Spoiler: Sirius the 'Jerk'

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 63970

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "darrin_burnett" 
<bard7696 at a...> wrote:
>
> Perhaps it wasn't the best choice of words, but "superior" and 
"inferior" can  also mean "boss" and "servant."<<

I think if JKR had wanted Sirius to say "subordinate"  he would 
have. The Fountain of Magical Brethren makes it clear how the 
WW regards its "lesser breeds." 


> We have from Dumbledore that Sirius was kind to house-elves 
in general --  and he counted a werewolf as one of his closest 
friends -- which indicates he did have a more enlightened 
attitude than you are giving him credit for.<


Kind is not the same thing. I'm kind to my dog, but I don't 
consider him my equal.

> So, if the Order captures a Death-Eater, the Ministry has no 
right to imprison  him or her? <

Without trial? No. You can't even say there was a war on, 
because the war was over when Sirius was captured and it didn't 
start again until the end of OOP.  What crime had Kreacher been 
convicted of? Neither he nor Sirius had been proven to have 
done anything worthy of being imprisoned. Sirius  attacked Harry 
and threatened  to murder Pettigrew...how is that worse than 
what Kreacher was threatening to do?

>>> I don't have the book with me, but didn't Dumbledore tell 
Sirius he couldn't  free him? I mean, it's all fine and good to say 
that Sirius should have  sacrificed the safe haven for the order - 
which WAS forced to operate  undercover at the time -- for the 
good of a house-elf who would have run to V- Mort supporters 
the first chance he got, but in a practical sense, was that 
Sirius' decision to make?<<

I can't find in canon that Dumbledore ever told Sirius he had to 
keep Kreacher enslaved. Sirius kept saying, "we" can't set him 
free, but Sirius  was the only one who could have forced 
Kreacher to accept clothes, so it was his decision to make.

Dumbledore says he warned Sirius to treat Kreacher with 
kindness and respect, and that Kreacher would be dangerous.  It  
doesn't sound like AD ever thought keeping Kreacher  was a 
good idea. The security risk argument doesn't hold water. If 
Sirius had set Kreacher free before the Order began meeting at 
the house, the Elf wouldn't have learned anything that Voldemort 
didn't know before.

Pippin