Sirius' choices (Was About Animagi, Sirius and a wild theory. . .)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 105200

Amey wrote: 
<snip> Sirius might have been a bully, but he is definitely not the
bad guy or spy. He comes across as a person who lost his best friend
very early in life, and then he is trying to re-live the life. But he
can't now live normal life as he is a person on the run. Also, he
can't do anything to help Order more actively (and can't help to
revenge the murder of his best friend, am I the only person who is
thinking on this track?) Also, he gets enough taunts for being at home
from Severus, and his other best friend (Lupin, i can't think of much
friction between them now that only 2 marauders are remaining in a
sense) is working actively. This all builds up a frustration, about
which he can't talk (being a proud man, not arrogant). So Sirius is
surely one character who needs some sympathy, because his life was not
"Chosen by him" but "chosen for him". <snip>

Carol:
Without going into your characterization of Sirius, which seems to
ignore his reckless streak, and without denying his frustration at
Grimmauld Place, I do want to point out that Sirius did make certain
choices that contributed to his fate. He chose to make Peter secret
keeper in his place; he chose to follow Peter after Godric's Hollow
rather than going to Dumbledore (who would have known that he wasn't
lying and tried to help him); and he chose to go after Peter a second
time, with the specific intent to commit murder, when he escaped from
Azkaban. He also chose (admittedly with better intentions than usual)
to return to England and place himself in jeopardy rather than staying
safely in hiding in some tropical region, to reveal himself by
accompanying Harry in dog form to Platform 9 3/4, and to go to the MoM
despite being advised not to. Of course I understand his reasons for
making all these choices (well, most of them), but the point is that
he chose to do these things and in so doing at least partially shaped
his own fate.

Carol