[HPforGrownups] Re: Marauder's Map and Sirius's "usefulness"

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 164013

> Louise Wrote:
> > I've wondered why, when Sirius was hangin aroun 12 Grimmauld 
> feeling so helpless in OOTP, Dumbledore didn't assign him to try to
> create more Marauder's-style maps of Hogwarts or other key
> locations.... Or, for that matter, why not have
> him assist some other Order members in becoming Animagi? It seems 
> like both would have been useful weapons in the fight against 
> Voldemort.


I think JKR was setting up a situation where it was impossible for
Sirius to do anything useful at all.  There really was a lot of
"hurry up and wait" going on in OOTP, not just for Sirius but for
everyone else too.  Unfortunately, everyone else had a day job or
undercover responsibilities that only they could do (ie, Lupin and
the werewolves, who I assume he was involved with in some way before
officially joining them in HBP).  

The other person who was trying to make themselves useful was Molly
and it's interesting that her personality was getting more than a
little brittle under the strain.  

But Sirius' feelings of being uninvolved and useless are key to the
overall feeling of the book, with its sense of a coiled spring being
wound tighter and tighter until it finally explodes at the climax. 
And we're meant to see that this frustration also reflects Harry's
own personal situation as well.

If Sirius had been doing something useful, there would have been no
mirroring Harry's situation - and no way to tell that Harry has
advantages that Sirius doesn't have.  His friends are alive and care
enough about him that they go after him in his room when he shuts
them out - did anyone care enough to haul Sirius out of Buckbeak's
room when he spent hours there?  Even Harry simply stays out of his
way, whether it's cleaning house with Molly or playing chess with
Ron.  

Sirius was totally alone; Harry felt totally alone but wasn't.

Magda


 
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