Lupin is Ever So Evil, Part One -- The Prank (LONG)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 130122

> SSSusan:
> I know we'll never agree on this, so I shouldn't even try, but....
;-)
> 
> You see that scene as Lupin hiding BEHIND Neville in order to 
> embarrass Snape.  I see it as Lupin helping Neville STEP UP to take 
> on Snape and return a bit of the humiliation Snape's forced him to 
> take over the years.  While I think Lupin has some concerns where 
> cowardice is involved, this scene never struck me as cowardly at
all.
> 

Pippin:
See, when Lupin wanted to help Harry to step up to the dementors, he
didn't have Harry use riddikulus, because that would only have helped
Harry cope with the boggart. It wouldn't have been any use against a 
real dementor at all. Harry had to learn to take the worst a dementor
could throw at him and still keep his happy thought in mind.

So, I don't think helping Neville cope with his fear of Snape was 
Lupin's priority. It was about embarrassing Snape, and that wasn't
likely to help Neville -- indeed it didn't, for we  soon learn that
Snape was bullying Neville worse than ever.

Pippin