Names and POV in the HP books

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 154232

This is a minor point and probably not worth making, but I find it
annoying that the narrator refers to James and Sirius by their first
names in the Pensieve scene, but to Severus and Remus by their last
names. They're all the same age (fifteen or sixteen), the same age as
Harry, or a few months older; none of them is yet a teacher. Why not
call them all by their first names (as Adult!Lupin does)?

The obvious answer is that the narrator's use of the names reflects
Harry's. Black, the supposed betrayer of his parents and would-be
murderer (of Pettigrew, not Harry) has been transformed, thanks to
Hermione's tentative use of his first name in PoA, not into Mr. Black
but into Sirius, James's old friend. Harry picks up this name and
never varies from it. The opposite process applies for Lupin and
Snape, whom Harry first met (and interacted with rather extensively)
as adults. He "knows" them, and while he notes their appearance
(especially Severus's) as boys and he knows their first names, he
still thinks of them as Snape and Lupin. The narrator uses those names
because Harry does. Oddly, or perhaps not so oddly, Pettigrew is
neither Peter nor Pettigrew but Wormtail, reflecting his
"introduction" to Harry when he was transformed from "Scabbers" into
his snivelling, cowardly human self (I would say ratlike except that
it would insult those intelligent little creatures).

To get back to names, except for this scene, Harry (and the narrator,
reflecting Harr's PoV) uses last names for characters referred to in
the third person for two reasons: either they're adults, usually
teachers or staff members, or Harry dislikes them. Most but not all of
the characters referred to by last name are male. In the first
category are Dumbledore, Snape, Lupin, Hagrid, McGonagall, Trelawney,
Filch, Flitwick, and many others. The degree of respect or affection
Harry feels for the character seems to have no bearing on his (or the
narrator's) use of the last name only for these characters (some of
whom are also called "Professor _____" on various occasions in the
narrative, but not usually so-called by Harry and his friends in their
discussions with each other). Some of the female adults are usually
referred to as "Madam _____" (Hooch, Pince, Pomfrey). Madam Rosmerta,
perhaps because she's a bartender rather than a teacher, is called by
"Madam" plus her first name (more friendly and intimate, or less
respectful, or both? Contrast Madam Malkin, the robemaker).
Grubbly-Plank, though only a substitute, is called "Professor" or
referred to by her last name. Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley are
both referred to as "Mr.", perhaps to distinguish them from their sons
(surely not a title of respect in Malfoy's case). Ollivander, IIRC, is
also referred to as "Mr." Narcissa and Bellatrix are referred to their
first names by the narrator in "Spinner's End," reflecting their own
usage (and Snape's), as well as the unusual PoV of that chapter.
Elsewhere, Bellatrix is referred to by both names but Narcissa is
first "Narcissa Malfoy" and  then Narcissa in "Draco's Detour"--a
deviation, apparently, from Harry's PoV as surely he would not use her
first name in referring to her. 

The only thing these examples have in common that I can determine is
the near-absence of first names for adult male characters, with Sirius
Black as the marked exception to the rule (such as it is). (James, of
course, is called James to distinguish him from Harry, who calls him
"my father" or "my dad," neither of which would work in the narrative.

Among the students, Harry and the narrator use last names for Draco
Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle, perhaps reflecting Harry's
dislike or Draco's own interest in bloodlines ("What's your surname?"
he asks Harry in SS/PS). The chapter title "Draco's Detour" breaks the
pattern, perhaps for the sake of alliteration but perhaps signalling
that the narrator, unlike Harry, is gaining insight into the Malfoys
(note the use of "Narcissa" mentioned above, though Narcissa does not
appear to advantage in this chapter.) A few other male characters whom
Harry doesn't know well but dislikes (Blaise Zabini, Cormac McLaggen)
are sometimes referred to by the narrator by last name alone,
reflecting Harry's usage. The only instances of a female student being
referred to by her last name alone that I can think of all occur in
dialogue: Hermione addressed as "Granger" by Pansy and Draco,
reflecting contempt, and James Potter addresses Lily as "Evans,"
reflecting, erm, arrogant desperation.(?) 

Can anyone make sense of all this? Is there a pattern? Is it
significant? Does it reflect the social structure of the WW or Harry's
skewed perception, or is it just a mishmash of unmeaning variations
that JKR hasn't thought out properly? Am I the only one who thinks
that Sirius Black, at least, is being relegated to the category of
"close male friend" rather than "male adult," whatever the rest may
mean? Is it important that Wormtail is sui generis (the only one of
the Marauders referred to by his nickname) and that Snape and Lupin
(despite the difference in the way they address each other) are placed
in the same category ("male adult") by the narrator? For that matter,
does it matter that Lupin places Snape in the same category as James
and Sirius by persistently addressing him and referring to him in
third person as "Severus"? Does he still see them all, and perhaps
himself, as boys, or does "Severus" suggest equality with himself and
a vague hope for reconciliation (pre-tower)?

Carol, who intends to use first names for the kids and last names for
the adults (except Wormtail!) until she receives some sort of
explanation to resolve her confusion