James, a paragon of virtue? Was: Why Do You Like Sirius?

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 123627



> Carol responds:
> Nope, I'm not going to give you that one. First, Sirius is talking
> about the Transfiguration exam, not the DADA exam that we know 
> Severus studied for. He doesn't need to study Transfiguration 
> because that's what he and James have been doing since they 
> discovered that Remus was a werewolf, not in order to get high marks 
> (which were a side benefit)
> but in order to become Animagi. No wonder McGonagall thinks they're
> exceptionally bright. They do exceptionally well in *her* subject, 
> the only one she sees them in. Nor is she an unbiased witness. She 
> was head of Gryffindor House; they were Gryffindors. And James, wh 
> died fighting Voldemort, is a hero in the WW. 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Ummm, just one very small comment, which I think gives some extra 
> points for McGonagall objectivity ( please remember that I am not 
> arguing who were brighter James and Sirius OR Severus, I am simply 
> arguing that James and Sirius WERE smart).
> 
> 
> When McGonagall makes this statement - she has absolutely NO reason 
> to remember Sirius fondly, because she considers him to be a traitor 
> AND she still says that.
> 
> Also what Nora said about Flitwick not contradicting her.
> 
> 
> All three of them were academic genuises, how about that idea? :o)

Neri adds:
Perhaps this was mentioned upthread and I missed it, but at least in
regard to James, we have a very strong independent corroboration that
he was the brightest student of his year: DD chose him, not Severus,
to be Head Boy. At least in RL British schools this is an honor based
mainly on academic excellence (see Shaun Hately's article) and I don't
know any reason to think Hogwarts is different in this regard. This
means DD also thought James was very bright, even though he didn't
know at the time about the animagus feat or the map. And I don't think
he appointed James solely based on his Transfiguration marks.

I'm not sure if this fits with the definition of seriation, but since
McGonagall's testimony is strongly corroborated regarding James, I'm
even more inclined to trust it regarding Sirius also.

To summerize, we have at least four independent confirmations that the
marauders in general and James in particular were very bright:

1. McGonagall's testimony. 
2. The animagi feat.
3. The Marauder's Map (which grownup Snape can't break into).
4. DD choosing James as Head Boy.

Definitely a series. Also, when DD tells Harry in the end of PoA that
Sirius told him about becoming animagi, he notes: "an extraordinary
achievement – not least, keeping it quiet from me". DD doesn't use
praises like "extraordinary" often, and he seems to think that
"keeping it quiet from him" is a fifth confirmation of the marauders
being bright.

Regarding Severus's academic genius, I'd better let other members
count the evidence for it, but I suspect it would be much more patchy. 

Neri