[HPforGrownups] Re: Guardianship, agreements, and public protection

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 158448

>
>   Magpie:
> Actually, to me it sounds as if Fudge is making up the story in
> retrospect,
> showing how people's minds work. He "knows" Sirius is guilty, he knows he
> declared himself for Voldemort at the moment Voldemort fell, and he's put
> them together into a narrative for Sirius that's completely untrue--but
> seems true given the facts they have. Your point about their arresting
> Sirius before interviewing any witnesses is persuasive, but knowing how
> the
> Wizarding justice system works I actually have no problem believing they
> jumped to conclusions every step of the way and had no case against Sirius
>
> at all--except that they knew somebody was the traitor and when this
> happened it all "fell into place" around Sirius.
>















Debbie:
Yup, that dubious backstory about how Sirius had tired of his double-agent
role was undoubtedly embellishment invented by Fudge.  However, there was
every reason to arrest Sirius.  My understanding of English law (which is
highly suspect as it is largely based on the press) is that a person can be
detained for a period of time without being charged.  And when Sirius was
arrested, he was presiding over a crater in a Muggle street, laughing like a
maniac, with 14 dead muggles and Pettigrew's finger in front of him.

Remember, too, that Fudge was then work for Crouch's Department of Magical
Law Enforcement.  As with the Longbottom affair some months later, the first
priority must have been to catch those responsible, or at least those
apparently responsible, so that the public will breathe easy and maintain
Crouch's popularity.  And Sirius was there for the taking.  The
circumstantial evidence was already there, and if there was any evidence to
the contrary, the eyewitnesses' memories were conveniently wiped away.
Besides, when Dumbledore came forward asserting that Sirius was
Secret-Keeper -- case closed.

Besides, in Sirius' emotional state, it wouldn't have taken much to get a
confession out of him.  Thirteen years later, Sirius is still so consumed
with guilt at the Secret-Keeper switch that he did not deny killing James
and Lily ("I'm to blame . . . I know it . . . ").  In fact, I'll bet he pled
guilty, thinking he deserved it.

Debbie
still disppointed that Fudge faded out of the picture without confessing
that he fabricated much of his account

>


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