11 Year Old Dark Wizards (was; OOP: Perseus Evans?)

[looscann]

No: HPFGUIDX 68833

--- "Genevieve" <ayeka at b...> wrote:
> Dave Hardenbrook  <DaveH47 at m...> wrote:
<snip>
> > I'm also wondering if Snape possibly delved into the Dark Arts in
> > the first place in order to counteract bullying...
> > --
> > Dave
<snip>
> But on the note of the bullying drive Snape to delve into the Dark 
> Arts, it said in one of the first 4 books (Which one is eluding me 
> at the moment) but it was said that he arrived at Hogwarts knowing 
> more jinxes and curses than most 7th years.  So I think its safe to 
> say he was dark before Hogwarts, and besides we don't know if he 
> wasn't going about and cursing and jinxing James?  
> 
> Gen

Like Dave I wonder if Snape's very early knowledge of jinxes and 
curses came from an effort to counteract bullying.  Probably not 
James and Sirius's specifically, because they probably didn't know 
each other before Hogwarts.  But I really wonder about the 
motivations of a 9, 10, 11 year old to invest real time and effort 
into studying how to cast these spells (while avoiding being nailed 
by the MoM for underage magic usage).  It's possible LittleKid!Snape 
just thought this Dark Arts stuff was "way cool" and so immersed 
himself in it the way kids do with a subject they find fascinating.  
But he might have done so in response to being picked on.  He could 
have been tormented by neighborhood kids; unattractive or awkward 
children frequently are.  If he lived in a wizarding neighborhood 
(Diagon or Knocturn Alley?), with other wizarding children, maybe he 
picked up these offensive-type spells the same way some American 
youth carry knives and/or guns, to protect themselves and intimidate 
others.

Les