Is Lupin a Legilimens? Is that Suspicious?

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 157393

> Betsy Hp wrote:
<snip>
> Oh sure, there are tons of excuses *against* Lupin teaching Harry 
> Legilimency [grabbing some from Steve]: werewolf, Sirius (care and 
> feeding of), Dumbledore picked Snape so Snape's it, busy with other 
> Order stuff, is so gosh darn tired all the time.  Actually, these 
> are probably the very same excuses that Lupin would throw up to 
> explain why he doesn't express any interest in Harry unless Harry is 
> right in front of him.  And they're similar to the excuses Lupin 
> throws at Tonks.  Very good with the excuses, our Mr. Lupin.
> 
> And perhaps the reason Dumbledore chose Snape for the job of 
> Legilimency teacher is that Lupin (the man of many excuses) does not 
> have Dumbldore's complete trust.
> 
> Betsy Hp (who's finding that the more and more she looks at Lupin 
> the shakier and shakier his good guy status becomes -- hanging by 
> the interviews here, folks. <g>)
>
Carol responds:
I don't think that Lupin's ability as a Legilimens (if it exists) has
anything to do with his giving or not giving Harry lessons in OoP.

But it's *Occlumency* that Snape, a "superb Occlumens" according to
Lupin (who doesn't praise Snape lightly) is supposed to teach Harry,
so it wouldn't matter whether Lupin is a Legilimens or not. I imagine
that Snape and lupin are approximately equal in that department while
Snape is better at Occlumency (as he has to be to survive lying to
Voldemort). also, of course, snape is already at Hogwarts, is not a
werewolf, and has Dumbledore's absolute trust. Altogether the best man
for the job, just as he is (IMO) the best man to teach DADA in HBP
(unfortunately for him given the curse on the post).

I admit that I have trouble with Lupin's willingness to let a man he
thinks is out to murder Harry sneak into the school without telling DD
that Black is not only an Animagus but knows about all the secret
passages. wanting to keep Dumbledore's trust is a very feeble excuse,
especially because he's keeping that trust by keeping important
secrets (and keeping the Marauder's Map, once it falls into his
hands). And surely he knows that the lie he tells himself, that Sirius
learned Dark Arts from Voldermort, is feeble as well. He wouldn't need
Dark Arts to sneak past the Dementors or hide on the school grounds
and Lupin knows it. There's not even a guard watching the front doors
until Flitwick finally teaches the doors to recognize Black, and Black
gets into the school twice, slashing up a portrait and wielding a
twelve-inch knife (not exactly Dark Arts but pretty darned deadly) and
Lupin says nothing. Weak, Lupin weak! Wimpy! Cowardly! Valuing your
secrets more than Harry's life! I don't think that Lupin is evil, but
he's terribly irresponsible, not to mention that if he'd told
Dumbledore that Black is an Animagus to begin with, they'd know how he
slipped by the Dementors in the first place and quite possibly the
Dementors wouldn't have been sent to guard the school, putting Harry
and others in worse than mortal danger.

No, I don't think Lupin is ESE! but he's dangerously weak (as Snape
insinuates to Tonks in HBP) and even if he could teach Occlumency (not
Legilimency), I can see why Dumbledore didn't choose him. (BTW, if
Harry had trusted Snape and had done what he was told, not to mention
staying out of that Pensieve, I think he would have learned enough
Occlumency to block LV's intrusions into his mind, but since he
didn't, the enterprise was doomed from the outset.)

Carol, who really only wanted to point out that being a Legilimens
wouldn't in itself qualify Lupin to teach Occlumency