bullies? twins, padfoot and prongs

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 118710


> Kim now:
> I think what may be missing in our interpretations is that in this 
> scene James sees Severus in the light of his and Severus's own 
> personal history together, a history which we can't see from our 
> reader's POV.  As a possible history, I'll offer this:  After they 
> first met one another, it somehow became apparent to James that 
> Severus was a pureblood snob.  Severus may be a "shabby-genteel" 
> pureblood snob (hence the dingy underpants?), but he's a snob 
> nonetheless.  And pure-blood James doesn't like snobs.  Why this is 
> so, I've no idea, but I think it is so.  (Also, pureblood Sirius 
> doesn't like snobs either, does he, hence part of the reason for his 
> dislike of his own family?) <snip>

Carol responds:
Actually, I don't think snobbery is quite the right word here, since
Sirius comes across as arrogant and haughty himself, much like his
cousin Bellatrix in the Pensieve scene. He wants his friend James, who
is arrogant in a different "admire me" sort of way to entertain him.
Sirius says that the Blacks in general behave like royalty, a point
that's confirmed by the "Nature's Nobility" book title. Sirius at
fifteen, despite his rejection of the Dark Arts, still considers
himself too good or too smart to study (see his rude remark to Remus
regarding the Transfiguration exam).

I don't think the "arrogant little berks" are rejecting snobbishness
per se. They, too, seem to think they're better than everyone else. I
think whatever is between them and Severus is personal, possibly an
instinctive dislike of a skinny, greasy but talented boy on James's
part and a projection of his own hated Dark Wizard family onto Severus
by Sirius. Certainly Sirius's dislike of his own family plays a part
here, but IMO it's not the snobbery he's rejecting. He's a snob
himself, as indicated by his scornful disregard of the girls who think
he's handsome and his treatment of the other Marauders, even James.

Carol, who really should stop replying to this thread!