How did Sirius lure Severus into the Willow? (was: James the Berk?)

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 105775

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nkafkafi" <nkafkafi at y...> wrote:
> Neri:
> You forget one thing. James did run after Severus and saved his life. 
> Snape belittles this in the Shack (in PoA), but we know that as late 
> as SS/PS Snape had still considered himself in debt to James. So the 
> shaken 16 yrs old Severus, who had just saw Death in the form of a 
> full-blown werewolf and was dragged back by James, is likely to see 
> it this way even more. Or perhaps it was DD who gently but surely 
> pointed this to him, in the best of DD's style.
> 

But even if he did consider he owed something to James he owed 
nothing to Sirius or Lupin, or DD come to that. He could tell his 
tale and the solids would hit the fan, spattering everyone except 
himself.

Small correction: it's DD who suggests that Snape's 'life debt' might
be a factor in the way he feels about James. He uses it as a reason,
an excuse, for Snape saving Harry from Quirrell's broom-stick hex,
so that he could go back to hating James in peace.

Personally, I  think this is some of DD's flim-flam; he's presenting 
Harry with a credible reason for Snape's actions, one that Harry will
understand and accept; the more so since it makes James look good.
I think it's more complicated than that.
Remember - in PoA chap 14, Harry reminds Snape that James saved
his life and Snape's reaction doesn't indicate any feeling of debt or
forgiveness at all. He lumps all the Marauders together and suggests
James only rescued him because he got cold feet, that James was
primarily saving himself and his friends. Saving Snape was just a
means to an end.

Snape never mentions a 'life debt', might never even consider it 
applicable, since it was one of James's friends that put him in danger 
of his life anyway. The way he behaves in Shrieking Shack II, the estatic
Gotcha! reaction; the revenge he can almost taste - "Two more for 
Azkaban" - is almost obscene. He's been waiting for this for a long, 
long time.

I see Sevvy as a vengeful type - he'd want his pound of flesh, to see
his enemies humiliated. Somehow DD put the blocks on it.
I'd love to know how and I'd love to know why Snape still trusts him.

Kneasy