The kind, pleasant, decent, and loyal Remus Lupin quickly became a much loved character in Harry Potter ever since he was introduced in the series' third part. But it might come as a surprise to know that there are those who have a bone to pick with this mild-mannered ex-professor.
Most fans rooted for Lupin even as his identity as a werewolf was revealed and then as he went on to be an important member of the Order of the Phoenix and married young Nymphadora Tonks. However, a few level headed ones think that Lupin wasn't as adorable as he is made out to be, and neither was his relationship with Tonks.
Hogwarts Shouldn't Have Engaged Lupin As A Teacher
Redditor Cayuconostalgia astutely points out that Lupin shouldn't have been engaged as a professor of Defense Against The Dark Arts and "allowing a dangerous member near the students" wasn't really expected from a place with high magical standards like Hogwarts.
However, as some other users point out, even despite his lycanthropy, Lupin was still one of the best DADA teachers the school had ever had. Moreover, Dumbledore would, of course, not discriminate against someone who, through no fault of his own, was a werewolf.
Where Was Remus Lupin?
Another Redditor, JKjustJ9, dislikes Lupin for not having showed up at the Dursleys, nor ever asking after Harry in the first eleven years of his life. Even if he didn't have a job and the capacity to raise Harry by himself, the user asks why didn't he "Just a check-in every once in a while"?
While this might be a valid argument, the counter argument that Potterheads would provide was that Lupin had a pretty tough time as it was in the Wizarding World and lacked the confidence to show up to Harry or take care of him. He might not even have been aware that the Dursleys were putting Harry Potter through a slew of dangerous situations. In any case, Lupin, fans agree, was a good man but certainly not perfect.
The Tonks-Lupin Romance Was Disgusting
Here is another controversial opinion presented by SkyFire4-13 on Reddit. The user takes issue with people who glamorize Lupin's relationship with Tonks. The latter, the fan feels, behaved in a manner that "is disgusting and there is nothing romantic about it." The user particularly points out the time when Tonks "acted like a spoiled brat" after Dumbledore's death and goes as far to say that her relationship with Lupin should never have happened.
This would come across as a bit much for most fans who love to romanticize this couple and their tragic death in the Battle of Hogwarts. Tonks might not have dealt with her feelings very maturely but a large majority of fans feel that theirs was a very difficult situation. They loved each other, and Tonks was trying to convince Lupin that he didn't have to stay away for her sake. Having said that, there is food for thought in what the user says about the hint of a creepy stalker in some behavior.
David Thewlis Was A Great Lupin
Redditor Docamanx has an uncommon opinion to share about actor David Thewlis who played the beloved Lupin in the Harry Potter movies. The user says that Thewlis had "Great energy, amazing portrayal and fantastic voice," and that he nailed the character, making it even better than the fan had imagined.
This goes against the general trend of fandom opinions since most fans feel that Thewlis was a bit of a miscast in the role of Lupin. While the actor certainly can't be faulted for his performance, he was not how a lot of fans pictured Remus Lupin in their heads.
Lupin Was Better Than Sirius As Harry's Father Figure
In another unpopular opinion, Redditor throwawaycon369 feels that Lupin would have made a better father figure for Harry than Sirius would have--"Of course, minusing the burden of his lycanthropy."
The majority of the fandom, however, would have preferred Sirius as a stand in for James Potter. He was, after all, Harry's godfather and had the kind of dynamism that Harry thought his father must have had. There were reasons why both Lupin and Sirius would have made wonderful mentors to Harry Potter, but Sirius seemed to fit the bill more.
Lupin Was The Bravest Harry Potter Character
This user whose account on Reddit has since been deleted states that "Lupin is the bravest character in Harry Potter." Now, there's an unpopular opinion if ever there was one.
No one can deny Lupin's bravery--he had it worse than most others and managed to survive life as a werewolf before sacrificing himself in the Battle of Hogwarts. Yet, the troubled former professor at Hogwarts would not be most people's first choice as the bravest of the Potter characters. Most fans would even consider someone as polarizing as Snape to be braver than Lupin, although the justification for that would be another matter.
He Was Justified In Leaving Tonks
User Noh_Face on Reddit posts that Lupin was justified in leaving an expecting Tonks in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows. The user reminds everyone that if this move of Lupin's is regarded as cowardly, then "we have to be consistent and say that every man who leaves his pregnant wife to go fight in a war is a coward."
This is controversial since one of the biggest complaints that Potterheads have against Lupin is his decision to abandon his pregnant wife in the wake of the impending war. Of course, he didn't do it because he was a bad person or because he didn't love Tonks or his son, but because he was convinced that they would be better off without him. Yet, fans have never been able to get on board with his decision seeing it as a lack of responsibility.
He Was Cowardly
Speaking of cowardice, CheruthCutestory feels that Lupin wasn't just a coward for leaving Tonks but had always been one. The user presents two compelling examples--first, that "In PoA, Lupin spends the whole year afraid to tell Dumbledore the dangerous murderer Sirius Black is an animagus" and secondly, that he fails to tell Harry as soon as they meet "that he was one of his father’s closest friends."
Given the complexity of the character, the major bulk of Harry Potter fans felt sorry for Lupin, or found him inspiring, but they never found him cowardly. They would counter the above opinion by stating that Sirius had, after all, become an animagus for Remus' sake. So Remus would have felt as though he were betraying Sirius if he had told Dumbledore about Black's ability to change into a huge black dog. Further, it is true that Lupin didn't immediately tell Harry about his connection to James but that could have been because he didn't want to rake up painful memories for either him or Harry.
Lupin's "What...If" Role In The Deathly Hallows
User MeyyoLOL wonders what it would have been like had Harry let Lupin join the hunt for the horcruxes in Deathly Hallows--"and 'Three became Four.'" Remus had presented himself to Harry, wishing to join him and the others as they journeyed practically into the unknown. Harry yelled at him, asking him to return to Tonks, incensed that he planned to leave them.
This is unpopular only because not many would have wondered at this so called "what if" scenario. While brave and kind, Remus Lupin, rather unfortunately, never got as much fan attention as, say Sirius or Snape.
He Would Have Gobbled Up The Trio
Finally, in a very unpopular, and positively dark opinion, Sabrielle24 on Reddit seems to think that had Lupin joined Harry, Ron and Hermione as they embarked upon their journey to find horcruxes, "he'd have probably eaten them at some point..., assuming he doesn't have an endless supply of wolfsbane."
Of course, not even the most vehement Lupin hater would have thought about what could eventually have happened had he been allowed on the journey. However, one can only hope that Hermione, ever thoughtful, would have had the foresight to carry a lifetime's supply of the wolfsbane potion. The potion, by the way, for Harry Potter fans who didn't know this about werewolves, didn't cure lycanthropy, but at least made the transformation less terrible.