OOP: the point of the death?

[Dicentra spectabilis]

No: HPFGUIDX 64588

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "marinafrants" <rusalka at i...> wrote:

> I haven't read every post on the subject (I don't think it's humanly
> possible), but here are the rationales I've seen so far for Sirius'
> death, and the reason they don't really work for me.

<snippage>

I haven't read all the posts, either, but no one else does either, so
I figure if I repeat something, no one will read both of the posts. :D

A long time ago, we were speculating about whether Harry would ever
live with Sirius, and Pippin gave the answer that made the most sense
to me (blamed if I know in which post). She explained that if Harry
and Sirius ever lived together, Sirius would effectively supplant
James as Harry's father.  But he can't; that's Harry's job.  Harry has
to step into his father's place, as is manifested by the case of
mistaken identity between TimeTurner!Harry and James, and Prongs as
Harry's Patronus.  Kicking the pins out from under the hero is a fast
way to make him grow.

Sirius's death also forms a "nexus of blame": many factors come
together to lead to his death, and there are plenty of people to
blame.  Dumbledore blames himself for not telling Harry about the
connection between him and Voldemort; Harry blames himself for falling
for Voldemort's deception; Dumbledore also blames Sirius for
Kreacher's lie, Sirius is to blame for insisting on going to the MoM
in the first place, and Harry blames Snape for discontinuing the
Occlumency lessons.

When you examine the motives behind each action, you find an
interesting pattern: Dumbledore failed to tell Harry the truth because
he loved him so much; Harry ran to Sirius's rescue because he loved
him so much; Sirius ran to Harry's rescue because he loved him so
much; Snape discontinued Harry's lessons because he held a wicked
grudge; Sirius did not win Kreacher's loyalty because he held a wicked
grudge; and Kreacher lied to Harry about Sirius's whereabouts because
he held a wicked grudge.

It's a bizarre convergence of love and bitterness that kills Sirius. 
Looking for plot-based reasons (at least within OoP) might not yield
much.  However, I agree with Marina: it's going to drive Harry over or
at least near the edge of Darkness.  

--Dicentra