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

[newdevilry9]

No: HPFGUIDX 64338

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "melclaros" <melclaros at y...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mochajava13" 
> <mochajava13 at y...> wrote:
> > S
> > P
> > O
> > I
> > E
> > R
> > 
> > S
> > P
> > A
> > C
> > E
> > 
> > 
> If this is indeed Snape's worst memory, than this 
> humiliation was uncommon, and an extreme example of MWPP actions. 
> Sirius and Lupin recognized this at once, and even asked Harry if 
> James was holding a snitch. If they did stuff like this all the 
> time, they wouldn't be able to recall this memory so quickly. 
> They'd need more details, or just not recognize it at all. Instead, 
> they knew what Harry was talking about immediately. 
> 
> 
> 
> now me:
> 
> See I get just the opposite from the snitch question. I get that it 
> happened so frequently, but ok, perhaps not to that extrememe 
(please 
> not to that extreme!) that they needed the snitch to differentiate 
> THAT day from the other countless times they were bored and used 
him 
> as a convenient distraction.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> >Just one more note: I didn't get that Snape was poor from the 
> graying underwear. I got that he didn't wash his clothes 
> frequently. Old clothes don't grey; they get stretched out and 
> full of holes. Clothes that you don't wash (especially whites) turn 
> gray from body oils. 
> 
> 
> now me although i promised i wouldn't:
> Not to get into an OT discussion of laundry problems but stretched 
> out and full of holes yes--and also grey. Grey comes from grime and 
> dirt sure but can ALSO result from frequent washing in HARD water. 
> (Trust me, I spent a fortune on a conditioner.) Not that it 
matters. 
> We're talking about the WW world here and I was under the 
impression 
> that the house elves took care of student laundry. If there was a 
> grime problem, they'd have sorted it out. His clothes were clean. 
I'm 
> guessing they arrived with him at school in that condition. Not 
> dirty. Worn. As in worn out.
> 
> Melpomene

I've never posted on here before, so I'm not sure if I'm doing this 
right, but:
As far as Lupin asking if he was playing with the snitch, I didn't 
see that as trying to differentiate one day from another or anything 
of the kind.  He wasn't acknowledging the Snape situation, he was 
acknowledging James' common behavior.  I saw it as a reminiscent 
question, in the same vein as Sirius fondly saying that he forgot 
that James used to rumple his hair. I took it that Lupin wasn't 
questioning as much as fondly remembering this common activity as 
well.  It think neither Sirius nor Remus had given these day-to-day 
trivialities (the hair rumpling and the snitch) of their schooldays 
much thought in a long time and once they were reminded of one, it 
reminded Remus of the other.  It was more of an acknowledgement of 
silly things that James used to do as a teenager.  The hair rumpling 
and the playing with the snitch went hand in hand.

I just found that extremely difficult to explain, I hope it makes 
sense.