Getting Away with It (Was: the idea that snape loved lily)

[Zarleycat at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 27168

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Rowena Grunnion-Ffitch 
<rowena_grunnion_ffitch at y...> wrote:
>    Personally I see no indication or necessity for
> Snape having any interest at all in Lily Evans. He
> makes it quite clear he hated James, (and the other
> marauders) and now Harry for their 'arrogance' and
> because they constantly break rules and get away with
> it. 

This line of thinking has come up before regarding Snape's view of 
James, etal. and their ability to get away with things or not be 
punished for their actions.  I don't think that canon shows that to 
be the case.  McGonagall remarks in PoA in the scene in the Three 
Broomsticks that James and Sirius were troublemakers, which to me 
means that they were caught a fair number of times.  I think that the 
Marauders did receive what the professors felt were punishments to 
fit their misdeeds, as do Fred and George for their pranks. 

The punishments, detentions, or whatever probably did nothing to 
change anyone's behavior.  James, Sirius and Remus were reportedly 
bright students, so they could afford to goof off and still not have 
that affect them academically.  Fred and George don't really seem to 
be particularly concerned about OWLS and NEWTS, as they want to 
follow an entrepreneurial path and open a joke shop.  So, I don't 
think these five students cared about whatever punishments they got.

I wonder if part of Snape's dislike springs from the fact that 
punishment doesn't make these guys behave and obey the rules.  If the 
punishment never changes the behavior, it's not a big step to start 
thinking that the miscreants are getting away with things.  They're 
not; they just don't care about the consequences of getting caught.  
So, perhaps that then makes Snape feel that the professors are not 
meting out appropriately severe punishment.  And, if he doesn't think 
the punishment is strong enough, then, again, he'll be left with the 
feeling that they're getting away with it.  

I'm going to indulge in rampant speculation here.  We know James was 
Head Boy.  It hardly seems that he'd be setting a good example for 
younger students if he was constantly breaking the rules and serving 
detentions.  Maybe he did continue his prankster career as Head Boy, 
and whenever the Marauders were fingered as the culprits, Sirius, 
Remus and Peter would take the fall and cover for James.  If Snape 
realized this was going on, but couldn't provide the professors with 
evidence, then that would certainly fuel Severus' feelings that James 
got away with things.  But, to my knowledge, we don't know that this 
was the case.

Marianne, who knows that sometimes, you have to break the rules