James is alive theory (some OOP)

[shihtouji]

No: HPFGUIDX 64317

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Michael Wong" 
<plooberman at h...> wrote:

>      The theory or more appropriately the assertion is that the 
Remus 
> J. Lupin we know is in fact James Potter's mind and sould trapped 
in 
> Lupin's body.  
> 

Interesting theory, but it won't work.  It raises too many questions, 
and, if true, makes JKR a much less clever novelist than we believe 
her to be.

First off:

Why Lupin?  Why not Sirius?  After all, he wasn't a convicted 
murderer when James and Lily were killed, so it would make sense 
that, as James's best friend, if there were any switching to be done, 
it would be with him and not Lupin.  Furthermore, choosing a known 
werewolf as the keeper of James's soul is probably not the wisest 
idea--again, Sirius would be the logical choice, but that's not what 
is suggested here.

All of the reactions and verbal clues cited *may* suggest something, 
but they may just be details that round out Lupin's character.  For 
example, Lupin's hesitation to put his hand on Harry's shoulder is 
perfectly understandable, given Lupin's position as Harry's teacher.  
Lupin is in an odd position: he's the friend of Harry's father, and 
as such would feel a strong affinity towards him, but he is also 
Harry's teacher, and must retain a certain professional distance.  At 
this point he's unsure how personal to be with Harry: remember that 
even Dumbledore insists on students showing proper respect to 
teachers by referring to them as "Professor X," even if he's aware 
(as he is with Harry and Snape) that the respect is purely a 
formality.  In Book V, Harry still adresses him as "Professor Lupin," 
even though he has not been Harry's teacher for over a year.

JKR has insisted that when characters are dead, they are dead.  
Period.  She has violated that rule somewhat with Pettigrew, but 
there was no hard evidence that Pettigrew actually was dead.  In Book 
IV, we have the evidence of Voldemort's wand as proof that it was 
James, not Lupin, who died that night.  Her mistake about the wand 
order was an admitted error--she has confessed, and no matter how 
clumsily the revision appears, the error stands.  Just remember 
Pope's line, "Even great Homer sometimes nods."  We all forgive her.

Finally, if James is alive, then we have, once again, a sainted dead 
mother unbalanced by an equally sainted (?) dead father.  JKR is 
already treading on this territory by asserting that Lily's love for 
Harry is what saved him and killed Voldemort--in the hands of a 
lesser writer, this could become mawkish and sentimental, as it would 
be if Lily were the only one killed.  By having James die, too, she 
suggests that *both* parents sacrificed themselves for their son, and 
rescued Lily from being the sole protector.  

No, James ain't coming back. It would be inconsistent with the kind 
of world JKR has created, and would turn the Potter books into 
something more formulaic than they should be.  To me, this is in the 
same category as the Dumbledore-is-Harry's-grandfather theory, or the 
Voldemort-is-Harry's-real-father theory, which would be far too easy. 
JKR's revelations are real surprises, but they are surprises of the 
sort that make you understand the larger context of her created world 
better, not rabbits pulled out of hats at convenient moments to tie 
up plot ends.  Can Lupin care deeply about Harry without being 
related to him?  Of course.  Sirius does; so does Dumbledore; so even 
(I think) does McGonagall, though it is not in her nature to reveal 
that.  I certainly welcome more revelations about James and Lily in 
the last two books, but the idea that they're still around would be a 
great letdown for me.

Red Inkstone