Absolutist/Boggart&Patronus/HappyMarriage/Floo$/Evil/NameMagic/Martyrdom/Rats

[huntergreen_3]

No: HPFGUIDX 105605

Andromeda wrote:
>>This appears to me to possibly be a big difference between the
upbringings of Harry and those of Tom Riddle and Sirius Black (some
posters have been discussing the similarities/differences). However
much the Dursleys detested and abused Harry, they did love each other
and Dudley. Tom and Sirius had no such examples, as far as we know.<<

HunterGreen:
I tend to believe that Sirius, at least, didn't have a particularily 
traumatic childhood. We have very limited knowledge of them, but just 
because they were rich pure-blood enthusiasts doesn't mean they 
didn't love their children. We have a good example of such a family 
in the Malfoys, who do appear to love Draco. Yes, Sirius did run 
away, but that was after he started radically disagreeing with their 
beliefs. And his mother was upset enough by his leaving to blast his 
name off the tapestry. Would she had bothered if she didn't care 
about him? From the little we know of child-Sirius he doesn't show 
any signs of being abused or unloved. He may have been perfectly 
happy with his family until he went to school (and realized how odd 
their ideals were).

>>Sirius, for heaven's sake, grew up in a house where they cut off the
servants' heads when they got too old. And put them on the wall.
Urgh! And people expect him to behave like a normal person???!!<<

HunterGreen:
But for the most part he does. I think Sirius just doesn't think 
things out very well. As in the case of the prank, he just thought it 
would "serve Snape right" (which, if the situation were less dire, it 
would), and didn't go far enough to realize the full impact of it 
(like Snape dying or being bitten and turned into a werewolf himself, 
and what would happen to Lupin in either of those scenarios). Adult 
Sirius continues to do that, with the secret-keeper switch and going 
after Peter before considering his own innocence first, and so on. I 
doubt this is dictated by his childhood, seems to be more of a trait 
of his than anything else, just a part of his personality.