Prank

[meltowne]

No: HPFGUIDX 80144

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jwcpgh" <jwcpgh at y...> wrote:
> Laura:
> 
> Sirius and Remus didn't have to produce any anecdotes to show that 
> Snape was a dangerous person-he was a DE, remember?  That should 
> cover it.
> 
> As for your second point, that would be dreadful for Snape.  But if 
> it played out that way, it's hard for me to believe that he would 
> have made a career out of teaching at Hogwarts.  Snape has a lot of 
> pride, and it seems unlikely that he'd want to work for DD at the 
> very site of his humiliation and blackmail.  And why would he ever 
> trust DD again, especially enough to become a double agent under 
> him?  I don't know how exactly things were resolved about the Prank 
> either, but I can't see Snape allowing himself to live and work at 
a 
> place where he was so deeply betrayed.

Melinda:

We also don't really know that much about the prank.  What was the 
plan if Snape had entered the tunnel?  I agree it was meant to scare 
Snape, but I'm not so sure it was meant to truly harm him (even if 
thinking it through completely would lead you to that conclusion).  
I'm not sure Sirius really thought it all the way through.  If he 
had, I suspect the others would not have remained friends with him 
after all - had Lupin killed Snape, head would have rolled, and Lupin 
would have had to be expelled; I don't think I would have forgiven a 
friend who risked my future like that.  It's also possible Snape 
could have handled the situation.  I think Snape may have already 
known or at least suspected that Lupin was a werewolf, and if he 
really is qualified for the DADA position, he may have been able to 
defend himself.  That means Sirius was putting Lupin LIFE on the 
line.  Again, not something I would dismiss lightly.

I still hold to the "pensieve is subjective" theory, and believe that 
Snape was pretending to examine his papers while listening in on 
MMWP.  Of course, that would explain why he didn't want Harry to 
access that memory - then he might realize that Snape knew all along, 
and let James believe he had saved his life.

I accept the term "prank" because I believe that was the intent.  
There have been many instances of Fraternity pranks going wrong, and 
students being hurt of killed - but they are still pranks.  Yes, 
stupid, ill-planned pranks, but still pranks.