Harry as godfather (Was: Sirius Black's role in DH -- why?)

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 179194

> > Alla: 
> > The first thing
> >  I think of Sirius is his loyalty, recklessness comes after that
> > and his love for Harry.
> 
> Jen: Oh yes, loyalty.  Dog animagus.  Loyalty to James was his 
> underlying motivation the moment it became clear the Potters were in 
> danger, a loyalty that extended to Harry when Sirius considered him 
> in danger from Pettigrew.  Sirius could be reckless in his execution 
> but recklessness wasn't his motive or greatest defining 
> characteristic as an adult imo.  Teen Sirius was defined by an 
> arrogant recklessness I'd say, wishing for a full moon despite 
> Lupin's distress or egging Snape to follow Lupin.  Life was a joke, 
> not a series of real consequences for actions.  I don't believe the 
> Sirius in the Shrieking Shack was depicted as that same person 
> though, especially when he took responsibility for his part in the 
> deaths of the Potters, "Harry...I as good as killed them." (chap. 
> 19) 

Montavilla47:
You're reminding me about how much I do like adult Sirius.  What 
hit me so hard about his death was how unfulfilled he seemed.  
I was so longing for him to be the adult Harry needed!
 
> Alla:
> > I put Snape's despicable cruelty towards Harry
> > as his defining characteristic, I am sure you will put it one of 
> > the very last ones and you will characterise it as sarcasm or
> > something.
> 
> Jen: 
> <long snip> It 
> was more than loving Lily because Snape had no hope of ever being 
> loved in return.  I guess that's the meaning of unconditional love 
> but - help me out someone, what would this quality be called, Snape's 
> determination to pay for his sins IOW?  His penitence?  It's what 
> defines Snape for me at any rate, whatever you'd call it. <g>

Montavilla47:
I think penitence is a good word for it.  Before DH came out, someone
asked me to imagine what Snape's private rooms at Hogwarts 
looked like and I said I thought there'd be a cruxifix on the wall, 
although I didn't know why--since no one seems to have any
religion in the books.  She agreed and said he probably wore a hair 
shirt as well.  

I guess it was the mention in GoF of Snape having once been a 
Death Eater and now no longer being one that fixed the image 
of the penitent in my mind.

> Jen, who wishes for the hundreth time that JKR hadn't named the 
> characters James, Sirius and Remus because you have to think about 
> writing names ending in 'S' as a possessive, a rule which still 
> eludes her even after brushing up on it online.   Sirius's traits or 
> Sirius' traits - anyone have the definitive answer?!

Montavilla47:
It's one of those bizarre things.  It goes by sound.  If you think it 
sounds better to say "Siriuses food dish" then you use apostrophe-S.
If it sounds better to say "Sirius food dish" then you use just 
S-apostrophe.

For example, if you are talking about Tom Jones having a new 
record out, you wouldn't say "Tom Jones's record."  You would
say "Tom Jones' Record."

But with Sirius, because you'd be inclined to add the extra S,
you'd say "Sirius's food dish."

There's an exception to the rule when you use the name of Jesus (but
only when referring to Jesus Christ).  Don't ask me what the exception
is, though.   I can't remember.

Montavilla47
Who tends to sound out everything