Let's talk about Lupin

[spotsgal]

No: HPFGUIDX 146154

> Marianne: 
> 
> I'd be more likely to attribute 
> his "offness" in HBP to grief over Sirius, feeling bad because he 
> can't make Tonks back off without hurting her feelings, and dread 
> because he's again involved in the kind of guerilla war he fought 
> in once before

Christina:

Me too.  Also, the war features the same bad guys, same good guys, 
and the spitting image of Lupin's dead childhood friend.  It's like 
a flashback, set on loop.  Lupin is always described as looking so 
tired and worn - his reaction to Voldemort's return must have been 
something like, "Sigh, again?"

> Marianne:
> If we assume that Lupin spent his days in isolation and loneliness 
> after the Potters' deaths, on the edges of society, living hand to 
> mouth, shut off from "normal" people, how do we account for the 
> active, sympahtetic, affable, confident DADA Professor?  Where do 
> those social skills come from? Maybe Lupin is simply a really good 
> actor who has an innate gift for teaching that he can turn on like 
> a light switch after years of isolation.  Or maybe, even though he 
> could not keep jobs long-term once people found out about him, he 
> was not quite so isolated and ostracized.

Christina:

I think it's a fair possibility that Lupin spent quite a bit of time 
in the Muggle world following Voldemort's first downfall.  He is a 
half-blood, and although we don't know exactly what type he was (ie, 
one Muggle parent or one Muggleborn parent), he must have had some 
exposure to the Muggle world as a child.  He wouldn't need any proof 
of education in order to tend bar or work in a bookshop.  His 
lycanthropy wouldn't be a problem, either.  I think his "isolation" 
in those 13 years was more of an isolation from *close* friends; in 
other words, he knew his coworkers and made small talk with them, 
but went home to live by himself and didn't socialize much.  Many 
jobs could have him interacting with the public as well.

Also, Lupin has probably learned a fair bit about people out of 
need.  He is very good at keeping quiet and fading into the 
background, a handy skill for a man with a secret.  I know a lot of 
people who were very quiet in school and picked up unbelievable 
social skills just by watching others.  They can now read people 
like a newspaper.

And yes, I do think some of it is putting on a face.  Lupin is 
forced to lie a lot, and he's also gone through some difficult 
emotional things that he probably doesn't want to let show, so I 
think he's become a very controlled person.  JKR showed strong 
reactions from Lupin in PoA by having that control slip - dropping 
briefcases, etc.


> Marianne:
> I guess the subtext was too subterranean for me to see ;-).

Christina:

Me too.  Subtext?  Huh?

> Marianne:
> From my perspective, he doesn't want to say outright that he's not 
> interested because he doesn't want to hurt Tonks by that kind of 
> rejection.... Instead, he gives her a laundry list of 
> reasons why he's unsuitable, which gives her the option of walking 
> away, and placing the onus for this relationship not working on 
> him.

Christina:

Exactly.  That's the problem.  Lupin *is* the type who would gently 
steer Tonks away from him.  It would be very in character for him to 
refrain from denying her outright.  That's why Lupin/Tonks is so 
frustrating, IMO.  It's hard to suss out Lupin's exact feelings 
because he isn't the type to wear his heart on his sleeve.

Christina