James the Berk?

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 105634

kyntor wrote:
> 1.  Snape did use a racial slur against Lily.  You can speculate that 
> it was the first time he ever used one, but it is speculation.

Del replies :
Let's imagine that somehow Draco lost his bodyguards, and someone
started humiliating him. Do you really think Hermione would come to
Draco's help ? I don'think so, because Draco has over and over again
insulted Hermione. But Lily did come, and she even seemed surprised
when Snape insulted her.

Moreover, it might be speculation to say that Snape never exhibited
racism before, but it is just as much speculation to say he did. We
have only the Marauders' word that he did : not exactly an objective
opinion, is it ?

kyntor wrote : 
> 2.  Lily did change her opinion of James (they were married) so he 
> must have grown up and stopped being a brat.
> 
> 3.  It was mentioned in PoA that Snape followed the maurauders around 
> trying to get them expelled.  I can't remember who said it.  It was 
> either Lupin or Sirius.  It is a lot more believable if it was Lupin.

Del replies :
So what ? It doesn't change anything to the fact that *in this scene*
James does NOT act with nobility.

kyntor wrote :
> 4.  During the pensieve scene James was using spells that would 
> humiliate Snape.  When Snape got the opportunity to retaliate, he did 
> not respond in kind.  Instead of trying to humilate James, he shoots 
> a spell at James that physically injured him (a cutting spell).  The 
> spell cut James cheek.  After that James got really nasty; however, 
> he still did not try to physically injure Snape.

Del replies :
Mild physical injuries like the one James sustained hurt just the body
and damage only your physical ablitities for a while. Humiliation
hurts the mind and soul and can damage someone's self-worth forever.
Once a physical injury has healed, you don't remember it (I don't
remember the pain that followed my C-section), but hurtful words and
humiliations can haunt you forever (I still remember some humiliating
things that were done or said to me as a teenager, 15 years ago, and
it still makes me feel stupid and worthless).
To believe that physical injury is worse than emotional injury is a
common mistake. They are both damaging, but most people sustain the
first one much better and with far less long-lasting damage than the
second one. After all, which memories of Dudley's bullying does Harry
remember during his Occlumency lessons ? The humiliations, not the
beating up.

Del