[HPforGrownups] Re: Sirius and Prank again? Fools Rush in where Wisemen Fear to Go

[Alina]

No: HPFGUIDX 130081

Quoted from a few emaisl ago:
"Steve/bboyminn:

In simpliest terms, there is a difference between throwing someone
into a dean of wolves, and simply telling him where the dean is.

That's all I'm trying to say.

> Eloise:
> If you *know* that the person will enter the den, then morally,
> there's no difference at all, IMHO.

Alla:

Oh, I disagree with you, Eloise and I agree with Steve.  Simple
hypothetical. The person whom I consider to be my enemy tells me
that if I jump of the cliff to the river or ocean and dive, I will
find there "Harry Potter book 7". THEN this person tells me  ( and
he knows that I cannot swim well) that the river is very deep there
and I can drown easily.


So, for me as obsessive HP fan the temptation is huge. I choose to
jump off the cliff and I almost drown, alas. Are you saying that I
bear no culpability in that situation? Are you saying that there is
no difference in culpability of the other person as if he would not
have warned me or forced me to jump?

I chose to go and look for  the book.  I refused to wait another few
years. :-) I was being an idiot, I would say. Wouldn't you agree?"

Whew, ok my response:

Using your metaphore, the person could also have  said, "HP Book 7 is
at the bottom of that river, it's pretty shallow, don't worry." And
then you wouldn't be quite so foolish for jumping in and almost
drowning.

Of course, we don't have a way of knowing which option was presented
to Snape. Personally, I think Sirius didn't say anything, just told
Snape how to freeze the Willow. I don't think Snape new there was a
werewolf inside, and decided that if the Marauders trek into the
Willow passage regularly, then whatever is on the other end is safe
for a teenage wizard.

That doesn't mean I don't think Snape's responsible for being a
sneaking busybody...

It's already been mentioned a lot that Sirius through this almost made
his friend a murderer, but I also have a nother point. Was he so
arrogant that he thought Dumbledore would cover up for him and his
friends once Snape did find Lupin in his transformed form? Did he
expect that the teachers would think it all very funny too?

That conjecture I think goes along with what some people have been
saying in this discussion about adults tending to believe children
like Sirius. It looks like he might have been used to being coddled
and believed. (except by his family)

alina.