Oddly enough, I've never really been a shipper of any flavor. I'm very much a 'face-value' reader of Rowling's books. So I've always interpreted Sirius and Remus (and James and Peter...well, until he betrayed the Potters...) as good, close friends. And I don't think that makes the relationship any less of a strong bond because I don't see a sexual aspect to it. I have friends I've known from my school days who I would trust and fight for until doomsday...and I'm not lovers with them.
However, I would say that I am a RABID fan of the 'Rowling is a Joseph Campbell afficionado' camp. I read the HP books and I see all kinds of ways that Harry fits into the bildungsroman/Journey of the Hero pattern. And in this pattern, death is a necessity. I also look at the fairly miserable existance that Sirius is living in OotP (I've just broken out of prison after 12 years and...now I get to be cooped up in this old house that I hate. JOY.) and wonder if perhaps death isn't a kind thing to happen, at least in his case.
I'm digressing a bit. In the 'Journey of the Hero', a key element is the 'Descent into the Underworld' section. I'm convinced that because Harry so wants to contact Sirius again...not to mention his parents...and maybe even have some closure with Cedric Diggory... there is going to be a portion of either books six or seven where Harry does pass through the Veil and goes to meet with those who have passed on, in order to receive crucial information from them. And then somehow return from the land of the dead -- because that return and reintegration into the land of the living is another essential part of the Campbell/Universal Myth structure.
In any case, I too re-read OotP again so that I could be ready for HBP. And the first few times I read it (when it first came out), I was focusing on Harry...but this time I was looking at the people around him. I think we've really come through the most difficult section of the novel series (i.e., Harry's anger, frustration, paranoia, stupidity and bullheadedness). Because Harry had to go through a waiting period, not doing anything. And that would frustrated anyone, particularly a 15 year old boy who's used to facing things head on.
Now that Harry's been brought up to date on things, and the War is about to begin, I think he's going to be given much more to do, much more opportunity to act instead of being cagily guarded on the sidelines. And let's face it, that's what Harry prefers. So for that reason particularly, I'm counting the days until July 16.
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However, I would say that I am a RABID fan of the 'Rowling is a Joseph Campbell afficionado' camp. I read the HP books and I see all kinds of ways that Harry fits into the bildungsroman/Journey of the Hero pattern. And in this pattern, death is a necessity. I also look at the fairly miserable existance that Sirius is living in OotP (I've just broken out of prison after 12 years and...now I get to be cooped up in this old house that I hate. JOY.) and wonder if perhaps death isn't a kind thing to happen, at least in his case.
I'm digressing a bit. In the 'Journey of the Hero', a key element is the 'Descent into the Underworld' section. I'm convinced that because Harry so wants to contact Sirius again...not to mention his parents...and maybe even have some closure with Cedric Diggory... there is going to be a portion of either books six or seven where Harry does pass through the Veil and goes to meet with those who have passed on, in order to receive crucial information from them. And then somehow return from the land of the dead -- because that return and reintegration into the land of the living is another essential part of the Campbell/Universal Myth structure.
In any case, I too re-read OotP again so that I could be ready for HBP. And the first few times I read it (when it first came out), I was focusing on Harry...but this time I was looking at the people around him. I think we've really come through the most difficult section of the novel series (i.e., Harry's anger, frustration, paranoia, stupidity and bullheadedness). Because Harry had to go through a waiting period, not doing anything. And that would frustrated anyone, particularly a 15 year old boy who's used to facing things head on.
Now that Harry's been brought up to date on things, and the War is about to begin, I think he's going to be given much more to do, much more opportunity to act instead of being cagily guarded on the sidelines. And let's face it, that's what Harry prefers. So for that reason particularly, I'm counting the days until July 16.