bullies? twins, padfoot and prongs

[cat_kind]

No: HPFGUIDX 118565


> > Valky:
> > The phrase "as though he had been expecting an attack" in no way 
> > leads to an assumption that james was still armed. 
> >snip
>  The attack was not obvious, James wand was not drawn or 
> > aimed. Of that I am entirely certain. 
> 
> Potioncat:
> Just to clarify, James calls out "All right, Snivelus?" Do you think 
> Severus was wrong to go for his wand? Looking at the description of 
> Sirius and Peter, James was up to something, we can see it, and 
> Severus must have had reason to expect it.
> > 

catkind:
 
The way I read this scene, James and Sirius weren't planning a fight,
they were planning a taunting session, a la Draco Malfoy/famille
Dursley. Then they are pleased when Snape draws his wand because it
gives them an excuse to use magic against him.  Even more so when
Snape gets his slashing-hex in.  My impression was, if Snape hadn't
gone for his wand, nor would James and Sirius have. 

Yes, it can also be read the other way:  "All right, Snivellus?" calls
James, to call Snape's attention to the wands pointing at him. 
My opinion:  whichever way it happened, it doesn't change the fact
that J&S are in the wrong.

I always want to compare this scene to the scene where Draco first
confronts Harry about Malfoy sr. being in prison, at the end of OotP:
 Harry is taunting Malfoy, basically, even though Malfoy "started it".
Malfoy goes for his wand.  Harry gets to his first. I wonder what
would have happened next if Snape hadn't intervened. Judging by
Harry's later actions, something pretty unpleasant would have happened
to Malfoy at this point.

The author seems to condemn James and Sirius' actions, but not to
notice anything wrong with what Harry does to Malfoy in the various
incidents in OotP. Is this something Harry hasn't noticed yet, or does
Rowling really see a difference, a valid excuse for doing nasty things
to Malfoy? Or is the Harry/Draco dynamic pure Tom-and-Jerry light
relief, outside the moral framework?

If "he started it" is a valid excuse, James and Sirius would have a
valid excuse at least in my first reading. 
If "he's a nasty piece of work" is a valid excuse, you could say James
and Sirius would have a valid excuse full stop.
If "two against one" is what makes it wrong, what about Harry and
twin/DA vs Draco/Draco and goons?
 
I'd be interested in what people think about the relative seriousness
of the offences "he insulted my parent/best mate/greasy nose", "he
hexed me" and "he punched me" in this world. Otherwise it's hard to
judge what is considered just retaliation for what and by whom. 

catkind