Sirius' declaration of loyalty in the Shrieking Shack

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 139591


Magda:
> What I am objecting to is the over-the-topness of a declaration 
like
> "you should have died for us like we would have died for you".  If
> you're going to make that kind of statement about anyone, you'd
> better have thought long and hard about that person, seriously
> considered their weak points, their flaws, their blind spots,
> everything about that person that might cause them to let you down 
in
> the worst possible way at the worst possible time.  Not just 
because
> you slept in the same dorm for seven years, gave each other dumb
> nicknames and did pranks together.  


Alla:

But if person thinks abous such declaration, it loses the sincerity 
and becomes calculation, no? I think that Snape for example would 
have made such declaration only if it suited him ( JMO of course)

To me it is such a defining moment, which speaks volumes about 
Sirius' character. Someone who is willing to die for his friend, 
even if such friend does not deserve the gesture ( sincere gesture, 
if I may), to me deserves praise.


Magda: 
> Sirius didn't know Peter very well - obviously, and the post-GH
> fiasco events prove it. 

Alla:

I agree, he obviously did not know Peter very well, but are you 
saying  that fact makes Sirius' gesture less worthy, whether Peter 
deserved it or not?



Magda:
> One of the biggest myths of the series is the so-
called "friendship"
> between the four Marauders.  There was one strong friendship (James
> and Sirius), and one close compansionship (James and Sirius and 
Remus
> - imagine Lee Jordan's friendship with Fred and George), and one
> tag-along cheering section (Peter; I think McGonagall nailed his
> status in the group perfectly).  These were not four equals 
striding
> shoulder-to-shoulder into the sunset; this was a very unequal 
social
> arrangement between four dorm-mates.

Alla:

Sorry for being repetitive, but isn't the fact that Sirius is 
willing to die for Peter contradicts your statement that it was " a 
very unequal social arrangement between four dorm-mates"?

I mean, sure  friendship between Sirius and James was  the closest, 
but I don't think that one is willling to die for the person  whom 
they simply considered to be a tag- along.

To me it is a strong sign that Sirius considered Peter to be much 
more than that.

JMO,

Alla