a Lupin Rant

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 173522

Pippin: "We need not ask now why Sirius would have suspected him as
the spy, or Snape would have thought he was in on the prank or why
Lupin would have killed Pettigrew without a visible qualm. None of
that would have been out of character for the callous, cowardly,
irresponsible Lupin of DH."

That's way too strong, Pippin. Lupin was weak there, and gave in to
it; he was intensely conflicted about having a child, dealing with all
the ostracization he lived with a werewolf, and the guilt he
expressed. He was in self-loathing for doing what seemed to him a
selfish act in the first place by even marrying Tonks. It took Harry
handling him so roughly to make him begin to come to his senses.

One of JKR's minor themes here is redemption. Ron cuts out on Harry
and comes back; Remus cuts out on his wife and son and comes back.
Dumbledore feels his guilt for the way he's used people. Voldemort
could have saved his soul with remorse, which Harry offered him.
There's rebirth and forgiveness there. Lupin fought bravely in the
Ministry fight and showed caring and compassion over and over. 

What Lupin did was wrong, dead wrong, but I am glad I have never had
to live with the burdens Lupin did. In the end, he earned his
forgiveness. 

Jim Ferer