Oh man, I absolutely CRACKED UP when I read that passage in DH. I was like, "Um, no, Remus wouldn't say that. It sounds too stupid." Then again, I had already realised, hundreds of pages earlier, that MY Remus was not populating the pages of that book. It was some fake Remus she'd pulled out of a hat to fit a contrived situation.

*cough*

I can't remember, who says that line in Anne of the Island? Because if it were Anne, it would be utterly in character, but from what you said, it can't be Anne. Diana? Gilbert? *snerk* You're right, I can't imagine Gilbert saying that.