OoP: I'll do it: In defense of James

[professor_monkshood]

No: HPFGUIDX 62694

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "xpectopatronum" 
<xpectopatronum at y...> wrote:
> > Darrin the brave:
> > 
> > > First, something still doesn't track. Snape came to school 
knowing 
> > more 
> > > curses and hexes than any seventh-year, and here we are in the 
> > middle of 
> > > fifth-year and James clearly outclasses him, even with a bit 
of the 
> > element of 
> > > surprise going on.

Having recently finished a bunch of exams, I am in a position to say 
this: the poor guy is absolutely exhausted.  Exam, to people who are 
academically driven, is a source of terror and you literally drop 
dead afterwards.  Your mind goes numb, your hands are about to fall 
off and usually shakes from holding the pen (or quill) too hard.  He 
probably hadn't slept the night before etc.  

The second explanation is that Snape knew the curses but didn't use 
them, either knowing that he would probably be expelled or some 
inner decency holds him back.  He chose not to counter-attack with 
the worst curses he knew, which is obvious from James's relatively 
minor injuries.

Professor Monkshood, who should probably go and finish her essay