Crying wolf?

B Arrowsmith arrowsmithbt at btconnect.com
Tue Sep 30 13:55:02 UTC 2003


No: HPFGUIDX 81918

Here we go again.
Some rapid responses from posters (that's nice!) but IMO some of them 
are in auto-mode (not so nice).

Most make the same points as objections, so I'll take the first in line 
(Fawkes970) as the exemplar.

Fawkes(me): I would like to see the canon where they say hagrid
raises werewolf cubs under his bed......


Kneasy:
OK, this has been confirmed as being in the text by Melody (81875).
But, as Pippin points out (81885) JKR said in interview that this is a 
slander. So be it; her word is law. But it would have been useful if it 
had been denied in the text. How many other statements or comments are 
similarly untrue without any textual hint that they are false? 
Something else to worry about.

 >
Fawkes: They never say he isnt effected. Of course he is effected,
and he is also a fully trained wizard who has already been a member
of the Order. You think he wouldnt know the Patronus? the patronus
is why he wasnt effected on the train, and for the scene with all
the dementors at the end of PoA: he wasnt there- he was in the woods as 
a werewolf.
 >

Kneasy:
It's the train I'm on about. (PoA pp 65-67 UK ed.) In this episode 
Lupin does not produce a patronus until late in the encounter. The 
carriage goes dark; confusion; Lupin produces a handful of flames which 
illuminate the carriage. These are still in his hand when the Dementor 
appears. Harry passes out. Lupin then steps over Harry, approaching the 
Dementor and *talks* to it. It is only when it doesn't go that he 
produces a patronus. The Dementor has no effect on him at all, 
according to the text.

 >
Fawkes: we have been over this many a time. Lupin is in his office
while the entire scene with Padfoot on the school grounds takes
place. He is looking at the map and sees Sirius' name on it. First
he wants to go and get sirius, however he notices a fifth member
with them: Peter. Without even thinking he knows what is going on
and has to get there to find out the entire story w/o peter or
sirius being hurt to the point where they cannot defend themselves.
That simple.
 >

Kneasy:Yes, this has been picked over many times, but contrary opinions 
are what this site thrives on. Additionally, I can't remember an 
occasion when the listers have managed to second-guess JKR when she 
goes into misdirection mode. I'm keeping my options open on this one.
Yes, he sees Sirius and Peter on the Marauders Map, at least while they 
are within the grounds of Hogwarts.
At that time he has no idea that Sirius had transferred his Secret 
Keeper duties to Peter (PoA p 252 UK  ed.). No one has. Yet the first 
thing he does after disarming Harry is to put the words into Sirius' 
mouth. All Sirius has to do is nod. No demands as to what's happening, 
no questions. No argument, persuasion or exposition needed; the later 
questioning of Peter is redundant. Lupin *knows*.
Just seeing the names on the map would not have given him this 
immediate grasp  of the situation. The first natural reaction would be 
a toss-up between "Sirius! Harry's in danger!" and "Peter! He's not 
dead after all! What the hell is going on?" Remember, at this stage 
Peter still is assumed to be an innocent victim. So he rushes off, from 
his office to the Shack.  Without telling anyone.
But somehow he has  all the answers, just from the map. Likely?

 >
Fawkes: almost every name given represents the character being
portrayed ast that time. Hence, lupin is given his name for being a
werewolf in the story. You are taking it way too far to suspect his
parents named him when really: JKR did so just cool it with that
one, thanks.
 >

Kneasy:
It still  bothers me. Yes, we get character hints from some names; but 
Remus Lupin isn't a hint, it's a screaming neon sign. Yet he does not 
fulfill the preconception of how a werewolf is expected  to behave.
In the original post I mention the Werewolf Register and that Remus 
should be on it. I had hoped that a poster would pick up on this, but 
no-one has. (Wake up at the back, there!) So it's up to me to annoy 
some more.
The only reason to have a WwR is to keep track of werewolves. Does 
anybody suppose that no checks are made on those listed? That in all 
the years Remus was at school no-one in the know asked where he was? 
But if he's  entered under an assumed name there would be no indication 
that he was at Hogwarts, so avoiding a fuss.
A supposition, yes, but a reasonable one.

"Just cool it" huh? No questions allowed - is that what you mean?
Sorry, can't oblige.
In five books we've been presented with a series of puzzles 
interspersed with plot twists. Now, Lupin may be good or bad; I'm not 
absolutely certain myself. But I do believe he is part of a plot twist. 
Somewhere in a future book will be a revelation. Looking for clues and 
pointers is part of the game. Sitting tight and accepting the 
prevailing consensus is boring. If you don't want to play, fair enough. 
Leave it to those who do. I'm quite happy to accept that I may be 
wrong, I've said that before. Maybe some others aren't so relaxed about 
it. Sad for them.

Kneasy

P.S. to Laura-
Trashed Sirius? In this case the trashing is in the eye of the beholder 
IMO. Sorry if you see it that way. If a dissection of a character's own 
words exposes apparent gaps and anomalies, don't blame the messenger, 
send a stiff note to JKR asking her what she's up to.






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