Lupin and Leadership (was: James, Lupin, and the Head Boy Badge)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 85133

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:
> Abigail:
> > 
> > Lupin reaches out to Snape all through PoA.  He calls him 
> >Severus,  treats him cordially despite Snape's obvious 
> >rudeness and blatant  distrust.

 Pippin:
> Well, if somebody had pulled the Boggart thing on me, it'd take 
> more than using my first name to make me believe the purpose 
> was to put the past behind us, especially if that past was 
> anything like what we saw in the Pensieve.
> 
> I find it hard to believe that Lupin had no choice but to handle 
> Neville's boggart the way he did. Suppose Neville's boggart had 
> been Harry.  What would you think of Lupin's methods then? 


Jen R.: Lupin repeatedly proves himself to be an advocate for the 
students throughout POA and OOTP. I think the boggart thing was less 
about thwarting Snape and more about supporting Neville. Just as 
Snape humiliates, threatens and picks on Neville in the public arena 
of his classroom, Lupin made the choice to allow Neville to work 
through some of his fears in a public setting as well, with the same 
children who have to endure seeing Neville endlessly bullied. I saw 
it less as "rub Snape's nose in it" and more like providing some 
much needed catharsis for all the Gryffindor students who suffer 
under Snape's tutelage. 

Snape's an adult--he can hate Lupin all he wants for that 
demonstration and I can't say I'd blame him, but I was glad to see 
Lupin prioritize Neville's fears over Snape's possible future 
animosity. In three years, no one else seems to have stepped up to 
help Neville, to the point that Snape became his greatest fear--and 
after the life he's had, that says a lot!