Is Lupin James? (related to James' Choice as well)

[mhbobbin]

No: HPFGUIDX 109830

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "inkling108" <inkling108 at y...> 
wrote:
> >Liss wrote: 
> > The other thing that comes to mind concerning the Lupin/James 
> switch is that Lupin had no clue that Peter was the Secret 
Keeper.  Unless Lupin and James made the switch before Sirius 
suggested making Peter Secret Keeper (which WAS a last minute 
thing),  shouldn't he know? 
> 
Inkling now:
> 
>snip> 
> I think there is also pretty compelling psychological evidence 
> against it -- the way Lupin talks about his childhood as a 
werewolf, and how much it meant to him to finally be accepted by the 
other  marauders.  Even the tone of self disgust he adopts when he 
explains  why he didn't tell Dumbledore Sirius was an animagus.

"It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I 
 was at school...and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me.  
> He let me into Hogwarts as a boy...."
> 
> These are the memories and emotions of Lupin, not James.
> 
> (By the way I too think he has a secret, but this isn't it.)
> 
mhbobbin:
I think there's general consensus by posters that the Switching 
Theory has holes big enough to drive a truck through, and it is 
highly unlikely that James is Lupin. But thinking about this brings 
me back to when James decided to make Sirius his Secret Keeper. 

When James switched to Pettigrew, they did not tell Remus. There's 
the discussion in the Shrieking Shack, Ch 19, PoA, when Sirius 
admits he thought  Lupin was the Spy. Lupin, in turn, thought Sirius 
was the Spy.  We cannot know for sure who James thought was a spy, 
however, he subsequently chose Sirius to be his Secret Keeper, and 
when he then decided on Pettigrew, did not tell Lupin. That is a 
suggestion of James' thoughts. Why was Lupin not told? That's why I 
don't accept that James originally chose Sirius simply because he 
was the bestest friend, like a brother.

James had been warned by DD that there was a spy close to him. James 
declined to make DD the Secret Keeper. It's hard to imagine that 
James dismissed DD's warning of a Spy so close to him, isn't it? 
With the lives of Lily and Baby Harry  at stake. James is often 
accused of arrogance by Snape. Yet possibly, here is the ultimate 
example of arrogance by James--turning down DD's offer, believing he 
knew how to get around a rat so close to him. (since no one other 
than his three school friends has yet been presented as close to 
James, I believe that the choice was between the three friends and 
not some one not yet met.)

How foolish was it of James to decline DD's offer to be SK? Very 
foolish as it turned out. So was James just blinded by his 
confidence in own ability to discern the motives of others or did 
something else happen here?

So this is the dilemma. In my view, either:

A. James, being arrogant or over-confident, thought he knew who the 
Spy was. (I don't believe that James dismissed the warning of a Spy 
by DD but that's a possibility as well)  Since he subsequently made 
arrangements with Sirius and Pettigrew but NOT Lupin, the question 
is did he have reason to suspect Lupin? Lupin is always presented as 
giving good advice, being sensitive to the feelings of others, 
remaining calm when the discussion isn't --there's nothing about 
Lupin that would make him stand out as untrustworthy. The reckless 
characteristics of Sirius would more likely give one pause. IF James 
had a reason to suspect Lupin, THAT might be related to the secret 
that many of us believe Lupin is hiding. (other than ESE Lupin 
theories or that Lupin is a wild werewolf wanting to rip people 
apart every month. To say that James chose Sirius just because he 
was closer to him, and nothing personal to Lupin, is-- IMO--to say 
that James didn't take DD's warning seriously.

OR 

B. James hedged his bets somehow. He made the SK arrangement with 
Sirius but neutralized Lupin with a separate arrangement with him, 
thus James thought he had neutralized both Lupin and Sirius, but 
then at Sirius last minute advice, became vulnerable to the true 
rat. The Switching Theory accomplishes this but for all the reasons 
discussed in this thread, raises other questions. And maybe that 
other arrangement is the Secret that Lupin is hiding. In addition, 
we don't know where Lupin was in the year of GOF--which makes no 
sense to me--or what his mission is for the Order. Lupin stays at 
Grimauld Place but disappears for long periods--and it doesn't seem 
to be related to his werewolf problem. 

Whatever the secret, I believe that Lupin is so intent on keeping it 
secret still, that he won't even shake Harry's hand (twice in OotP 
he shakes everyone else's hand but not Harry's) perhaps fearful that 
LV would find out about it. WE're told over and over that Harry is 
distressed by DD not making eye contact. But we learn why that makes 
sense and may be a diversion from the whole Lupin / Harry thing. 
Keep in Touch.


mhbobbin