Is Lupin James?

[mhbobbin]

No: HPFGUIDX 109680

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mumweasley7" 
<shalimar07 at a...> wrote:
>  In Book 3 Prisoner of Azkaban: Shrieking Shack  
> Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixedly at Black.  The 
professor 
> walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so 
> Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother.
> Notice 'gazing fixedly' - really looking him over. And embraced 
Black 
> like a brother.
> 
> In Book 5 OOtP, Sirius is explaining his family to Harry when he 
says 
> he went to live with James' family after his family rejected him 
and 
> they treated him like their own son.
> 
> Is the reason Lupin doesn't touch Harry simply because he's so 
> overcome with emotion that he can't afford to give away his secret 
> and therefore chooses not embrace his son, and also why he shivers 
to 
> hear Harry talk about his mother's screams?
> 
> MumWeasley7

mhbobbin:

This is the theory I was alluding to when trying to work through 
James' state of mind when he made the decision to make Sirius the 
Secret Keeper in my post on "James Choice" a couple days ago or 
yesterday(it all melds together).  There is the theory out there 
that since in the WW, the soul is a tangible body part that James 
and Lupin could have switched souls. The Galedriel Waters book puts 
forth this theory as well as some other posters. This theory places 
James' soul in Lupin's body and visa versa through some sort of 
switching spell. Note that we've heard about switchings spells but 
haven't seen any in action. This would mean that James/Lupin entity 
is James' soul stuck in Lupin's body, complete with werewolf 
transformations and that Remus/Potter entity died at Godric Hollow 
in James' body.

I like and dislike this theory for these reasons:
Like:
1. It explains Lupin's oddly emotional reactions to Harry and 
particularly Harry's discussion of hearing his parents' voices.
(shiver) and now that we know that LV may be able to see into 
Harry's mind, explains why Lupin doesn't want to touch Harry while 
he'll touch anyone else. He only touches Harry in the Veil scene to 
hold him back--an emergency. To underscore the touching thing, the 
last line that JKR gives to Lupin in OOtp is "Keep in Touch".

2. It satisfies what I was trying to work through in the 
post "James' choice"---What was James' state of mind? He rejected 
DD's concern about the spy in his inner circle and made one of his 
three friends the Secret Keeper. James is presented sometimes as 
arrogant but it is hard to imagine him rejecting DD's concern even 
as he rejected DD's offer to be the Secret Keeper. How on earth 
could he have chosen between Sirius and Remus as his Betrayer, while 
of course, rejecting the true rat.

We learn in the Shrieking Shack scene that at the time this decision 
was made, Sirius suspected Lupin of being the Spy. Lupin suspected 
Sirius. James' actions by making Sirius the Secret Keeper suggests 
that James put his trust in Sirius, and did not trust Lupin. James 
and Sirius did not tell Lupin about the last minute switch to 
Pettigrew.  Well, as other posters indicate, it IS hard to imagine 
Lupin so distrusted. But that is what was presented to us IMO. 

If this theory follows, then the Remus/Potter entity made the switch 
to Sirius at the last minute. What this confusing theory suggests is 
that James, perhaps, rather than choose between Remus and Sirius 
tried to hedge his bets. Why make the switch?  To leave Remus' soul 
in James Potter body would mean that Remus was risking his life and 
would likely be killed by LV if found, therefore, it was a way for 
Remus to prove his trustworhiness. Also a Remus/Potter entity could 
not bring LV to Godric Hollow and is therefore neutralized as a 
threat. (Lily was in on the switch, of course) Remus/Potter was left 
to guard the home at Godric's Hollow.  James/Lupin went somewhere? 
Why? Was there something only he needed to do that only he could do?

Perhaps it was James' intent to make Sirius the Secret Keeper but at 
the last minute, on Sirius's suggestion Remus/Potter makes Pettigrew 
the Secret Keeper. By  making Pettigrew the Secret Keeper, a 
distrustful Remus/Potter also ensured that a distrusted Sirius could 
not betray Potter. Unfortunately, they were ratted out anyway but 
thanks to Lily, Harry survives.

Why I dislike this theory:
1) If James' soul survives in Lupin's body, why does he disappear 
for an entire year in GOF? No note to Harry.  NO visits. Nada. Why 
would a James/Lupin entity allow Sirius to step up to paternal role 
and form such a close bond with his own son? Of the two friends, it 
is Lupin that gives Harry better fatherly advice, but he has allowed 
the bond with Sirius to be greater. I don't get it. (But then Lupin 
is such a tragic emotional character.)And it would have been logical 
for Lupin to have continued his relationship with Harry after PoA...

2) If James did all this, Lupin's holding a very big secret--(I do 
believe that Lupin is holding a very big secret)-it was one thing 
not to reveal himself by PoA, but by OotP, why hasn't he told Sirius 
or DD.  Why hasn't DD read his mind?  There is some suggestion in 
the books that Lupin is a Legiwhatsy but there is no suggestion that 
he is a Occlumens.

The theory for the switching was fed by the confusion that JKR 
created in some editions of GoF when the shadows come out of the 
wands. In this theory, James' body  would come out because Remus 
died in James' body just as James must now undergo werewolf 
transformations in Lupin's body. Therefore, Lily must never be put 
in a position of saying to Harry "Here comes your father." This 
theory was also fed by the Thing-That-Must-Not-Be-Named because they 
only used Lily's voice and not any voice that Harry could interpret 
as being his father's. Recall how Lupin reacts in the Book when 
Harry tells Lupin that he heard his father. Oddly emotional.

I'm not sold on this Switching Theory but I still think something 
odd is going on with Lupin and something LIKE this is possibly the 
cause.

mhbobbin