[HPforGrownups] OOP: SPOILERS: Sirius/legal things

[Liz Sager]

No: HPFGUIDX 65835

K wrote:
>I was just wondering who will be Harry's guardian now that Sirius
>has gone (in PoA, Sirius tells Harry that James and Lily appointed
>him guardian in case anything happened to them, as well as
>godfather). Harry is still underage, so I suppose he needs a
>guardian If Sirius left a will, who would he appoint? I'd like to
>think it would be Lupin, but am not sure a werewolf is a reliable
>choice!

I think Lupin, werewolf or no is a reliable choice, but I don't think he's a 
*viable* choice. I don't have my copy of "Fantastic Beasts" on me, but as 
far as I can tell, werewolves are considered beasts and not beings. Lupin 
can hardly get and hold a job (by no fault of his own, I might add), I don't 
see the ministry allowing him to become a legal guardian to a person 
considered a being.

>And what happens to Sirius's property: there's Grimmauld Place, the
>money in his vault - and what about the house he said he bought when
>he was 17 (not to mention the flying motorbike...) Again, if he made
>a will, I like to think he'd help Lupin out. If there's no will, I
>suppose it goes to his cousins, but I don't like the thought of the
>Malfoys getting their hands on it!

I imagine the flat that Sirius had was sold when he went to Azkaban and is 
no longer his. I suspect that the motorbike is romping around in the 
Forbidden Forest with Mr. Weasley's Ford Anglia, just a thought, though. :) 
I had a confusing sort of moment, because I know here in the United States 
if you are convicted of a felony you forfeit certain rights (i.e. to vote), 
but I don't know what those extend to. I consulted my mother about this (a 
dental assistant, for the record), and she said she believes that they still 
have the right to have a will to dispose of their property.

I think the house would go to Tonks (she is Sirius's second cousin, and the 
WW places great significance on blood relations, and I shudder to think of 
the Malfoys or Lestranges inheriting, but maybe the Weasleys), personal 
effects and money split among Tonks, Arthur (cousins, but not as close as 
Tonks), Harry, and Lupin. But we are dealing with wizarding law and that is 
a whole different set of tomes. My guess is as good as anyone else's.

Liz

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