bullies? twins, padfoot and prongs

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 118481


 Catkind wrote:
> Whether Potter vs Snape would be a fair fight isn't clear - given 
that
> in the pensieve scene Snape pulls his wand first but still doesn't 
get
> a shot in, I'd think probably even James alone would be 
sufficiently
> much faster to squish him, from a standing start. (I don't really 
see
> the history of this enmity as consisting of gentlemanly duels 
though!)

Potioncat:
Well, we've been told that James was a powerful wizard.  And it 
seems that Snape is too.  But I don't think this scene tells us how 
closely matched they are.  Speed to the wand would only be 
meaningfull if they were standing at 10 paces and a third party 
yelled, "Draw!" 

James sees Severus, cues Sirius, stands up and calls out. He is 
prepared. Severus has to react, drop his bag and pull out his wand.  
By the time he has his wand, James is casting expelliarmus.

As to a fair fight:
James drops Severus to the ground, Severus jumps up with his wand 
ready and James throws a locomotor mortis.  At Lily's command, James 
counters it and Snape stands up. Nothing is said about his wand.  
Lily tells James off making him mad and walks off and at that point, 
James jerks Severus back into the air and offers to take off his 
pants.

Either  Severus had his wand, but did not cast a curse while James 
and Lily were arguing, then James threw one without warning. (Was 
Severus the one fighting fair?)

Or, Severus did not have his wand when he stood up and James threw a 
curse on an unarmed opponent without warning.

Whatever many good things James will go on to do, at this particular 
time, he was a real jerk.
>