An ironic Sirius quote

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 96633

Gina wrote:
Sirius like many of us is good but has a short fuse. If Kreacher
left him alone I wager he would leave Kreacher alone, but he Kreacher
bated him by saying things just loud enough to be heard (we know on
purpose) Sirius could not help arguing back or saying something in
return. Kreacher was trying to get under his skin.

Carol responds:
Your post raises a question that I've been wondering about: What would
have been the right way to deal with Kreacher? Obviously Kreacher
would reject any overture of friendship from Sirius just as he
rejected Hermione's (not that I can imagine Sirius offering friendship
to an "inferior" (his own word relating to Winky and Mr. Crouch). And
ordering him "Out!" was obviously ill-considered (I'd say "foolish,"
but I'm trying not to irk the Sirius fans). Should he have ordered
Kreacher to stop muttering and do some specific task? It's possible to
give an order firmly yet politely. And surely Sirius could have given
him a clean tea towel, making clear that it was not to be regarded as
"clothes," and insisted that he wear it. He could also have provided
better sleeping quarters and the means of taking a bath. Allowing him
to sleep in that den, unwashed and wearing nothing but a filthy
loincloth, reinforced his status as a "Creature," not a being but a beast.

Carol