Lupin and Tonks *Was: Deathly Hallows: My Review )

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 172456

Ali wrote:
> I felt like killing Lupin AND Tonks was unnecessary, 
> 
Mike replied:
> Lupin was worried about his son growing up under the shadow of his 
fathers curse.  Instead he grew up the son of heroes who died in the
final battle against Voldemort.  I think she was trying to make his 
life easier, and kill off a couple more important people at the same 
time.
>
Carol responds:

Hi, Mike. Nice response. But also, notice how haggard Lupin is at the
beginning of the book, how reluctant he was to Marry Tonks, how he
almost deserts his pregnant wife to follow HRH. (No wonder Snape
thought Tonks's Patronus looked weak if that's the Lupin he
represented.) He knew, I think, exactly what would happen when he
married Tonks. Voldemort would send his Death Eaters, and especially
the Bellatrix. Bellatrix was already trying to kill Tonks in the MoM
because her mother had "disgraced" the family by marrying a
Muggle-born. Now the "brat" (tonks) had brought even greater shame on
her family (Bellatrix's view, of course) by marrying a werewolf.
Voldemort jokes cruelly about Draco babysitting the "cubs"; Bellatrix
is determined to "trim her family tree." Their deaths are foreshadowed
from the beginning. Lupin redeems himself by going back to Tonks,
reporting briefly to Bill et al. that the baby is a boy and a
Metamorphmagus and that they're appointing Harry godfather--no
ceremony required, apparently). More foreshadowing: Lupin is
anticipating the need for a godfather as James and Lily did before him. 

Poor Andromeda loses her husband, her daughter, and her daughter's new
husband, but little Teddy, in contrast to Harry, has a loving
grandmother and a godfather (and he seems to spend a lot of time at
the Potters as he grows older). At the end, we glimpse a seemingly
well-adjusted young man (with turquoise hair, IIRC) who seems to have
found love with the presumably beautiful Victoire--1/8 Veela. How
could she not be?)

I don't think, with all that worked into the plot, that Remus and
Tonks were the two unplanned deaths, as I had originally supposed.
(Wonder who they were? Maybe fred took his father's place as the
Weasley who died?) 

At any rate, with no cure for lycanthropy and no wolfsbane potion
available from the Ministry even before it fell to the DEs, Lupin was
suffering greatly. Until and unless the Ministry (presumably in chaos
immediately after the defeat of Voldemort) instituted measures to make
wolfsbane potion available to all werewolfs, he'd be in the same
predicament, and with Umbridge still in the Ministry (I doubt that her
connection to the Death Eater Selwyn is well-known), she might still
be there for some time. Little Teddy would have grown up possibly
fearing his father's terrible monthly transformations. After his
experience at Hogwarts, Lupin is probably terrified of hurting either
him or Tonks.

I'm not saying that Lupin, much less Tonks, if better off dead, only
that Lupin's life could not have been a happy one until and unless the
Ministry offered him the help he needed. (Of course, if Snape had
survived and been recognized for his remarkable courage, Snape could
have made the potion, but that didn't happen.)

At any rate, Lupin and Tonks seem to have died peacefully (I noted the
similarity of their expressions to that of Dumbledore, or at least
DD's portrait). Death, JKR told us before, is the next great
adventure. It is not the worst possible fate--unless you're Voldemort,
doomed for all eternity to be a repulsive fetal form that no one will
touch.

Their child grows up loved and happy--with heroic parents who are
fondly remembered by their fellow members and HRH. (Harry, too, had
heroic parents but didn't know it till he was eleven.) Teddy will hear
fond anecdotes about his parents from many people.

It is sad that all of the Marauders and their contemporary and rival
and foil, Severus Snape, had to die. But, clearly, their story has
closed and it's time for Harry's generation, and Albus Severus's after
him, to do a better job.

Carol, noting that people dissatisfied with the epilogue should go to
JK Rowling live chat and post their questions, some of which will be
answered July 30

http://livechat.bloomsbury.com/index.php