... the "Prank" ? Reverse Psychology & Impulsiveness

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 99478

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "vmonte" <vmonte at y...> wrote:
> Amber wrote:
> OOP chap. 28
> 
> " Did you like question ten, Moony?" asked Sirius as they emerged 
into the entrance hall.
> 
> " Loved it." said Lupin briskly. " Give five signs that identify the
 werewolf. Excellent question."
> 
> " D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" said James in mock
 concern.
> 
> " Think I did." said Lupin seriously as they joined the crowd 
> thronging around the front doors eager to get out into the sunlit 
> grounds. " One: He's sitting on my chair. Two: He's wearing my 
> clothes. Three: His name's Remus Lupin.."
> 
> 


> vmonte responds:
> 
> I agree with you.  If Hermione was able to figure out what Lupin 
> was, Snape would have also pieced the clues together.
> 
> vmonte



bboy_mn:

I have a slightly different take on this subject. We need to remember
that Snape was not in the same house as James, Sirius, and Remus; so
Remus's absences would not have been as conspicuous to Snape as they
were to Sirius and James. 

So, on this point, at the time of the 'prank', I don't think Snape had
figured it out. If he had, why would he have gone into the tunnel?
Snape is just not that stupid; he wouldn't knowingly trap himself in
an enclosed space with a werewolf.

--- Quote PoA Ch-18, pg 356; Am Ed HB ---

[Lupin:] "...anyway Snape had seen me (Lupin) crossing the grounds
with Madame Pomfrey one evening as she lead me toward the Whomping
Willow to transform."

"Sirius thought it would be -- er -- amusing, to tell Snape all he had
to do was prod the knot on the tree with a long stick, and he's be
able to get in after me."

--- End Quote ---

This doesn't establish that Snape did NOT figure out that Lupin was a
werewolf, but does seem to indicate that his suspicions were arroused
not by the times when Lupin was missing but by having seem Madame
Pomfrey escort Lupin into the Whomping Willow tunnel. 

It seems that the suspicions aroused by this event were what lead to
the 'Prank'.

I have alway felt that while Sirius deserved a HEAPING HELPING of
blame for this 'prank', he was wise enough to play on Snape's
emotions, his hated for the four Marauders, and his desire to get them
expelled.

So I can hear Sirius saying something to this effect, '... so you want
to know what's going on do you? Well, prod the knot on that tree, and
enter the tunnel and you'll know more than you ever dared to know.
Yes, Snape... go ahead, if you dare, but be warned, death awaits you
in that tunnel. So, go and meet your doom.'

Or something along this general line, sort of a bit of reverse
pyschology. Sirius says your a dead man if you enter that tunnel, but
if you really want to go then this is how you do it. 

It's classic 15 year old boy baiting. Tell them it dangerous and that
they shouldn't do it, then tell them how, and it's almost a guarantee
that they'll try. 

This could have also been a way for Sirius to satisfy his own
pyschology and conscience. If it went horribly wrong, he could always
say that he warned Snape not to do it and that it was deadly
dangerous, but Snape did it any way. 

In addition, we need to weigh the impulsiveness of kids that age. They
do horribly dangerous things all the time because they only look at
the thrill of the event, and never look past to the consequences.
Young kids, especially boys, get themselves into trouble like this all
the time. 

Don't get me wrong on this last point, youthful impulsiveness may
explain what happened, but it doesn't excuse it. Not in this book and
not in real life. 

Just a thought.

bboy_mn