No, I take your point about JKR being all, "Oh, and BY THE WAY, I totally cried over someone dying but you'll have to read the book to find out who." Nor would I put it past LKH to try the same tactic.

I guess it helps too with JKR that she still knows they're CHARACTERS. She's not facedown on her bed weeping because Sirius isn't going to sit up with her and braid her hair and tell her stories about Azkaban (hint: it's depressing) any more. She's sad because of what he meant for Harry, and that chance for a "normal" life that's gone.

I need sleep.