Why is Lupin a Gryffindor?

[Lissa Hess]

No: HPFGUIDX 125240

Northsouth:


>It seems to me as though he might be a better fit for Ravenclaw, or
>even Hufflepuff, but of course he is in Gryffindor, so i'll trust the
>author and assume that that is his place, I just can't quite figure
>out why.

Lissa:

I think one of JKR's points is that bravery comes in all forms.  Look at 
Neville.  For the entire first book we assumed he was a coward, and then 
Dumbledore acknowledged him for having the guts to stand up to his friends.

Lupin IS very brave, in a very quiet sort of way.  From the time he's been 
a small boy, he's been faced with prejudice and hate because of something 
he can't control.  And yet he goes on anyway, and he keeps his perspective 
and his sense of humor.

Lupin's not very brave at facing his friends, and he does fear rejection, 
as we can see.  (Although I still wonder if Sirius being free wasn't part 
of why he left Hogwarts so quickly.)  But even in OotP, where quite 
frankly, things suck for him, he's able to laugh at himself and keep 
going.  And when Sirius dies, he's able to put the grief aside and keep 
functioning.

It's a much more subtle form of bravery than what someone like Sirius 
possesses, but Sirius doesn't have it.  When Sirius's life disintegrates, 
so does he.  Not that I blame him (Sirius is one of my favorite 
characters), but he doesn't deal well with it.

I think the bottom line is that people like Sirius, Ron, James, and 
Hermione have the courage to face the world, and people like Neville and 
Remus have the courage to face themselves.

Lissa