Sirius

[davenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 132549

I was thinking about Sirius' death and PoA, and it occurred to me 
that Sirius MUST continue to play some key role in the story even 
after his death - not to say Harry will be able to communicate with 
him, but that his presence in the story will have great influence on 
Harry or events to come.

The reason I say this is that otherwise, PoA was basically a waste.  
If Sirius has no further significant influence on the story, then 
why did the story need Sirius in the first place?  To create more 
tragedy for Harry?  Not necessary.  To provide advice to Harry in 
GoF and OotP?  Wasn't all that crucial.  Just to have a sub-story to 
move the greater Harry/Voldemort story line along?  I suppose.  
After all, the Philosopher's Stone hasn't meant much since the first 
book, yet that moved that plot forward.  Was Sirius just one big 
McGuffin?  Or maybe he served to showcase another combination of 
characteristics - the pure-blood from a Slytherin family who 
rejected their ways and was on the side of good, but who has some 
fairly nasty traits of his own, but died fighting death eaters.

While I guess that those answers would be acceptable, I still can't 
see JKR devoting so much of the story just to kill the character 
off, if there wasn't a significant impact on the rest of the story.  
Perhaps it has to do with Sirius' estate, as some have said, which I 
think could be interesting - or perhaps it has a lot to do with 
those two-way mirrors.

- davenclaw