Nitwit? - Remus John Lupin

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 168023

Kirp:
> Hi, hope I'm not intruding... I'm new to HPfGUs and wanted to add 
my 2 cents.

Ceridwen:  Hi, Kirp, welcome to the list!  Two cents is always 
welcome, and Gringotts is always willing to convert to Wizarding 
currency (two cents converts to two knuts: 
http://cgi.money.cnn.com/apps/hpcurrconv ) :D

Kirp:
> I'm afraid I'm biased in that Lupin is my favourite character. He 
reminds me, in his actions, of Harry; doing everything possible for 
his friends. This can be interpreted as weak-willed - feeling guilty 
over disobeying Dumbledore but doing it just to retain his friends, 
for example. But consider his background; he never had friends, he'd 
never been accepted before. Probably wishful thinking, but during his 
time at Hogwarts as DADA teacher, he didn't go against Dumbledore, he 
merely neglected to tell him that he had abused his trust years 
previously (trust he hadn't been given before that, and almost 
certainly hasn't since). 

Ceridwen:
Lupin is a very sympathetic character.  He's the sort of guy you want 
to pat on the head, straighten his collar, and tell him everything's 
going to be all right.  In fact, I wonder if he might not inspire the 
same sort of feelings in readers toward himself, as he himself has 
toward the people who have befriended him.  We do like to stick up 
for him, protect him from perceived attacks, and smooth away things 
that he's done wrong because he really didn't mean those things.  
He's likeable and unassuming: humble and loveable, like Shoeshine Boy 
from the old Underdog cartoons.

He does everything for his friends.  Or, rather, he does anything for 
them.  I don't quite see him waiting on them hand and foot.  I think 
that's Peter's schtick.  These days, I hear he's pouring wine at Chez 
Snape.  ;)  But, yes, Remus does things that benefit his friends.

I'm not sure if this is a good blanket policy.  I agree with your 
assessment that Remus has been on his own and will do anything to 
keep his friends from leaving him.  To the point of allowing them to 
harrass another student (SWM, OotP), to not divulging information 
about a friend which would help his employer to keep their students 
safe (PoA).  Remus Lupin does indeed bend over backwards for his 
friends, only sometimes, his friends don't deserve it; sometimes, the 
enterprise is too risky for it to go on.

And in that, he did go against Dumbledore in PoA.  He had information 
that Sirius, "known" murderer, "known" to be after a student, was an 
Animagus who could shift his shape and avoid the protections put into 
place by both school officials and the Ministry of Magic.  He may 
have been able to fool himself into thinking that this wouldn't be 
too important to tell, but after the episode of Black slashing the 
Fat Lady's portrait, and certainly after he stood over Ron with a 
knife, he had to see that telling was important.

He didnt' tell.  Remember, all this time, he thought Sirius had 
betrayed James and Lily and killed Pettigrew.  He had no loyalty to 
Sirius now that might not backfire in his face.  His failure was in 
worrying what Dumbledore might think at his not having spoken up 
about Sirius's talent before the slashing incident.  He didn't want 
Dumbledore's disappointment.  He kept his mouth shut, even as 
this "dangerous criminal" made deeper and deeper progress into 
Harry's dorm.

This went against Dumbledore.  It is Dumbledore's responsibilty, as 
head of the school, to ensure the students' safety.  In order to do 
this, he needs all available facts at his disposal.  Remus withheld a 
key fact.  He made Dumbledore look very bad, and might have even 
facilitated Dumbledore's removal if Sirius had indeed been a crazed 
murderer bent on revenge.  That Sirius was innocent was just Remus's 
luck, just as no one being killed during the Marauder Romps with the 
Werewolf was his luck as well.  He did nothing to stop the 
possibility of tragedy himself, because he didn't want the people he 
values to be angry at him.

I also agree that he is, in some ways, a very tragic figure.  It's 
understandable why he doesn't stand up to his friends, and why he 
doesn't want them to be angry with him.  He's led a tragic existence 
from childhood, when he was bitten and left to transform into a Dark 
Creature once a month.  People shun him for this, only seeing the 
Creature and not the Man.  He's gentle, he's understanding, and he 
has a Tragic Flaw.

A lot of people have the same flaw.  We don't like people to be angry 
with us.  We don't like to rock the boat.  We care about other 
people's opinions of us.  Friends matter.

But, what about when friends or business associates are doing 
something wrong?  Should we stop them?  Should we let them have 
enough rope to hang themselves?  If we ignore it, will it go away?

I think JKR could hold Remus Lupin up as a mirror to a lot of people 
if she allowed his flaw to create (non-fatal!) problems in Deathly 
Hallows.  Most of us are good people, but most of us, *given the 
right circumstances*, would sit back and say nothing just to keep 
good will.  Or to avoid being tortured or killed.  Or to avoid losing 
a sweetheart or a spouse.  Or to avoid being teased by friends.  
Saying nothing is the easy choice in so many situations!  The hard 
choice would be the one Neville took at the end of PS/SS, standing 
against people he desperately wanted to like him.  Having a 
sympathetic and likeable character like Remus displaying the worst of 
this flaw would send a very clear message, in my opinion, and would 
fit with the theme of Right Over Easy that has been repeated 
throughout the books.

I'm open to Remus having any number of functions in Deathly Hallows.  
This is just one possibility.  And, it's all in fun and speculation, 
after all, until DH comes out.

Ceridwen.