Sirius and Remus (was : Re: Use of Hagrid's name - More names)

[khilari2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 98154

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "delwynmarch" 
<delwynmarch at y...> wrote:
> Steve (bboy_mn) asked :
> > > Of topic thoughts on names - How many people call Sirius Black 
by
> > > 'Sirius', and how many people call Remus Lupin by 'Lupin'. I 
> > > think quite a few; most probably, a majority. Any thoughts as 
to 
> > > why we are familiar and friendly enough with Sirius to call him 
> > > by his first name, yet, despite his warm friendly demeanor, we 
> > > are more inclined to refer to Lupin by his last name? 
> 
> And Khilari answered :
> > I think it's because we are introduced to Lupin as a teacher 
> > first, so Harry becomes used to using his surname. All the 
> > students refer to professors by surname and outside lessons they 
> > don't add professor. 
> 
> Del replies :
> But Sirius Black is first introduced to us as a mad mass murderer, 
> and for a whole year,he is referred to as either "Sirius Black" or 
> just "Black", and pretty much never as "Sirius". It's only when 
> Harry becomes friendly with Sirius that he starts calling him by 
his 
> first name only. On the other hand, no matter how friendly Remus 
> Lupin is toward Harry, Harry never sees much more than a teacher in 
> him, and thus continues calling him by his last name. I think it's 
> just a matter of Harry's personal preferences being reflected in 
the 
> way he calls people.
> 
> By the way, I've always found it weird and disturbing, the way 
Harry 
> focused all his attention on Sirius, and completely dismissed 
Remus. 
> In Harry's eyes, Sirius was his father's only friend and Remus 
> pretty much wasn't anything, even though he was most probably his 
> father's second-best friend ! It's a bit like saying that Harry has 
> ever only had one friend, Ron, and dismissing completely Hermione.
> 
> khilari also wrote :
> > Also Lupin sounds like a name and Black doesn't.
> 
> Del is puzzled :
> How so ?
> 
> Del

But Sirius is only talked about occasionally during that year, 
whereas talking about Lupin would have been a daily occurance, if 
only to say "have you done that homework for Lupin yet". I agree it 
has to do with how Harry sees them, maybe having reffered to Black as 
a mass murderer he would not have felt comfortable using the term 
once he knew Sirius better. I do think it is partly just that Harry 
got into the habit of saying Lupin, not Remus, and simply hasn't 
changed.
Perhaps the perception that Lupin sounds like a name and Black 
doesn't is just me. I can imagine calling someone Lupin, but can't 
imagine calling someone Black. I guess I should have made it clear 
that was an opinion instead of writing it as if it was a fact. I 
apologise.

Khilari.