Traitors etc.

[puduhepa98 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 155178

Carol responds:
I agree with you about the importance of both loyalty  and courage in
the Potterverse, but Sirius Black strikes me as having a rash  sort of
courage that doesn't consider consequences to himself or anyone  else,
and a fierce but highly restrictive loyalty to a very small group  of
intimate friends, combined with indifference or intense dislike  of
anyone outside that group. there's no question that he would have  died
rather than betray James, but are you sure that he broke out  of
Azkaban because Harry was in danger? Surely he knew Peter to be  both
lazy and cowardly, never taking action unless he had to, and Harry  had
not been harmed by him for the two years he and Scabbers had both  been
at Hogwarts. I was under the impression that Black escaped  from
Azkaban "to commit the murder [he] was imprisoneed for"--IOW,  to
avenge James's murder with a murder of his own. At any rate, I  don't
think he's held up by JKR as the epitome of loyalty and courage,  a
role model for Harry to emulate whether or not he's the polar  opposite
of Pettigrew.

Nikkalmati:
I certainly agree that Sirius' courage was rash and that his loyalty was  
limited to a small group of close friends. Doesn't take away from the fact that  
he had these virtues.
 
Just a little canon support. POA Scholastic paperback version.
 
"The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while  
now.  Always the same words: "He's at Hogwarts . . . he's at Hogwarts.'" p  66
 
"'Come off it,' he [Ron] said weakly. 'Are you trying to say he broke out  of 
Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers?  I mean . . . '
'I [Sirius] knew him at once . . . And the caption said the boy would  be 
going back to Hogwarts . . .  to where Harry was .  . .'"  p  362-63.

"But then I saw Peter in that picture . . .  I realized he was at  Hogwarts 
with Harry . . . perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his  ears 
that the Dark Side was gathering strength again . . ." p 371
 
"'Well --Scabbers--I mean, this --this man -- he's been sleeping in Harry's  
dormitory for three years.  If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he  
never tried to hurt Harry before now?' . . . . . . . . .<snip Peter's  reply> 
'I'll tell you why,' said Black.  'Because you never did anything for  anyone 
unless you could see what was in it for you.  Voldemort's been in  hiding for 
fifteen years, they say he's half dead.  You weren't about to  commit murder 
right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd  lost all 
of his power, were you? '"p 370
 
Nikkalmati ( who will try to give herself more space in the  future).


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