Maligning Lupin/werewolves

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 149975


> > > Pippin:
> > > Why does the  moon appear and disappear *before* Lupin 
transforms? 
> > > Why did JKR give an evasive answer when asked whether Lupin 
> > > transformed inside the shack? She's usually  willing to admit 
it 
> > > when she just flubbed up.

--
> 
> Ostensibly, Lupin transformed by chance when exposed to the
> rays of the moon which appeared suddenly from behind a cloud. Yet
> common sense and the moon's previous appearance suggest that
> his transformations occur at a predictable time during the moon
> cycle. Fenrir's ability to position himself near potential victims
> also argues that a werewolf can predict when he will transform.
> 
> You can certainly argue that even though Lupin should have known 
> exactly when he would transform, he lost track of the time and was 
> taken by surprise, inadvertently allowing Peter to escape.
> 
> But if he did know exactly when he would transform, then he could
> also have positioned himself so that his transformation would
> *allow* Peter to escape. 

Finwitch:

I think that, in part, that had to do with the Potion. A werewolf, I 
believe, is usually able to *feel* when Moon is close to full. And, 
in part, the infamous DADA-teacher curse. Still, Lupin was IMO quite 
irresponsible there. (Not in missing the potion - that was Snape's 
responsibility - nor in going to the shack where he had transformed 
as a kid, but in volunteering to guard Peter with chains. What on 
earth got THAT into his mind?).

Also, as Fenrir so clearly shows us, it *is* possible for a werewolf 
to transform at will without the moon - likely something that needs 
to be learned, though. At full moon they MUST transform, though.

As for the particular incident Harry wanted to talk to Sirius (and 
Lupin) about... that clearly took place *after* Marauders had learned 
animagi. Their presence helped Lupin because, in a deep sense, they 
became his *pack*. A true wolf is most dangerous to humans/dogs if 
it's a lonely wolf. A wolf within a pack, OTOH, would be likely to 
avoid humans and hunt deer&such... 

As for other matters -- Pack is a hierarchy. Supposedly the werewolf-
pack will assert their hierarchy within the pack every full moon, and 
the set hierarchy will stay the same until it changes. In that little 
pack, I think that James and Sirius outranked Moony. (Which is why he 
stayed out of that little thing with Snape&Lily.) That also explains 
why Lupin never told Dumbledore about Sirius being animagus. Because 
Padfoot was still pack, despite of everything he believed of him.

I also think Lupin asserted authority over Sirius that night - I 
mean, in OOP: Molly vs. Sirius: Lupin interferes.
'Sirius, sit down.' Sirius sits - quite meekly - without a word. 
(soon after adnominshing Snape not to give orders, even so much as 
telling Harry to sit down, in his house?)

And then, when Sirius is about to go to Snape about quitting 
Occlumency...
Again, Lupin just tells him 'if someone will, it will be me.' and 
Sirius doesn't even argue. Never with Lupin, when he argues with 
everyone else, including Dumbledore.

Got me thinking -- could it be that during those times Sirius 
enclosed himself -- was it full moon? We never saw Lupin either 
during that time, did we? Did Sirius perhaps become a werewolf that 
night in the sack, not that any but Lupin knew?

Finwitch