Sirius can be wrong (Was: Lucius - Full blood )

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 114797


> kmc wrote:)
<snip>
>  
> Sirius is one of the characters who states that Lucius is full-
> blood.  Please show me an occasion when Siruis believed what he was 
> saying but was wrong.  
> I agree it would be a great story line but it just is not supported 
> by cannon.

Carol responds:
Although I agree completely that Draco can't possibly be the
half-blood prince (chiefly because of Lucius's view of the pureblood
ethic as indicated in CoS, the tapestry and the Black family's
approval of Narcissa's marriage, and [if we can count deleted scenes
that agree with the text as published] Draco's grudging respect for
Theo Nott as another pureblood whose lineage is as good as his own), I
don't think that Sirius's never being wrong can be counted as evidence
in this debate. (I do think he would know that the Malfoys, like the
Lestranges, are purebloods despite their French names, though!)

Nevertheless, Sirius has been wrong on a number of occasions, most
notably in thinking that Lupin, not Pettigrew, was the traitor. He
wrongly suspects Karkaroff as the person who put Harry's name in the
Goblet of Fire, and he wrongly leads Harry to suspect Snape's motives
in teaching him Occlumency, in large measure sabotaging the lessons
before they begin.

BTW, there's an interesting new tidbit on JKR's site that relates to
this question: JKR says that Sirius has* excellent principles but
doesn't always act on them, and she cites his treatment of Kreacher
and his refusal to believe there's any "latent good qualities" in
Snape as examples. (Ammunition for Snape supporters here!) 

To return to the point, Sirius isn't always right, but I see no reason
to doubt that he knows Lucius Malfoy is a pureblood.

Carol

* JKR uses present tense in her discussion of Sirius, but I think
that's to avoid having to use a Dark Mark spoiler icon for readers who
don't know that he's dead.