Redemption or at least close call?

Okay, just for the hell of it, let's say that the blow that Bella landed on Sirius wasn't fatal, but a wound that required a long recovery period. He survives to fight another day.

Do you think that this brush with his own mortality would make him alter his behavior in anyway - eg, still want to rush out and protect Harry when he's in danger, or just want to fight for the sake of fighting? Do you think that he would tell himself that he's still Harry's guardian and he has to be more careful in the future because who is going to take care of Harry if Voldemort happens to get to the Dursley's first?

I'm not going to answer for awhile. I want to see how other people interpret Sirius' nature combined with a close call...

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I think maybe at first he'd try and be more careful, but he's quite a reckless person, and not really the type to think before he acts. If it was another situation where he thought Harry was in danger, I doubt he'd sit back and think it through - he'd probably just go after him. Though I do think being cooped up in 12 Grimmauld Place made him more reckless, so maybe if he was allowed out he wouldn't be as impulsive.

<span style="color:blue;font-family:helvetica;]At that moment, Voldy, who was happily bobbing and crooning to some inane boyband, gave his tail a particularly vigorous twirl.[/color]

<span style="color:teal;font-family:helvetica;]"Oh no!" said BlackDog, "Not Snape!"

"Yes, indeed, Potter," said Snape, who was having a little difficulty remembering that he wasn't in Potions right now.[/color]

<span style="color:red;font-family:helvetica;]Voldy, meanwhile, was coming to the conclusion that the smock was doing him no favours, and was in the process of transforming it back into his favourite catsuit, crooning under his breath, 'I'm too sexy for my catsuit...too sexy for my catsuit...so sexy'[/color]

<span style="color:green;font-family:helvetica;]"Yes," agreed Fire "Plus you forget that it's actualy Nude Recreation week anyway."

"Is it?!" said Snape, looking cheered and moving to take off his speedo.[/color]

Quote::

Do you think that this brush with his own mortality would make him alter his behavior in anyway - eg, still want to rush out and protect Harry when he's in danger, or just want to fight for the sake of fighting? Do you think that he would tell himself that he's still Harry's guardian and he has to be more careful in the future because who is going to take care of Harry if Voldemort happens to get to the Dursley's first?

I don't think it would alter his behavior much... I bet he's had plenty "brushes with his own mortality" (I love that <img src=http://pages.prodigy.net/siriusblack/boards/smilies/yellowlaugh.gif ALT=":lol] ) while at Hogwarts. All his adventures with the Marauders were probably filled with danger and excitement. Of course, this is a bit different because no one was purposely trying to kill him but... he said so himself that he wasn't afraid of death so I think he would still do anything to save his loved ones, especially Harry.

I'm not sure if the second question would happen... It seemed like Sirius was wore worried about Harry than himself in the books. He probably didn't realize that could happen so I don't know if he would think it after his accident unless Harry told him it could. Did that even make sense? <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif ALT=":] Oh well, you get my point... hopefully. ^.^

<span style="color:009933;font-family:Kristen ITC;font-size:x-small;]~Maddie [/color]

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Muggle Joined: Aug 07, 2004 Posts: 20

Hm.... quite a tough question...

Well, Sirius was always a mysterious person, so I'm agreeing with SiriusLove that he probably almost died quite a few times in the past. In that case, he probably will get up, laugh it off, cut his expected recovery time in half, and run out trying to get himself killed again in no time.

But would Sirius be a bit more Serious? (wow, that was lame) I think he might be just a bit more hesistant, like maybe think about stuff a little, but in the end he would go through with whatever crazy, mission impossible style plans Harry sometimes cooks up .

-Singing Sorceress

I have to agree with the above two posters - Sirius had probably had at least a couple of brushes with death in his life - being in the Order and all that. If James and Lily faced Voldemort 3 times, Sirius must have fought him (or at least his Death Eaters) at some point as well.

Maybe he would've become less reckless, more level headed, but he still wouldn't think twice about jumping into a fight if there was one going on.

I don't think I'm really expressing my thoughts clearly here, so I'll stop.

<span style="color:red;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:small;] "There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" "You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep." [/color]

1st Year Joined: Aug 04, 2004 Posts: 92

I think he would become slightly more levelheaded, but not from his brush with death - it would be Harry's reaction that would bring him to his senses. I think seeing how much his 'death' affected Harry would really wake him up and make him realize how much Harry loves him and needs him. He would still fight for Harry's sake, but I don't think he'd recklessly endanger himself because he would realize what it would mean to Harry if he died.

Tojours Sirius

I think seeing Harry's reaction (and that of everyone else) would touch him very deeply, seeing how loved he actually is, and at first that will calm him down, seeing how his rash actions affect other people so much, as he has no fear when it comes to his own life, but would never do anything to deliberately hurt Harry or Lupin, but after hearing the full story of what happened in the DoM, he will be so enraged at the Death Eaters that harmed Harry (and possibly Ron and Hermione etc) he will go out for revenge, despite much protest from Lupin and Molly etc.

He will realize that the whole reason for this all was that Harry thought he was in danger and went out to save him and will tell them all so, and that if Harry again thought he was in any way in danger he would again act rashly and go to his aid, he would tell them this to make them keep quiet, for they would both know that Harry would act on any hint of trouble concerning Sirius and would not go after him for fear of letting Harry know what he was doing.

It's funny how similar Harry is to Sirius and not just James, both rushing out to help the other, acting without thinking when the other is in danger, but then, James would have done the same, and I always thought James and Sirius were rather similar any way.

I don't think it would affect his behavior much, if at all. Sirius wouldn't be Sirius if he wasn't rash and didn't necessarily stop to think about consequences. He wouldn't want to sit on the sidelines while everyone else was out saving the world so to speak.

As for worrying about being there for Harry, I don't think that would make Sirius act any differently. Harry survived for years without Sirius, and the entire Order would be willing to take care of him, so Sirius wouldn't really have anything to worry about there.

And we've all seen what happens when Sirius is cooped up for too long -- being more careful and not so reckless would depress him too much.

Just my two cents.

-- Jackie <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START blue paw

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That kind of situation would not effect him at all in my opinion. He has come to close calls like that plenty of times in his history before. He was in the Order of the Phoenix once before and I'm sure this was not the first battle between the Order and the Death Eaters in its history. He is used to fighting and confrontation and does not seems to be afraid of much, i.e. his ability to escape from the dementors on numerous occasions tell us that he is not easily intimidated, or affected by the power fear can rest on some.

I think if the option came up he would be right back out the next day ready for revenge on Bella once again for her grievances that she has caused on numerous people.

I think the only thing that would stop him from acting on such behavior would be Harry, Harry will have even more realized how precious his godfather actually is, and would not want Sirius to leave him, for in Harry's eyes Sirius is the last connection Harry really has to his parents and is more precious than almost anyone else, he'd then realize how the loss of Sirius would effect him.

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[/color]

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[/color]

Personally, I think it would have the opposite effect. I think that part of the reason he rushed into battle in the first place is that he had spent so much time couped up and unable to come to Harry's aid. As much as Dumbledore believes that Sirius as an adult wouldn't let taunts get to him, there are adults who do. This was a very complex, difficult time in his life. Probably even rivaling those of the times he was in the order before. If he spends a great deal of time behind the veil recovering or trying to get back to Harry it'll make him worse. Since we will agree he still exists then he knows that there are things happening that he can't get do anything about. When he finally returns I think he'll try even harder to stand by harry. He might even feel guilty because of the reaction Harry had to his death.

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2nd Year Joined: Jun 21, 2004 Posts: 156

Sirius Black changes dramatically in OotP. Hermione tells Harry at the start of the book it's just because he's been lonely for a long time. He is depressed, but from the other books we know that this isn't a perpetual state of his. He did have to remove happy thoughts from his mind for a long time to survive, but though he broods he also knows how to appreciate life.

The character is an interesting mix of sensitivity(yes, read again) sensation seeker, loyal friend. He's complex, rather than a brash, attention getting person that is all flash. And his morals are really quite high - he'd die for a friend. And, someone that simplistic generally is not bothered with depression. However, he rebels when pressed, probably because of his relationship with his parents. And, like Harry, he kind of lost it in this book.

In OotP there is a strange line where Sirius tells one of the Weasley twins that there are some things worth dying for. It's an inappropriate comment, as Arthur was attacked. Not something you'd normally calm someone down with. But, through it JKR reveals an almost death wish attitude in Sirius mind. He probably wouldn't have been able to produce a patronus to save his life.

Would this change? Yes! He got out and fought. Returned to life, he'd know it was for a purpose, and maybe something more than just protecting Harry. Plus, after the fact, Dumbledore began to think more creatively about the situation.

I've got a feeling that Sirius would become more confident after his scrape with death. He'd probably laugh it off and think of it as taking a chance like he and James continually did at school. I do think Harry's reaction to Sirius almost dying would make him think things through though and he may realise that Harry desperately needs him. However, if Harry was ever in danger again I don't think Sirius would hesitate in going to help him-he puts Harry's safety ahead of his own. Reckless, maybe? Yet very loyal to James for risking his life to save his son.

Post subject: My take. Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 12:43 AM

First off, I do agree with the people who say Sirius wouldn't be Sirius if he wasn't behaving in a reckless fashion. However, middle age does something to you - especially if you are somewhat to fully responsible for a child (godfather/guardian). After a long recovery, I think it would just about kill him to do so, but I think that with a full intervention - from say Harry, Dumbledore, Remus, Tonks and Molly - Sirius would force himself to reign in his impulse to get out there and fight. He might be able to tell anyone but Snape that he had nothing to prove anymore. I think that Snape might be the one person who could goad Sirius once again into harm's way, but at the same time, I think that he and Harry might actually be utilizing the detention mirrors to avoid Kretcher's misinformation campaign. There's a big difference between a brush with mortality when you're 18/20 and still feeling invincible (plus have no family responsibilities) and a brush with mortality when you're thirtysomething, have seen and experienced more than you care to recall and you've got a kid depending on you for emotional/moral support and advice. If he could have survived, I think that the experience would have mellowed Sirius...who knows, maybe even eventually convince him to settle down with a nice lady like - ME! Razz

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1st Year Joined: Aug 18, 2004 Posts: 32

Quote::

If he spends a great deal of time behind the veil recovering or trying to get back to Harry it'll make him worse.

I agree, I was thinking that as I was reading the first post in this thread. I think he would get so frustrated whilst he was recovering that he'd just do whatever he could to make up for it when he got back to health.

I don't think anything could stop him from looking out for Harry and fighting anything and anyone to try and keep him safe. I think he'd probably do everything he could to try and make up for not being there, so he'd probably end up in even more trouble than he may have done before.

I would absolutely love to know how Harry would react if Sirius turned out not to be dead. I know he'd be ecstatic and all that, but he'd probably be really angry with him as well. I don't know.

Sariah x

2nd Year Joined: Jun 21, 2004 Posts: 156

Cartoon characters don't change, and maybe some soap opera characters.

I found Sirius a character with more depth than that, so...

Well, also from personal experience working with people going through some heavy stuff - drug dependency, death, major trauma. It all changes them, and for the most part people move toward positive change. This is especially true when they have a good support system.

An outstanding literary example of what I'm talking about is found in many of Tolstoy's novels. Don't groan - good reads. They are more heavy, but hard to put down. There is always some sort of redemption at hand in them also, though not fantastical.

I'll have to read what you all mean by behind the veil again. I'm trying to understand assumptions about it. Just a note, but the veil can also stand for the gate way to the unconsciouss.