Lupin = James: STAGgering New Evidence

[jake_breeden]

No: HPFGUIDX 132380

I think I may be one of the few serious readers of the septology 
that still clings to Galadriel Waters' theory that Remus Lupin is 
actually James Potter. I do not believe the switch was made as a 
kind of sacrifice; instead it is the after affect of a switching 
spell plan by Lilly that occurred just before LV's attack and went 
terribly wrong (it was never Lilly's intent that Lupin-as-James 
would die so that James-as-Lupin could live).

I have a much lengthier essay that details my theory on this topic, 
but wanted to share one single, compelling point of evidence below. 
I am posting this now because I think there is a chance this true 
identity will be revealed in HBP, perhaps as James-as-Lupin dies.

....I think one of the biggest clues JKR gave in POA lies in
James' animagus form.  She herself said that the animal that one 
transforms into is very closely tied to that person's character. 
For example, Sirius Black is described in dog-like terms
("growling," a "barking laugh," "sitting very still like a dog who 
just spotted his prey," etc.)  Even his name gives away his animal 
form – Sirius is known as  the "dog star," thus his name means black 
dog. Peter Pettigrew's character also seems to fit his animal form.  
Not only is he small with "beady eyes" like a rat, but in the
Shrieking Shack scene he is groveling and crawling on the ground and 
clutching at the others' robes.  Most importantly, he "ratted out" 
his friends to Voldemort.

So when I tried to understand how James related to a stag, I
didn't think the connection was quite as obvious as it was for
the other two animagi.  I did a little research and found some 
interesting tidbits.  For example, the stag is one of the two 
symbols for Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt and the moon 
(another connection between James and Lupin?).  It is also 
associated with more general themes of masculinity and sacrifice.  
Then I decided to pull out Webster's Dictionary to see if I were 
missing other definitions and happened to find what I think may be 
the strongest evidence yet that Lupin is really James.

Being an American I was not familiar with this use of the term, but 
according to Webster the term "stagged" or "stagging"
is British slang meaning "to observe or follow secretly or 
furtively." How appropriate: James' destiny is to watch over
Harry secretly, from inside Lupin's body.


Jake.