Lily (wasPrank revisited.)

[Barb Roberts]

No: HPFGUIDX 99384

> Renee:
>
> IMO, Lily certainly isn't lily-white here. Sure, she defended the
> victim against his bullies, but if someone is treated unjustly and
> you intervene, lack of gratitude and even racial slurs should *not*
> cause you to turn your back to them. What Snape says, doesn't make
> James's and Sirius's treatment of him any more justified than it
> was. Of course, it would take a saint to ignore Snape's reaction
> altogether; that Lily pays him back in kind shows she's no saint or
> angel but a normal human being. It's what she does next that I find
> so disappointing.

Snape may have been on the loosing side *this* time.  He was probably 
caught off guard with tests, spring fever et al.  He is not generally 
cast as a victim.  Usually, he can take care of himself. We are told 
that he knew more about curses and counter-curses coming into Hogwarts 
than many older students knew (something to that effect.).  And we 
probably know this that we know this because Snape used these curses 
against fellow students. We also saw how well he could handle himself 
in the dueling match in CoS.  Snape is not a magical weakling.  I also 
think that Lily knew that James wouldn't continue his behavior after 
being chastised by her.   There was little need for her to stay around 
and take abuse from Snape, who  didn't need or wish for much help from 
her.  She broke up the incident and I think that all she needed to do 
to put a stop to it.

I find little evidence to suggest that James and Sirius were  true 
bullies like Dudley.  True bullies like to show their power by seeking 
out  weaker victims to attack.  Dudley and his gang hang around the 
school yard just looking for weaker kids.  Anyone will do.  (Kind of 
how Snape manages his classroom.)  With James and Snape the 
confrontation seems to be more personal and all the participants seem 
to be are more equal in power.  I expect that there were a whole series 
of escalating incidents where the losers and winners rotated.  Just 
like Harry's and Draco's  confrontations have played out.

My opinion anyway,

Ivogun