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

[mommystery2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 123646


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "phoenixgod2000" <jmrazo at h...> 
wrote:
> I actually agree with you that there is no evidence that Snape is 
> less intelligent than the MWPP. I hate Snape with the fire of a 
> thousand suns but he is both brave to be a spy and good at what he 
> does. I just disagree with your explanation why.


Well I don't hate Snape.  I do detest Black, Potter and Pettigrew 
though.  And I have to say while I think McGonagall would have an 
idea of just how her students are doing in all classes, she 

Notice we don't see anything of Pettigrew in class in Snape's 
pensieve.  I'm sure he wasn't the smartest nut in the bag, and I bet 
he wasn't just sitting there cruising through the exam.  Unless he 
was cheating, which wouldn't surprise me, since, if they already had 
the map done at that point, Black and company could already have 
known all the answers.

I'm not even sure why Snape's intelligence is ever in question.  His 
knowing more hexes, an affinity for the dark arts at a young age seem 
to indicate to me someone with brains (and since Black comes from a 
family of dark wizards, I'm sure he knew some also).  The man is a 
Potions Master, he's a spy, he's a professor and he's Head of House.  
The last two alone must be qualifiers of having brains, since you are 
dealing with students (although his methods leave a lot to be 
desired) all day long and then all the House problems 24/7.  What 
qualifies a person to be Head of House anyway?  

What did Potter do after Hogwarts?  Join the Order?  Big deal.  If he 
had lived, what would he have done with his life?  Work at the 
Ministry? What did Black do?  Those are questions I'd like to see 
answered in HBP.

Black, to his credit, managed to stay alive for 12 years in inhuman 
conditions.  Lily is the one who ensured Harry stayed alive, James is 
never mentioned for any part of that - it's always Lily's love that 
keeps Harry alive.  I'm always surprised that there wasn't any 
secondary defense of their house, like when Voldemort stepped foot on 
their property, didn't any alarms go off so they could disapparate?  
That should have been James's job.