James' Choice (Was Marauders' Map, Marauders and Voldemort)

[mhbobbin]

No: HPFGUIDX 109364

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" 
<susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:
> mhbobbin wrote:
> >>>Sirius suspected Lupin. Lupin suspected Sirius [ Shrieking Shack
> scene]. James had to make a choice as to who the most likely spy
> was. I wonder how James made that choice. 
> 
> We know James chose Sirius rather than Lupin---the inference is
> that  James thought Lupin was the spy. We're told why Pettigrew 
was 
> not  thought to be the spy and was still trusted. Did James think 
> Lupin  was the spy because he was a werewolf? Did James have other 
> yet  unrevealed reasons to suspect Lupin had an alliance with 
> Voldemort?<<<
> 
>  
> Meri: 
> >>I don't think that the fact that James eventually chose
> Sirius (before choosing Peter) is any indication that he didn't
> trust Lupin. I think it is more of an indication that Sirius was 
his
> *best friend*. He and Black were, as is said by many people, like
> brothers. And Lupin, no matter how much he and James cared for each
> other, just weren't close as sibs. 
> <snip>
> Who knows, maybe he flipped a coin.<<
> 
> mhobbin responded:
> > Perhaps it was as simple as James and Sirius being inseparable, 
> > causing James to choose Sirius. And perhaps it was as 
> > straightforward as the process of elimination that made Lupin 
the 
> > odd man out in the foursome, and the likely spy. After all, the 
> > last minute switch of Secret Keeper was not even revealed to DD 
> > and I hardly believe that DD was under suspicion.
> > 
> > If James trusted Sirius as a brother, as Meri describes above, 
it 
> > is also likely that James shared Sirius' mistrust of Remus. The 
> > last minute switch was perhaps designed to fool Remus--after 
all, 
> > Remus believed that Sirius was the Secret Keeper. That 
information 
> > alone would have been useful to LV.
> > 
> > What I'd like to know is what about Remus made James and Sirius 
> > think he was the spy. Process of elimination? Prejudice of 
> > werewolves? Or something else not yet revealed?  
> 
> SSSusan:
> I may be reading this thread incorrectly, but if I've understood, 
> then the question is, why did James choose Sirius and NOT Lupin as 
> Secret Keeper.  If I've read it correctly, then I'm with Meri.  I 
> don't think there's any reason to assume that James thought Lupin 
> was a spy.  This may be simplistic on my part, but perhaps the 
> reason Lupin wasn't chosen was that it just wasn't considered 
smart 
> to choose a werewolf...who might be out of commission at some 
> crucial point when contact needed to be made.
> 
> For *me*, I just don't see any reason to read all that much into 
the 
> choice.  In other words, I don't see that NOT choosing Lupin means 
> that we're to infer that James suspected he was the spy.
> 
> Siriusly Snapey Susan

mhobbin writes:

Except that Lupin WAS under suspicion. At least by Sirius, who had 
the trust of James.

In the Shrieking Shack , <<PoAChapter 19: The Servant of Lord 
Voldemort>>, Pettigrew says to Lupin " You don't believe 
this...wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"
Lupin: "Not if he thought I was the spy Peter. I assume that's why
you didn't tell me, Sirius."
Sirius: "Forgive me Remus" 
Lupin: "Not at all, Padfoot, old friend. And will you,in turn, 
forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

Remus suspected Sirius. Sirius suspected Remus. Equal weight.  What 
did James think? Considering what was at stake, it is hard for me to 
imagine that Sirius and Remus, each, did not share their suspicions 
about the other with James.

The inference from James' subsequent actions was that he chose 
Sirius, not Remus, to trust. And then  chose Peter, upon Sirius' 
advice. Remus was not kept informed of this switch.  Odd man out of 
the four friends. IMO, under suspicion. 

We know more about Sirius than Remus. On paper, Sirius might look 
like a candidate for Spy.  His family background. His DE brother. 
His ability to pull that WW Prank back at Hogwarts. His 
recklessness. Remus, to date, has been presented as a thoughtful 
person with a chronic contagious illness. One skilled enough in Dark 
Arts to be one of the best teachers.  We don't know much else. Yet.

But my question that began the Thread, was on what information did 
James make his fateful decision. Trust of Sirius and perhaps, some 
reason not to trust Remus. Whether you agree with that conclusion or 
not, stay with me for a moment--you've read this far-- because I 'm 
going to argue a separate conclusion that might make you happier.  

DD advised James to make DD the Secret Keeper. James chose otherwise.
When James was faced with the dilemma of determining which friend 
was ratting him out, the choice was between Sirius and Remus. So 
far, IMO, the indications are that James chose to trust Sirius and 
not Remus.  What if James didn't choose one but chose a Plan B, some 
arrangement with checks and balances, one that Sirius /Pettigrew did 
not know. Remus did not know about the last minute switch between 
Sirius and Pettigrew. Was there another arrangement between James 
and Remus that Sirius didn't know?  

I agree that it is hard to imagine James believing that Remus was 
likely to rat him out. But Sirius did believe that, whether or not 
James agreed. And DD only trusted himself to be the SK, not any of 
the three friends. There's something really odd about Remus [shiver] 
and I think he's hiding more of a secret than his illness.

mhbobbin