OOP - Why James changed

[corinthum]

No: HPFGUIDX 64329

Jen wrote:

> > I tend to think the change in James was to do with the Prank. Now,
there are 
> > a lot of directions one could go with that general idea, but my
opinion is 
> > that he didn't so much drop his bullying behavior because he grew
up but 
> > because Dumbledore made him. I think Dumbledore missed a lot of
what 
> James 
> > did (perhaps because he tended to pick on people who were too
proud to 
> get 
> > help, ei. Snape), but after the Prank DD realised what had been
going on. 
> > So, he said that if he caught wind of James bullying the other
students he 
> > would expel him. Therefore James simply focused all his pent up 
> aggression 
> > at Snape, who was _obviously_ at fault for the position James
ended up in.

And Darrin replied:

<detailed that he felt this required undue stupidity on Snape's part
and that James seems to have changed too much to justify this
explanation>

> That's a lot to ask, isn't it? Is it just the tiniest bit possible
that something 
> happened in James' head or heart that made him realize he was out of 
> control? 


First, I apologize if this has already been mentioned; I simply can't
keep up with the list right now.

I think it's entirely possible that the Prank led to James' reform. 
Not because he realized the incredible danger that Snape was in, or
because Dumbledore lectured him afterward, although I'm sure those
helped.

No, I think it was another person's peril which brought James' head
back down to earth.  Who would have lost the most had Snape actually
continued down that corridor?  Yes, Snape could have been seriously
injured, but I don't think that would have weighed on James' concience
much.  Sirius would have gotten in quite a bit of trouble, but I don't
think he could be expelled for simply explaining the Whomping Willow's
mechanism (it would be difficult to prove he intended Snape to get
injured).

Which leaves Lupin.  Probably James' best friend after Sirius.  What
would have happened to Lupin if James hadn't stopped Snape?  Most
likely, Lupin attacks or tries to attack Snape.  Now, Dumbledore went
out on a limb getting Lupin admitted to Hogwarts in the first place. 
I doubt even he could defend Lupin when parents learned that a
werewolf not only attended class with their children but attacked or
almost attacked a fellow student.  In the end, it isn't the enemy
(Snape), or the coconspiritor (Sirius) who loses the most.  It's
Lupin.  Lupin had to struggle against strong prejudice and illness to
attend Hogwarts and succeed there (strong student, prefect), and after
all that, the thoughtlessness of one of his closest friends nearly
destroys it all.

I still think this theory is weak in explaining the extreme turnabout
in James' personality.  But I think it more likely that his shame
regarding the trouble he almost caused for a good friend led to the
tranformation than any guilt about Snape or fear of punishment.

-Corinth