Lupin and Legilimency: Why Wait to Reveal?

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 129839

> Pippin:
> Huggybunny my foot. But since Jen asked for explanations 
> other than  EverSoEvil!Lupin, I'll just point out that 
> Sirius's suspicion of his old friend isn't the only thing
> besides legilimency/occlumency that needs explaining.
> In no particular order:

> Why wasn't Lupin at Harry's christening?

Jen: It's clear Lupin was under suspicion by this point. JKR did say 
the christening was a 'hurried' affair and therefore only Sirius was 
present. I actually find the fact that Lupin was under suspicion by 
his friends his most *un-suspicious* canonical act. Just as with 
Snape, Peter, Crouch jr., & Sirius, Lupin was yet another character 
in canon who turned out to be 'other than he appeared' in his 
introduction. And none of those characters have yet been discovered 
to be who Harry originally suspected. From the moment the 
Sneakoscope went off in the train, to Snape's suspicions, to the 
climax in the Shrieking shack where we think Lupin is in cahoots 
with Sirius, there's a shadow of doubt cast over Lupin. But the 
shadow was cleared by the end of POA and Lupin established in canon 
as a Good guy.

> What is Lupin doing for the Order?

Jen: I agree with Alla that he was a spy, most likely working in 
another country. She made canon arguments why she believes this in 
129809.

> Why does Lupin's case say "Professor R.
> J. Lupin" in peeling gold letters, if he's never had
> paid work?

Jen: Lupin does say in POA "{Dumbledore} gave me a job when I have 
been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of 
what I am." (chap. 18, p. 356, US). I find that a typically self-
effacing Lupin answer. He's in the middle of a guilt-trip about 
Dumbledore, casting him in the role of savior during the speech, 
when Lupin himself has done the actual hard work of living life as a 
werewolf in a very discriminatory society. 'Unable to find paid 
work' says to me Lupin has never had a long-term job, but he's 
obviously had paid work from time-to-time or how would he be 
surviving? And this idea that Lupin *has* worked before is supported 
again in OOTP: Sirius tells us Umbridge 'drafted a bit of anti-
werewolf legislation two years ago that makes it *almost impossible* 
for him to get a job."  Meaning, there were points in the past Lupin 
was able to find paid work but that became incredibly difficult 
after the legislation. 

> When Lupin leapt between Harry and Malfoy at
> the ministry battle, why didn't Malfoy curse him?

Jen: Because Lucius is having second-thoughts about the Dark Lord's 
return and trying to save his own skin. ;)