The Timing of Lupin (long)

[meltowne]

No: HPFGUIDX 109866

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" 
<susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:
> 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?  

I get the feeling DD set Lupin up to be a new Father-figure for 
Harry.  Of the 4 Marauders, James was dead, Peter was thought dead, 
and Sirius was thought to have been the spy.  In POA, who better than 
Lupin to keep watch over Harry while Sirius is on the loose - Lupin 
was one of his best friends, and might be the only one who can 
effectively protect Harry - or at least be the one who can gain 
Harry's trust enough to do so.  Snape is certainly powerful enough to 
do it, but doesn't have the same kind of motivation.  I get the 
impression that aside from Sirius, Lupin was James's best friend, 
with Peter a distant third.

By the end of POA, Lupin is compromised as a teacher, and cannot 
return to Hogwarts.  Since DD know Sirius was not the spy, and is not 
out to kill Harry, Lupin is not needed to protect Harry directly.  He 
is sent on other business - who knows, maybe he was out looking for 
signs of LV, meeting up with other werewolves, or other "creatures" 
who might become allies.

By OoP, DD knows that Sirius isn't going to be cleared, and is a bit 
of a liability.  By the end of OoP, Harry has lost his father and his 
godfather.  Dumbledore cannot afford to be a father-figure to him, 
because of the connection with LV, so Lupin is the logical choice to 
step up to that role.  It's also possible that Petunia knows Lupin - 
we don't know how much Lily stayed in touch with any of the other 
students, but we Know Petunia knew James.

I think there is something about Lupin that is being hidden from 
Harry, and thus us.  Why, for instance, was Lupin a Prefect, yet 
James became Head Boy?  What was Lily's relationship with Lupin up 
until 7th year?  They were both Prefects, and must have spent time 
together.  In 5th year, we see her tell James to leave SS alone, 
while Lupin just sits there, unable to control his friends - much 
like Hemione tries to get F&G to behave.  Were Lupin and Lily as 
close as Ron and Hermione?