Keeping the wolf from the door

[Barry Arrowsmith]

No: HPFGUIDX 92897

It's been a while since I  had a pop at Lupin (the thread starting with 
'Crying Wolf?' 81846). Time for another look. Mostly I've  been marking 
time hoping that some new information or startling new theory would 
surface, but there has been very  little apart from Pippin and her 
absolute conviction that Lupin is to blame for every disaster since the 
sinking of Atlantis. (A slight exaggeration, but you get the idea.)

Mind you, I've deep suspicions about his part in the HP storyline 
myself, though that could be the fall-out from yet another instance of 
JKR's habit of hoarding *any* information about accessory characters, 
relevant or not, until it can be revealed as part of an explanatory 
exposition at a suitably critical moment. It does  tend to make the 
construction of credible canon-based theories more difficult while 
making it easier to launch suppositions deriving from wishful thinking 
or from the desire to fit a poster's favourite potential story arc. 
It's fun, but it's  asking for trouble.

Unfortunately, very  little new  information could be  gleaned from  
the online chat last week. Was it  that recent? Seems longer  ago than 
that.  Perhaps my time-sense has  been distorted by the current 
manifestation of recrudescent SHIPpingitis, an affliction to which I 
have an in-built immunity; teenage romantic entanglements exercising 
slightly  less fascination than watching a plank warp. Each to their 
own, I suppose.

However, only three bits of new or confirmed intelligence:
1. Lupin is a half-blood,
2. His middle name is John,
3. He was indeed in Gryffindor House.

Not much raw material to work with there.

If all is as it appears on the surface, the first two items could be 
neatly slotted together. 'John' would most likely be from his Muggle 
ancestors - perhaps his father, though it could be from his maternal 
grandfather.  But maybe not; 'James' is an atypical first name for a 
wizard, yet he is supposedly pure-blood. See  what I mean? Apparently 
useful information turns out not to be so specific after all.

I've cast doubts before on his name; it's so unbelievably appropriate - 
  both first and last names having lupine connotations. Too neat. I  
still believe that his name is assumed, either  to  protect his family 
from possible public association with a were-wolf, or because they 
threw him out when he became infected. It's also likely that he 
couldn't enter Hogwarts under his real name - all were-wolves are 
registered at the Ministry, who presumably keep track of them. And an 
almighty  row  would have erupted if the other parents had discovered 
that their darlings were closeted cheek-by-fang with a ravening 
monster. Even DD  would have had difficulty smoothing that one over.

The Gryffindor connection was  more-or-less assumed by most posters, 
but confirmation is nice. It does add a little support (or rather 
doesn't explode) my theory that the Sorting Hat may have been fixed on 
more than one occasion (The Sorting Hat - 87319). In my estimation 
Remus should have been in Ravenclaw, as should Hermione.

Personally, I would have asked very different questions about Remus, 
though  they would have to  be sneaky; JKR being very
reluctant to provide straight answers to straight questions that go to 
the guts of the plot. For example, what about:

1. Remus has a patronus but what form does it take?
He produced "..a silvery thing from his wand.." on the Express in PoA, 
but no description of it's appearance is given.
There are hints that the patronus gives clues to a persons inner self; 
an animal form that looks a bit dubious might give  us  a clue to whose 
side he's really on. I thought it a bit odd that he didn't demonstrate  
his own patronus when teaching Harry how to do it.

2. Just how much of what  happens when they are in wolf mode does a 
were-wolf remember when they've reverted back to human form?
So  far, the only report with any detail that we've had about the 
'Prank' has come from Sirius, a not  unbiased observer. Can Remus 
confirm Sirius' version or is there yet more to come?

3. Why don't  Dementors affect him?
This is the  most intriguing aspect of the Hogwarts Express episode in 
PoA. He doesn't  produce a Patronus to drive them off immediately - he 
*talks* to the damn thing, quite calmly! What makes him think Dementors 
listen to  instructions from anyone they meet? Has he had dealings with 
them before?

Meanwhile, Ron's  Sneakoscope has been spinning like a Dervish. Yes, I 
know Scabbers was there, but I have a nasty suspicious mind. Aren't 
Sneakoscopes supposed to detect untrustworthy persons? Is there canon 
evidence for it reacting to animal forms? Or is it just supposition? I 
can't find any off-hand. I  can recall that there always seemed to be 
some actions by Gred or  Forge for it spinning when Ron had it; maybe 
Scabbers really didn't affect it after all. In which case... Remus 
looks dodgy.

Half in jest he tells Harry that he was made a Prefect to keep James 
and Sirius in order. But he didn't. What does that tell us about him? A 
prevaricator? Avoids his responsibilities? Or a watcher, waiting for 
opportunities? His role in the MoM battle was conveniently glossed 
over, he wasn't mentioned in any of  the action bits. Perhaps he was 
waiting for the opportunity to zap Sirius. Some of us suspect so. He 
didn't  seem to be able to restrain Sirius in Grimmauld Place any 
better than he could when at school. Time to draw a line under a 
beautiful friendship. If he did, who gave him the order, Voldy or DD?

Kneasy