Lily (wasPrank revisited.)

[severelysigune]

No: HPFGUIDX 99470

Ivogun wrote:
<snip> 
<<  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. >>

Sigune replies:
No, Snape certainly isn't a 'magical weakling', and I have little 
doubt that he could hold his own ground against either James or 
Sirius. But the point is (I have elaborated on this in post #99278) 
that they take him on *together*, which, as far as I am concerned, 
makes them 'true bullies'indeed, and not so very different from 
Dudley and his gang. I don't know what it is with bullies, but they 
tend to be a cowardly lot who, even if they are strong enough to pick 
on someone by themselves, will still make sure they are surrounded 
with supporters. 
As I said in the post mentioned, no matter how quick and strong Snape 
is, he cannot possibly win against *two* wizards of his stature in a 
situation like this (only knights of the Round Table like Gawain and 
Lancelot can fight whole armies on their own, it seems; even 
Cuchulain of Ulster had to ask his enemies to come to him one by 
one); besides, two more Marauders are waiting in the background.
I think there is a world of difference between two young wizards, or 
any two schoolchildren, having a duel/fight in a corridor (the very 
word 'duel' implying that there are only two of you), and several 
people banding together against one. The first is called an argument; 
the second is called bullying.
But then I am a little touchy on the subject.
What Snape does in his classroom is equally reprehensible, but 
different: abuse of authority.

Yours severely,

Sigune