Yet Another Marauders Essay (Cross posted to hp_essays)

[author_by_night]

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

This is the vocal key to opening the Marauder's Map, a creation of four friends: Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and James Potter.

We get the impression they were  close. After all, Peter, James and Sirius became Animagi for Remus (which was an expression of loyalty), and Remus and Sirius hugged "like brothers" in the Shrieking Shack in PoA - not to mention the fact that all Remus needed to believe Sirius was a name on an (old) map and a small nod.

Yet we seem to get signs that they weren't so brotherly. Sirius and Peter made respective betrayals; luckily, Sirius's wasn't fatal, but Peter's betrayal was, and he ultimately betrayed all of his friends - more than once. Remus and Sirius thought the other was capable of murder.

So what is it that drove them together? What is it that made Peter come close to confessing his wrongs? What made Sirius forgive Remus - completely forgive him - for actually believing he'd kill James? What, in turn, made Remus forgive Sirius?

I think it is that the four of them shared a common goal: the need for acceptance, and even love.

Remus, who is a Werewolf, was probably shunned by family members. While this did not include his parents, it's likely that other relatives did not accept Remus. This might even explain why he spent two Christmases with the Weasleys, albeit only for a few hours in OoTP. Even if his parents are both alive, even if he has siblings, who wants to spend Christmas amongst others who don't exactly show a lot of affection?

He looks to his friends, possibly adopting them, in a sense. They accept him, love him, and take care of him. Remus probably also didn't have many other friends, or a lasting romantic interest (I said "lasting", Apryl, don't worry) - after all, look how he turned from Tonks. I don't imagine he trusted easily.

Peter also wanted to be cared about. We don't know much about his family life, but at Hogwarts, at least, he wasn't as talented or eager to speak up for himself. I see Peter as someone who got picked on quite often, and taken advantage of.

James, Remus and Sirius offered an escape from this. They probably spoke up for him, covered up for him, and perhaps helped him overcome weakness in magic. I also believe that as much as they might have patronized him at times, he was honestly a valued and loved friend.

Sirius is fairly easy. His brother and cousins (with the exception of Andromeda, who still probably did not see him much until they were both out of Hogwarts) probably got favored over him, and at Hogwarts, Sirius saw them commisserating with Draco-like kids.

Obviously, Sirius strove for love and acceptance. Like the rest, he found it in his friends. They didn't accuse him of being a blood traitor, they didn't distrust him the way others might have (on both sides.) Furthermore, he and James, in my opinion, had a bond that was even deeper than "brotherly." (Yes, I believe close friends can have that without being lovers. In fact, I know that it is possible.)

Next is James. He's a little harder to figure out, but there is one thing that's clear: he was an only child. As an only child myself, and from experience with other only/oldest children, because there were no sisters or brothers (at least not until an older age), friends are often held dear. For me, my close friends and cousins are my sisters. It's not in an offensive way - if I had sisters, I'd still consider them sisters too. But only children tend to be quicker to regard it this way, because let's face it, who else are you going to tell that humiliating story to? Who else is going to know all your flaws - and love you for them?

So James, like me, latched onto his friends, and perhaps did things for them he wouldn't do under normal circumstances. He also handled them well, accepted their flaws.

I think Lily and Snape can also be included in the "need of love/acceptance" goal circle. They both have to prove to others that their blood does not define them.

Sadly, there were some flaws.

For Remus: he sometimes cut his friends too much slack. He let them hex Snape in a way that could've gotten them suspended (if Hogwarts does suspension). He didn't tell Dumbledore Sirius was an animagus when that ought to have been said (that's one thing I'll always disrespect about Remus, as much as I like his character otherwise). Remus also seemed to give up a bit after they died. He cut contact with Harry, and dumped Tonks, who obviously loved him a great deal.

Peter ended up, it seems, losing faith in his friends. Somewhere along the line, for unknown reasons, he stopped trusting them - enough to kill. I don't think Peter got  blurted out the Potter's whereabouts to Voldemort under Cruciatus; I think he honestly believed, and still believes, that Voldemort is right.

Sirius also has a tragic flaw: his love. I feel that his tactics were a form of proving that he had chosen the Marauders over his family and the other Slytherins. Maybe he even tried to get Snape killed, thinking it would "save" Regulus from him. Sirius also tried to kill Peter in anguished rage - at least three times.

Snape, too, has a downfall. His need for acceptance wasn't exactly met with the Marauders, and now, he has become a hermit with little human contact. No matter what side you feel he is on (if any), one can probably agree that he is almost definitely close to being a sociopath.

Can any of these needs ever be met again? I think very possibly. Snape, no matter what side he is on, will never be a pleasant person, and Sirius isn't going to return from the dead anytime soon.

However, I think there is hope for Remus and Peter.

Remus does, at the end of book six, appear to be holding hands with Tonks. He also makes it clear to Harry that if it weren't for the fact that he was in hiding, he would be keeping contact. I think Remus had moved on from his friends' deaths years ago, but that he is only now realizing that he does still have people who love him. The love and acceptance is not limited to his parents.

As for Peter - I'm not sure I think he will be redeemed, but I do wish to note two factors. First, he was not the one who killed Sirius - and so far, Remus is still alive. Second, why did Kreacher have to be the one to tell Narcissa who Sirius would die for? Wouldn't Peter remember another boy with glasses and messy hair?

This, I think, explains why the Marauders were friends, and why I think Remus and Peter may just reunite. They each strove for a goal most take for granted - with one another's help.

That's pretty hard to dismiss.

 

 

Comments

[mpreg-spirit.livejournal.com]

Wow, that was deep...

I like your way of thinking and oftens bothers me how people supposedly so close could just betray and lie and just completely turn on one another. Maybe Peter will redeem himself, but somehow I don't think him and Remus will ever be friends again. Peter must have had some hand at Sirius's death. It's not possible he wouldn't have said something...

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm pretty sure Peter won't be redeemed to Nuns singing "Amazing Grace," believe me. And he definitely did give Sirius's Animagus form. But why didn't he think of the fact that Sirius would've died for Harry? Kreacher surely didn't have to tell them...

Unless it's yet another one of JKR's inconsistincies. But I have hope for Peter.

[mpreg-spirit.livejournal.com]

I have hope for him, but I dont have to like him. Hmmph. *sulks* I do hope Sirius comes back or communicates with harry somehwere.

The lack of marauders in Hbp annoyed me imensely..

[distantemotivo.livejournal.com]

That was really really good. You make a lot of good points, all of which I agree with. One of the few things I'm really, really looking forward to is what's going to happen to Peter in the last book. I've always felt there was more to him than just a betrayer, like in GoF when he asked Voldemort to do the ritual without Harry? Why would he do that? I don't think it was just to save his hand.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

That too.


And, icon love!