Sneakoscope question/werewolf joke!!

[ladyramkin2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 96012

Carol queried: "Had" Scabbers been there all along?  Perhaps I didn't 
express myself very well, but what I meant was Scabbers had been 
there all along, as he practically lives in Ron's pocket.Certainly he 
was there all the time they were on the train, and presumably on the 
way to the station, as a pocket would be the most convenient way of 
conveying him. The trio had established themselves in the 
compartment, sent Ginny off so they could talk in private, and had 
discussed the sleeping Lupin to some extent before the Sneakoscope in 
Harry's trunk went off.  What I wanted to know was: why did it go off 
at that particular moment, unless, as Steve suggested, the mention of 
Lupin's name had woken the sleeping Scabbers, who went into total 
panic and triggered off the Sneakoscope.

BTW Batchevra suggested that DD had advised Lupin to take the train 
because he is so poor.  So what was to stop him apparating into 
Hogsmeade and walking to the castle?  If Lupin hadn't been on the 
train to supply the chocolate after the Dementors' visit, a nice 
state Harry would have been in by the time they reached their 
destination.  I still think DD wanted him on the train to watch over 
the children, knowing the Dementors were coming.

SB4E said "Maybe there was a greater reason than the werewolf joke 
(for Severus to distrust Lupin).  I don't regard trying to get you 
killed by a werewolf as a joke and I don't think Snape did either

Sylvia (who thinks if JKR would like Lupin as a teacher for her own 
child, there can't be much wrong with the man)