Question about Lupin

[kiricat2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 88973

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Christy" <christyj2323 at y...> 
wrote:
> In flipping through the reecent posts about the Marauders, I've been
> struck by the number of people who are working on theories that one 
or
> all of the Marauders were in Slytherin.

Now me, Marianne:
Christy, I'm one of those people, but I'm truly not wed to the idea 
that MWPP were Slytherins.  I think that cases can easily be made for 
James and Sirius, and I've tended to argue in that direction lately 
simply because it strikes me that JKR has left the door, at least for 
those two characters, wide open. 

Peter is somewhat ambiguous - he doesn't seem to have an obvious dose 
of Gryffindor bravery in the common, accepted sense of that trait.  
In other words, he doesn't seem to be capable of standing on his own 
to face a challenge that he knows is bigger than he is. He's always 
struck me as someone who will do whatever he has to do to survive, 
which fits quite nicely into Phineas Nigellus' statement about 
Slytherins being (bad paraphrase here) willing to do whatever they 
have to do to survive. Slytherins will not fight a fight they know 
they can't win.  Instead, they'll fold their tents and wait until the 
weather clears.  Not particularly brave, but certainly it gives them 
a better opportunity to ensure their genes make it into the next 
generation.

Remus is the wild card in this.  I don't really see him as a 
Slytherin, either. But, maybe there are things we don't yet know 
about him.  I think a commen perception of Remus is of someone 
desperate to fit in and to hide his affliction.  Also he can be seen 
as someone who knows he has been given a great opportunity to attend 
Hogwarts and he will do whatever he can to succeed there.  

So, why can't that be Slytherin-ish? Remus' great motivation during 
his school years could have been his ambition to get as much 
knowledge and learning that he could while at Hogwarts, while keeping 
his lycanthropy secret.  He could certainly have these traits as a 
Slytherin, couldn't he?
 
Christy:
> Now, I could see where Sirius could have been sorted into 
Slytherin. I
> could also just as easily see him in Gryffindor. James could also go
> either way (just as Harry could have, or several other students that
> I'm entirely sure the Sorting Hat took some time thinking over).
> 
> My question however is, what makes somebody think that Remus Lupin
> could have been in Slytherin? The only way this theory makes sense 
is
> if you say the Hat simply put him there cause it needed to fill a
> space (A theory I don't buy, or else why bother putting any
> personalities to the houses at all. I doubt JKR just put it there
> cause it sounded cute).

Marianne:
See above.  I agree, filling space is not a good reason.

Christy:
> IMHO, Remus almost had to be a Gryffindor. And if I was forced to 
pick
> another house, it'd be Ravenclaw. Remus is talented and smart but
> clearly was a foolish child (as most children tend to be) who got 
into
> trouble. But instead of curling into a ball and hiding, he tried to 
go
> to school and in fact risked the danger of other people finding out.
> He lives his life, essentially, as a poor scholar because he can't
> find a job, but he keeps going.
> 
> One of his friends was a traitor and the other two were killed but
> Remus manages to go on (and yes, I know all about the theories that
> Remus killed Sirius. I don't buy that).

Marianne:
Me neither.  It just doesn't ring true to me.
Christy:
> All of that takes a degree of courage, strength of heart so to 
speak.
> That's what Gryffindor house is all about. (I'm sure it's also 
obvious
> that I'm quite fond of Lupin).

Marianne:
As am I.  I really don't know why I feel this compulsion to argue how 
MWPP could have been Slytherins.  I just do.  I think it's because 
JKR has not seen fit to spell out in big, capital letters what house 
MWPP were in.  It just has that feel to it that there is a surprise 
awaiting Harry in this, and the only house that would surprise him 
would be Slytherin.
 
Marianne