Case for Marauders

[eloise_herisson]

No: HPFGUIDX 110108

RMM said:

> > "Something happens in the 6th year, because Sirius finds his OWN 
> PLACE 
> > TO LIVE between his 6th and 7th years at Hogwarts."
<snip>
> After 6th year, Sirius gets a place on his own, since he has money 
to 
> do so.
> So why not go live with the Potters, who have essentially adopted
> him, 
> and be with his best friend, and save his money?

I actually think that a clue may be found in what you quoted from OoP:

"Yeah, I camped out at your dad's in the school holidays, and when I 
was seventeen I got a place of my own."

The phrase "camped out" suggests that the Potter residence may not 
have been that big and that Sirius was making do with a put-you-up 
bed, etc., not that he had a room of his own or that James' room was 
suited to two. 

Even if there was room for him, it sounds as if Sirius didn't think 
of it as a permanent home even back then. Sirius is proud and I'm 
sure that he would have wanted to be independent as soon as possible. 
In the WW that's when you reach your majority at 17.


RMM:
> Now why do I think he and James were not getting along?
> See what he says next: "I was always welcome at Mr and Mrs Potter's 
> for Sunday lunch, though."
> Note some things about this statement:
> 1.  "welcome at Mr. and Mrs. Potters".  Why didn't he say "the 
> Potters"?  Earlier he said "your dad's".  Now it's "Mr. and Mrs. 
> Potter's".  

Because this was how he referred to them when they were alive. He 
could equally as well have said "your grandparents'" but he didn't 
and the fact that he didn't doesn't mean there's a rift between 
himself and Harry. ;-)

> 2. "for Sunday lunch".  He is welcome at Mr. and Mrs. Potter's for 
> "Sunday lunch"??????  What about any meal or any time of the week?
> For crying out loud, they have practically adopted him!  "Sunday 
> lunch"???

I think this is merely a cultural thing. In saying that he was always 
welcome for *Sunday lunch* he's saying that he was always welcome at 
that meal in the week seen as the quintessential family gathering. 
Not just welcome to drop round for tea or invited to dinner, but 
welcome at the most important family occasion of the week.

I think also that the "always" element of it implies just that; he's 
talking about the fact that he was welcome *for always and forever* 
at the Potters', not just in that final year of school.

> 3.  "though".  "Though" means "in spite of the fact that".  So,
> Sirius 
> is welcome at Mr. and Mrs. Potter's for Sunday lunch, in spite of 
the 
> fact that he was now living on his own????  So he would be more 
> welcome to visit more if he wasn't living on his own?  The Potters
> are 
> upset with him because he is living on his own and so will only 
> welcome him on Sunday at lunch?

No, the opposite. Even though he's chosen to move out, they still 
welcome him. Together with the "always" this can equally well be 
interpreted to mean that even after James had moved out as well, 
Sirius was always welcome to come back to the most important family 
gathering of the week.

~Eloise