Ok but what’s YOUR favorite (good things) about Lupin?

God, I love Remus Lupin.

This might sound odd, but, re-reading a lot Remus’s dialogue for some new writing, I’ve really come to appreciate how he speaks, and who he is in conversations in the Order. I know in a lot of fics (including some very famous ones...) Remus is written as someone very rough around the edges, quite coarse in his language. And while he is rough in some ways, hardened by his life experiences and forceful when angered, Remus often speaks quite formally, with a sort of high-minded articulateness. He’s also often the one, in Order scenes, who adds an almost philosophical angle to discussions, injects the big picture into conversation, draws in the context of politics and press. I think he's someone who sees Wizarding society and its institutions for what they are. Partly this is because of the lens he has on society because of his own marginalisation, but I think it's also because of his own temperament and great intelligence. Few characters think as clearly as him. (I think this is important in understanding his reverence for Dumbledore: not just gratitude, but a really profound intellectual respect).

Most of all, I just love how liked Remus was by tertiary characters. I love seeing how much both Molly and Arthur valued having him in their children’s lives, quietly affirming their trust in him, and respecting his place as the peacekeeper and negotiator between them and the more rebellious characters in the Order's orbit (both their own children, but also Sirius). I really love how important he was as a mentor figure to different young people in the series, almost despite himself. I'm trying to write and think a lot about this at the moment: Remus as a figure who young people repeatedly latch onto as a mentor, including, but not limited to, Harry.

Dean Thomas’ relationship with Remus is such a good example of this. Dean repeatedly describes Remus as the best DADA teacher they ever had, both in PoA and two years later in OotP, when defending him to Umbridge. When Dean finds out Remus is a werewolf at the PoA, he could not give less of a shit (and actually hopes they’ll get a vampire next year seen as he’s really liked the last dangerous creature who taught them, which speaks volumes about how much respect he has for Remus). Dean just really rates him and looks up to him in this extremely endearing way. I love that Dean got to see his favourite teacher again at Shell Cottage in DH. That Dean got to see Remus at his happiest, completely euphoric at the birth of his son, shake his hand one last time and congratulate him, is really special. I think it's one of the most underrated, bittersweet moments in the series.