Debatable ethical issues in OotP and HBP

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 142436

> Carol responds:
<SNIP>
> As for helping Harry, it's true that he was Harry's godfather, but 
he
> last saw him as a fifteen-month-old baby and he doesn't really know
> him. And his statements about wanting to help Harry (quoted by Nora
> upthread) are made *to Harry* after he's met him. It's possible to
> have more than one motive or reason for any action, and I think that
> Black is giving a secondary motive in place of a primary one when he
> claims that he's acting for Harry's sake. 

Alla:

What do you mean? Are you saying that since Sirius have not seen 
Harry for years, he would have stopped loving him and for some reason 
that makes his claim that he wanted to protect Harry less truthful? 
If so, I disagree. I have a niece who is  seven months old now. I 
love her very much obviously, and if by some unlucky circumstances I 
will not be able to see her for several years, I sincerely doubt that 
I would love her any less and would want to protect her any less 
after those years.

Sirius saw Harry when he was born, he obviously visited Potters when 
Harry was a baby. Harry is a child of a friend, whom Sirius loved 
like a brother. I'd say that Sirius had more than enough legitimate 
reasons wanting to protect Harry and as JKR herself said his love and 
affection for Harry is Sirius' greatest redeeming quality.


Carol: 
> Moreover, Black's actions, which as DD says, are not those of an
> innocent man, endanger the students and terrify Ron. <SNIP>And he 
later,
> in dog form, seizes Ron by the arm and drags him into the Shrieking
> Shack, even though the terrified boy has broken his leg trying to
> protect himself. Black's very presence endangers the students by
> exposing them to the Dementors. But he seems oblivious to all the
> terror and pain he's causing (including the Dementors targeting
> Harry). 
<SNIP>

Alla:

Erm... Dumbledore also " gave evidence" that Sirius was a Secret 
Keeper. So, I hope that Dumbledore meant to say that Sirius' actions 
were actions of severely traumatised man, otherwise, I simply have to 
say that Dumbledore was wrong in this situation.

And I beg to differ on Sirius' being oblivious to the pain he caused. 
I think it is amazing that so soon after being in hiding and feeling 
a little bit better, he thought of giving an Owl to Ron. To me it was 
obviously an apology.

JMO,

Alla