Werewolves and RL equivalents

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 170455


> > Carol responds:
> <SNIP>
>  Snape *know*
> > that Lupin will either resign or be asked to leave. Why not 
mention
> > it? If he *knew* that Lupin had* already resigned* or that DD had
> > *already* asked him to do so, there'd be no problem, would there?
> <SNIP>
> 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Hmmm, why not do it even if Snape knows that Lupin is already 
> resigned, which may or may not be true? Maybe because Snape is 
aware 
> of the treatment werewolves incur in WW? Maybe because Snape aware 
> that it makes impossible for Lupin to find **any** job after 
> everybody knows that he is a werewolf?

wynnleaf
There's some problems with what we're told in canon that seem to 
conflict with the notion that Snape's revelations about Lupin at 
breakfast are what caused his problem with employment.

We know from Fudge's comments the night before that he had 
previously okayed Dumbledore hiring a werewolf.  So we know that 
Fudge already knew Lupin was a werewolf.  It's therefore a matter of 
Ministry record.

We learned in OOTP that the restrictions written by Umbridge against 
werewolves are what was making it difficult for Lupin to find a 
job.  Those restrictions were written two years before -- either 
during or just before POA.  Since the Ministry already knew that 
Lupin was a werewolf (Fudge knew), then Lupin was already 
constrained, before the end of POA, by the restrictions on 
werewolves -- the same restrictions that Sirius said in OOTP were 
what kept Lupin from finding employment.

Yet JKR says something in an interview:

"Alas, no. Lupin's exposure as a werewolf did irreparable damage to 
his prospects for a career in teaching, and with the likes of Fenrir 
Greyback out there, werewolves are unlikely to receive a good press 
any time soon."  

The question really is *how* specifically was Lupin exposed as a 
werewolf.  Does JKR mean primarily by this that his exposure as a 
werewolf (by Snape) did damage to his prospects as a teacher?  
Whereas the Ministry restrictions, which Lupin was already 
constrained by, hurt his propects for general employment?  

I think it is the Ministry restrictions that prevent Lupin from 
finding a job *generally.*  And Lupin needed no exposure by Snape to 
be already constrained by these restrictions.

However, it is Snape's exposing Lupin being a werewolf that damages 
Lupin's career as a teacher -- *even* if the Ministry restrictions 
were ever lifted.  And that, in my opinion, is as it should be.  
Lupin should not teach, given his history of having endangered 
students through his werewolf form in the past.

So, in my opinion, canon tells us that Snape's revelations about 
Lupin hurt his ability to ever teach again, regardless of Ministry 
restrictions.  It was Ministry restrictions that were already in 
effect that hurt Lupin's overall chances of general employment.

wynnleaf