Siriusly speaking...

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 164880

> Bart:
> That last is the problem. Consider: Sirius was more or less in a 
fog from the time he was 22 or so until he was finally shocked into 
leaving prison. So, in Sirius' mind, he is not in his late 30's; 
he's still in his early 20's. And he becomes closely associated with 
Harry only after Harry is a teenager. I forget who pointed it out 
(Dumbledore? Molly?), but I agree that Sirius does NOT see Harry as 
a son; he sees Harry as a substitute for James, as a best friend. 
Harry, on the other hand, sees Sirius as a father figure. And, 
frankly, that difference of opinion was a key to getting Sirius 
killed. Frankly, if you look at the characters, the person who has 
treated Harry the most like one would feel he would treat his own 
son has been Hagrid (if someone wants to launch a subject on THAT, 
I'll be happy to go into detail). Luckily, if Hagrid has a son of 
his own, it appears that the mother will be a balancing influence...

Magpie:
I don't think we should take Molly's word for it--she wasn't exactly 
objective in her claiming Sirius thought Harry was James, and 
Hermione can't exactly understand the mind of the guy. I do agree 
that Sirius wasn't really able to handle the father role and that 
his history had made him naturally relate to Harry more as a peer 
than as a father. Though I don't think that got him killed. His dad 
probably would have rushed out to save Harry as well.

As to Hagrid seeing Harry as a son...that's a scary thought to me. 
This is Hagrid who gets an illegal dragon egg, shares his crime with 
Harry because it's so cool and then 11-year-old Harry has to get him 
out of trouble by getting rid of the thing when Hagrid just can't 
let go of it? And lets Harry get detention for doing it for him 
without admitting his responsibility? (Even GIVES Harry the 
detention as if he had nothing to do with how he got there.) Who has 
the kids constantly frustrated at his inability to get certain 
aspects of his job? Who cries and guilts Harry into things? (Sirius 
isn't the only one wanting Harry to leave the safety of the school 
to attend to his needs.) Seems to me Harry's accepted that he's got 
to be the adult with Hagrid for years now. I suppose this might be 
the way Hagrid would relate to his own children as well, but then, 
Hagrid has a rather odd relationship with his brother as well.

-m