TBAY: Failure, Dumbledore, Death and Hagrid vs. Lupin

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 54581

It's another late night session at the Royal George, dimly lit by, 
what else, hurricane lamps. Abigail is holding forth:

>>"Exactly.  I don't think Hagrid is going to die at all.  I think
it's going to be Lupin."

The entire table breaks out in cries of "Not Lupin!"

"I know, I know."  Abigail sighs.  "I love him too, and so does JKR.  
But when you think about it, it's obvious that only one of the two - 
Hagrid or Lupin - can die.  Think about it, there's a curious duality 
when it comes to their functions.  They both represent 
marginalized, discriminated-against minorities - werewolves 
and giants.  Why two of them?  It can only be because JKR is 
planning to kill one of them, but still wants to be able to finish
the series with a minority group being accepted into wizarding 
society."

"Why Lupin then?"  Asks Cindy.  "Why not Hagrid, if all we need is 
a representative of a discriminated minority?"

"For several reasons."  Abigail answers.  "First, unlike Lupin's 
lycanthropy, no plot-point hinged on the fact that Hagrid is part 
giant in GoF.  Lupin's being a werewolf is the reason the Peter 
escaped in PoA and partly the reason that he was suspected of 
being a traitor 15 years ago.  The fact that Hagrid is a part giant 
has no such importance, which leads me to believe that it will be 
the root of a new story arc in OotP and beyond.  Also, Hagrid has 
quite a lot of growth coming.  He has a girlfriend and may be 
reunited with his mother.  Are we supposed to believe that all of 
these plots will be resolved before the end of OotP?  Finally, 
unlike Lupin, Hagrid's roles haven't been entirely usurped by 
other characters.  I've already mentioned that Hagrid took over 
Lupin's role as a minority representative, but at the end of PoA, 
his role as one of Harry's fathers - the father as guardian and 
teacher - was usurped by Sirius.  Lupin no longer has a function 
in the books.  Add to that the fact that he's showing up in OotP 
and I'm afraid it's bye-bye Remus."<<

Pippin clears her throat. Cindy grips her paddle. Abigail realizes 
her error and, far too late, claps a hand over her mouth. Marina 
hunts vainly for a religious symbol, or maybe a stake.  Melody's 
got a sword...but Melody is smiling. For all that she's never been 
able to convince Pippin that there's anything to Magic 
Dishwasher, the fact remains that without at least the possibility 
of Evil!Lupin, Dishwasher is no soap.

Pippin sips at her glass of mysterious red liquid. "What's Lupin 
got to do? I'll tell you what he's got to do. He's got to betray
Harry, that's what he's got to do. *That's* why there's a curious 
duality about Lupin. He's ever so evil!

Anyway, I'm pretty sure JKR said somewhere that Lupin would 
be around through Book 7. Which only makes sense. Your villain 
has to die in the last ditch."

"But" says Abigail, " if Hagrid and Lupin are both eliminated, 
who's going to be the minority accepted into wizarding society? "

Pippin grins. "Vampire!Snape, of course. Anyway, suppose Lupin 
dies, apparently a hero, and only the Trio knows of his treachery.  
Ron's decision to keep the secret in order to protect other 
werewolves will prove that he's truly overcome his prejudice, 
while making it perfectly clear that, even though Lupin is evil, JKR 
believes prejudice is wrong."

Pippin