Sirius & Molly (WAS: Dumbledore, Leader of Men (and Women) (was: Chapter Discussions: Chapter 4)

[ghinghapuss]

No: HPFGUIDX 84019

Debbie Wrote:
> I've criticized Molly's parenting on a number of fronts in the 
past.  Molly's a lot like my own mother in that respect.   
Overprotectiveness is not a good thing, but it does show the depth of 
her caring for her children and Harry.  So while I don't excuse it, I 
know where it's coming from.
<Snip> who would infinitely prefer Molly's smothering to the 
Dursleys' neglect


Now me:  
Absolutely.  No matter how I might disagree with some of Molly's 
decisions and 'smothering' at times you can't deny she has raised 7 
good, kind, generous, strong willed and intelligent children. (I'm 
including Percy even though I disagree with his decisions.)  

Molly knows exactly what she has achieved and has every reason to be 
a proud Mother who has every right to pass judgment on a man who has 
spent all his adult life in prison.  

>From our point of view Molly could do with being more accepting of 
Sirius, because we know more of him than she does, we know just how 
innocent he really is, how he cares for Harry and how he has suffered 
for the last 15 years. But from Molly's point of view, even though 
she knows he is innocent, he is a man who has spent those 15 years in 
the company of hardened criminals, evil wizards and Dementors.  She 
knows very well that has got to affect a person deeply 
psychologically.  In Molly's opinion, and I agree with her, that 
Sirius, as a parent, is an unacceptable risk right now as Harry is 
such a precious commodity to be protected at all costs. In peacefully 
times I'm sure things would be different.

Sirius had yet to prove himself to Molly. She sets a very high 
standard and when you look at the strength of the man she is married 
to-Arthur, the man she looks up to as a leader-Dumbledore and her own 
personal strength, I again don't blame her for being so judgmental. 

And as for Sirius, he strikes me a the sort of man who wouldn't go 
out of his way to prove himself to anyone, so you can see a stalemate 
would have resulted for probably many years or until a extreme 
situation forced them to accept each other. Unfortunately that will 
never happen, as Sirius is dead.

Mandy.