What the heck, Lupin?

[ryanreacts]

I love Professor Lupin, but I just noticed something.

If he hadn’t seen Peter Pettigrew on the Map and then LEFT THE MAP ON HIS DESK, Snape never would have been able to find any of them and get involved in the drama.

Obviously the story would have found another way for Snape to get involved in the drama, but that is kind of my point. Making Lupin do something so stupid is, well, stupid. I’ve never noticed it before, and now it is really bothering me. 

Comments

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

There are a lot of really stupid plot-lever events in Harry Potter. Much of the fanfic (that isn't pure pr0n) focuses on how it would look different if the characters were actually sensible or ethical.

However, a look at military history will quickly show how disturbingly common that kind of mistake is. There's a whole AU anthology based entirely on moments where history turned on the point of a pin -- including, yes, a dropped map and dropped paper orders. I don't remember the title or I'd list it, but I wouldn't be surprised if the premise has been used more than once. It's a popular concept in alternate history fiction.