James set up for a Fall? (Was Wormtail's fault - Life-debt )

[kiricat2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 37154

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Alina" <alina at d...> wrote:
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: kiricat2001 
>   To: HPforGrownups at y... 
>   Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2002 8:50 PM
>   Subject: [HPforGrownups] James set up for a Fall? (Was Wormtail's 
fault - Life-debt )
 However, I don't recall anyone, including Dumbledore, 
>   saying anything negative about James, with the exception of the 
>   Dursleys and Snape.  And, of course, these are the people Harry 
>   despises most, with the possible exception of Draco, so any 
>   disparaging remarks they may make about James will be immediately 
>   discounted by Harry.

> But people have said negative things about James, you just have to 
>read between the lines. Remember what Remus said in book 3? That the 
>Marauders would've thought it great fun to tempt Harry into sneaking 
>off the school grounds when it was safer for him not to. And James 
>was a Marauder. People compared Sirius and James to Fred and George 
>and you have to admit that as fun as Fred and George are they're 
>likely to go to far in their fun, disregarding the feelings of 
>people like their mother and how their actions affect those who care 
>about them. 

Yes, but neither of these examples are particularly shocking to 
Harry.  He's seen Fred and George in action, and, if anything, would 
be inclined to be on their side.  As far as the Marauders wanting to 
entice Harry out of the castle, as a kid looking at the actions of 
James as a kid, again, I don't think this qualifies.

What I mean is that I wonder if Harry won't find out something about 
James that is not particularly savory.  Maybe it won't be something 
horrible - in fact, I doubt it would be. I'd be surprised if we were 
told that James was accused of something like date rape. 

 But, it wouldn't surprise me if JKR reveals an action of James that 
was morally ambiguous, especially if Harry finds out about it after 
he himself is faced with a similar decision, and makes the "correct" 
choice.  Harry would then have to reconcile in his own mind the 
correctness of his own actions with how his father behaved.  It would 
be a revealing look into Harry's character - how do you deal with 
discovering that your father, someone whose image you've built up in 
you own mind as a wonderful, honorable person,) may not have always 
acted that way?  And, Harry would not have the option of confronting 
James.  Imagine if a situation like this arises, and Snape is the one 
to give Harry incontrovertible evidence of James' shortcomings.  

Marianne, always looking for dramatic tension