replying to Lupin as a mind reader

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 157288

corey
> I don't think Lupin is a Legilimens I think he's just good at
guessing what people are going to say next. You know when you are
talking to someone and in the conversation you guess what they will
say next, I mean like that. Besides you need a wand to perform
Legilimens. 

wynnleaf
In real life the phrase "as though he could read his mind" is commonly
used to mean just what you said.  However, HP isn't real life, nor is
it an imaginary world.  It's the written word and the author picks and
chooses her words to mean certain things.  So the question really
isn't "can this phrase in ordinary conversation mean guessing what
people are going to say next?" because that really doesn't make much
difference.  The real question is why JKR would use this phrase *three
times* with the same character when she has shown us an HP universe
where people really can read minds (Snape says it's not really minding
reading).

If we were to find various instances where JKR used this phrase with
other characters (besides Dumbledore or Snape), then we could easily
argue that it's just a "turn of phrase," so to speak.  But if JKR has
*only* used this phrase with Lupin, then we *should* be quite
suspicious as to her intentions.

As I've already pointed out, it wouldn't be a red herring.  You don't
write in red herrings 2 full books prior to where you explain enough
for anyone to even spot the red herring.  Two examples of this phrase
with Lupin are in POA, and one in OOTP.  There may be more -- I'm looking.

We could assume JKR simply wasn't thinking.  But she did manage to
think about using clues for Snape's occlumens/legilimens abilities, so
it was obviously on her mind.

I'm a bit surprised that no one found this particularly interesting. 
Perhaps everyone has discussed this in depth much earlier.  But if
Lupin is a legilimens it could have major implications. And I think
JKR's repeated use of that phrase, in addition to other examples of
intent "looks" or "closed" looks, and examples of Lupin knowing little
things about people he couldn't have known, does point to legilimens.

And if Lupin is a legilimens, and JKR is keeping it a secret until
Book 7, that means she has some sort of surprises about Lupin in store
for the last book, which gives weight to the ESL!Lupin theory,
although a legilimens Lupin could also be DDM and use his skills to
help Harry.

Oh, and the Sectumsempra chapter shows Snape using legilimency without
any mention of his using his wand.  There are examples of wandless
magic periodically throughout the books and legilimens appears to be a
spell that a powerful wizard can use wandlessly.

wynnleaf