities did Peter have that 
> > would make him a good Secret Keeper? The least talented of the 
> > four boys. The kid who was always tagging around. The boy who 
hero-
> > worshipped Black and Potter [see PoA Ch.10, p.154]. He wasn't 
even 
> > good at duelling ... [p.155]>>
> > 
> > 
> Juliet:
> > This is exactly WHY Sirius made Peter Secret-Keeper.  It was a  
> > bluff, as was quoted in the old post as well from canon:
> > 
> > Pip!Squeak:
> > "James and Lily only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested 
> > it ... I thought it was the perfect plan ... a bluff ... 
Voldemort 
> > would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a 
> weak, 
> > talentless thing like you ... "[PoA p. 271, Ch. 19]
> > 
> > Juliet:
> > Maybe I'm misunderstanding this old post...or perhaps just 
> > misunderstanding canon.  But I'll go on anways.
> > 
> > The way I always thought it:  Sirius was James Potter's best 
> > friend.  Everyone knew this.  When the Potters went into hiding, 
> > and which I suppose the obvious charm of choice would be the 
> > Fidelius, the Number One suspect for Secret-Keeper for the 
Potters 
> > would be Sirius, their talented best man.   Thus, Voldemort  
would 
> > go after Sirius.  Sirius was counting on Voldemort going after 
> > *him*, and that's why Peter was made Secret-Keeper, since people 
> > would expect the Potters to use someone more talented.   Even  
> > Dumbldore and Lupin didn't know aboutthis switch, and since no 
one 
> > was able to testify otherwise, then I assume *no one* did.  
> > 
> > It was a big bluff that went wrong, since Pettigrew was not on  
> > their side.
> > 
> > And,  I don't think Peter would have to be *bullied* into being 
> > given the chance to hand over to Voldemort two members of the 
> > Order of the Phoenix and their son, three people he really 
wanted  
> > to kill.  This was, as Voldemort and Sirius both imply, the 
chance 
> > he was waiting for.  WHY would he have to be bullied?
> 
> That is exactly the fascinating thing about the language used in 
the 
> Shack. It is exactly what people *do* assume. That Peter, who was 
> the agent of Lord Volemort, would leap at the chance to betray the 
> Potters.
> 
> But there is no evidence of that at all. None. Sirius, Lupin and 
> Peter between them never suggest that Peter begged for the role of 
> Secret Keeper, suggested that he be Secret Keeper or asked in any 
> way, shape or form for the role of Secret Keeper.
> 
> Since Sirius was busy suggesting that Peter was a traitor, you 
would 
> have thought that he would have mentioned it. ('You begged for the 
> chance! And now I know why!' ).
> 
> As you say, Sirius had a really good plan. Terrific. The only thing 
> it required was that Peter risk death and torture for his friends. 
> Because, you see, Peter was weak, and talentless, and if Voldemort 
> had managed to Legilimens the identity of the Secret Keeper out of 
> the captured Sirius, Peter would have had about as much chance as a 
> snowball in Hell.
> 
> That was the little teeny problem with the wonderful bluff.
> 
> This would be absolutely fine, if, as I keep saying, Peter had 
shown 
> the slightest enthusiasm for being Secret Keeper. But there is no 
> suggestion, (under conditions where Sirius would have every motive 
> to so suggest), that he did show any desire whatsoever to be Secret 
> Keeper.
> 
> It suggests a few things about Peter as well. Possibly he really 
did 
> feel he had genuinely no choice but to betray his friends and would 
> have been delighted if someone else was the Secret Keeper. It would 
> have meant he *couldn't* betray them to their deaths.
> 
> Sirius sees some people as less important than other people. Peter 
> is less important than James. Kreacher is less important than 
> Sirius. Sirius's feelings about the house are more important than 
> Kreacher's feelings about the house. James and Lily's life is more 
> important than Peter's.

Well, I paint me with the same brush.  I tend to classify some people 
in my life as more important than others.  Some friends I honestly 
would do just about anything for.  Others I won't.  James *was* more 
important to Sirius than Peter was.  As far as the house goes, well, 
it wasn't Kreacher's house. The tapestry, the silver, the furniture, 
none of it belonged to him.  Yes, he's lived there many years.  And 
for many years he had the house to himself and did nothing to care 
for it.  Kreacher is a creature of Mrs. Black's, and always will be.  
Had Sirius kept everything in the house untouched, I can't see 
Kreacher being any happier, because Sirius' mere presence was 
unacceptable to Kreacher.

Marianne 


> And then he gets all surprised when the people who he sees as less 
> important object. And betray him.
> 
> Pip!Squeak