Contacting Sirius

[Mike Pachuta]

No: HPFGUIDX 108328

Hey everyone,

In OotP, when Harry is packing to go home for the summer holiday, he notices 
the mirror Sirius gave him, with the note on the back that says something to 
the effect of, "Just say my name and you will be able to contact me.  James 
and I used to use it when we were in different detentions."  (I don't have 
my book handy, so I'm sure the exact wording is incorrect!)

Harry then looks into the mirror and calls for Sirius twice - the first time 
saying, "Sirius" and the second time saying, "Sirius Black!"  We all know he 
was unsuccessful.

We also all know (at least if we have read JKR's website!) that the mirror 
will be a very important aid to Harry in future years.  How? And why?

Here's where I got thinking...earlier in OotP, when Harry falls into the 
pensieve to see Snape's Worst Memory, he sees James, Sirius, Wormtail and 
Lupin relaxing by the lake.  I may not be remembering correctly, but I think 
I am when I say that every time - every single time - James or Sirius speaks 
to each other or calls one another by a name, they refer to the other by the 
Marauder's name - Sirius calls James "Prongs" and James calls Sirius 
"Padfoot."

Does anyone think it's possible that when James and Sirius were in 
detentions, that the mirror was bewitched to recognize their Marauder's 
nicknames and not their proper names?  My thoughts are that if they were 
going to be whispering into a mirror, they wouldn't want the teachers 
overseeing their detentions to know whom they were talking to - saying a 
nickname into a mirror might cause a lot less inquiries than sitting in a 
room and saying "James Potter!" into a mirror.  Plus, James and Sirius 
seemed very attached to calling each other by nicknames (James more so than 
Sirius), why would James be calling Sirius' proper name into the mirror?

Maybe Harry has to realize this and call out for "Padfoot" in the mirror - 
not Sirius Black.

My apologies if this has been brought up before; if it has, can someone 
please point me towards posts that may have addressed it before?  I tried 
searching and was unsuccessful.

thanks!
mike