Lupin as spy? (was Re: Why would Sirius need to be killed to keep a secret?)

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 163334

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at ...> wrote:
>
> > lone_white_werewolf:
> > Interesting theory, what actions of Lupin's lead you to believe
> > he could be a spy?
> >
> 
wynnleaf
Pippin has given some of the actions of Lupin that are particularly
suspicious.  But there are excellent literary reasons to see Lupin as
the perfect traitor for DH.

JKR has had a surprise traitor in every book.  The question for DH is
not "will there be a traitor?" but "who will be the traitor?"  Given
that JKR has already said that there are no new major characters, we
are left with wondering who of the current characters could be the
surprise traitor.  Regardless of how much many readers like Lupin
(even me), Lupin is the most perfectly positioned, from a literary
prespective, to be that traitor.

1.  Motive.  JKR has already given us what could become Lupin's motive
by showing us in OOTP Lupin's distress over the anti-werewolf
legislation.  Voldemort has been promising rights for werewolves all
along.  Lupin himself said that the goblins could support Voldemort if
he assured them certain rights.

2.  Disposition.  JKR has said Lupin's biggest weakness is in allowing
his friends too much latitude in order to keep their friendship.  We
assume that's just the Marauders, but could also mean his friendships
among werewolves who he says he considers his "equals."  Suppose Lupin
also has friends among the werewolves for whom he is willing to give
Order information or help protect in other ways, resulting in
betraying the Order?  

3.  Past history.  JKR has already shown us that Lupin was willing to
betray Dumbledore's trust for almost an entire year.  He was willing
to place the entire school and Harry at risk from a person all
considered to be a crazed murderer, solely  for his own self-interest.  

4.  Opportunity.  Lupin is currently spying among the werewolves.  He
has a perfect opportunity to be a double agent.  

5.  Large gap in his history.  Lupin is the only major character for
whom we've been given no information about what he was doing between
the Potter's deaths and POA.  Everyone else we're at least given some
idea -- teaching at Hogwarts, being an auror or ministry official,
retired (Slughorn and Moody).  When an author leaves such a large gap
in just one character's history, it means there's a great place to
suddenly reveal some very unexpected history that is completely
different from whatever the reader assumed.

6.  The protagonist trusts him.  This often makes a very satisfactory
traitor, when the protagonist and the reader are completely shocked to
discover that the traitor is someone they never suspected and even
trusted.

7.  JKR has already previously revealed that others (Sirius and James)
thought Lupin was a spy, without ever revealing *why* Sirius and James
suspected this.  One assumes that Sirius changed his mind simply
because it was Peter who gave up the secret of the Fidelius Charm, but
we never really know why Sirius or James were concerned about Lupin.

8.  Lupin as traitor would create some great literary parallels, most
especially if Snape turned out to be loyal.  

Parallels or juxtapositions could include:

The histories of both, and their connections with the whole story, run
back to the beginnings of the story -- from the James and Lily era.    

Harry hates Snape and trusts Lupin, but would find that Snape is
trustworthy while Lupin is not.  

Two spies for the Order - both turn out to be double agents, but while
one is assumed to be supporting Voldemort, he's really supporting the
Order, while the one assumed to be supporting the Order is really
helping Voldemort.  

Remember the theme of choosing what is easy versus what is right?  If
Lupin betrayed the Order because of a willingness to support the
werewolves, we could have Lupin's weakness of allowing his friends (in
this case the werewolves) anything in order to keep their good opinion
 leading to his betraying the Order.  He chooses what is "easy" over
what is right.  Snape, however, is willing to loose the good opinion
of all in order to do what is right.

One spy (Snape) has betrayed his friends on Voldemort's side (the
Malfoys, for instance) to support the Order.  One spy has betrayed his
friends on the Order side to help Voldemort.

Seems like there are more parallels that I'd thought of in the past,
but I can't recall them right now.

Anyway, I can't think of any other character in the series who is so
perfectly positioned to become JKR's traitor in the last book.  It's
like he's already set up for it.  Yeah, I like Lupin, but he's just in
a perfect position to be used as a triator.

Personally, I doubt if it would be "evil Lupin."  I think we'd be more
likely to see "weak Lupin," because that's the way JKR has tended to
characterize him in showing his big weakness in allowing his friends
to get away with anything, and trying to keep the good will of others
for himself regardless of who is placed at risk.  I would guess that
if Lupin turns out to be a spy, he'd be someone trying to play both
sides, unable to thoroughly commit to either side.

wynnleaf