The Timing of Lupin (long)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 109860

mindy bindy  wrote:
> I've read both the great theories on this thread and the "Whomping 
> Willow" thread and the thing that struck me most was that people 
> (especially Dumbledore) have gone to a lot of trouble for Lupin, 
> and it's somehow hard to see why. In a truly pragmatic sense, he 
> hasn't so far been worth that much risk.
> 
> Firstly, DD as a newish headmaster plants ot transplants a magical 
> tree, sets up a tunnel and builds or enchants a shack in order to 
> contain one pupil. We hear nothign of other werewolf children this 
> set-up was used for. Lupin in turn is a good student and becomes a 
> prefect, although he does make some unsuitable friends and chooses 
> not to tell DD that they're unlicensed Animagi.
> 
> Then, at a time when it would be most useful, DD hires him as a 
> teacher, despite having the same dangerous affliction. He does not 
> need the shack now, as Snape (his old school-friends' enemy) makes 
> a potion to keep him safe. Lupin, it needs noting, teaches Harry an 
> advanced  protective charm.
> 
> He fails DD again by forgetting to take it (on an understandably 
> stressful night) and roams the forest, risking the lives of 
> children (who could not only be eaten but be infected). He then 
> resigns, and disappears for a year. However, DD seems to know that 
> he's still "active" or likely to rejoin the Order - since he told 
> Sirius to find him and hide at his *cough*ship*cough* house. That 
> makes me wonder if DD and Lupin had been in contact over the GOF 
> year.
> 
> Since then, he hasn't done anything of importance except stop Harry 
> from running through the archway.
> 
> The thing is (again) there's been a *lot* of effort made to train 
> and help this person/creature, and not much repayment. 


SSSusan:
I disagree with the strength of the statements made here re: the 
degree of risk taken for Lupin's sake vs. the worth of Lupin's 
contributions.  I'll start off right away acknowledging that as a 
student, Lupin & buddies took tremendous, sometimes stupid risks 
*and* that on the night of the SS incident Lupin failed to take his 
potion.  He HAS made mistakes; risks have been present.   But I 
wouldn't go so far as to say they weren't really worth the payoff.

I think Lupin's contributions *have* been significant or at 
least "worth it."  In the beginning, as a student, DD took him and 
set the stage for being able to say to the world at large, "See?  
Discrimination against a werewolf is unnecessary."  Lupin made it 
through 7 years, became a prefect, and almost the entire student body 
was none the wiser.  [Yes, there are still those pesky "what ifs" 
regarding the Marauder risks, but nothing awful DID happen in the 
end.]  DD is a man who believes that wizards need to treat their 
fellows and those creatures "lesser" than themselves better than they 
have done.  He took the risk, he made a (quiet) stand, but at any 
time he could have pointed out that it had worked.  In that way Lupin 
was sort of a "test case" and I'd argue that turned out to be worth 
the risk.  No, we don't know of any more werewolf children who've 
come to Hogwarts, but if another appeared on the scene, would DD take 
him/her in?  Based on his experience w/ Lupin, I think he would.  
[And he might watch him/her more closely!]

As an adult, I think it was extremely important that Lupin was with 
Harry and Hogwarts that year of PoA.  He taught Harry the patronus, 
he helped the students as a whole face their fears through the 
boggart, he showed them some *important* stuff in DADA for a change.  
He also served Harry as a trusted teacher/mentor.

With OotP I think it's an understatement to say all he did of 
importance was stop Harry from going through the veil.  He led the 
advance guard at the start of the year; he took the lead in 
addressing the Dursleys again at the end of the year.  His role with 
the Order—similar to that of Molly, Kingsley, and many others—wasn't 
spelled out clearly.  We did find out what Hagrid was doing, and we 
know Snape is doing SOMETHING important and dangerous, and we know 
Order members are taking turns pulling guard duty in the MoM.  We 
know Lupin was present at meetings and helping with planning.  That's 
about all we know.  Just because we don't know the specifics of what 
these folks are doing doesn't mean they're not contributing.  I guess 
I'm asking, is there a reason to suspect that Lupin, especially, has 
added nothing worthwhile to the cause?  I'd think that *Sirius* is 
the one whose contributions would be questioned, since he was unable 
to get out and do much.  But why Lupin?  

Also, now that he's NOT teaching at Hogwarts and so isn't tied to a 
job position that makes it difficult to disappear for a couple of 
days each month, what is the risk to the Order of having him in it?  

Siriusly Snapey Susan