James, a paragon of virtue? Snape, a paragon of virtue?

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 123489


Valky wrote:
I can't help being reminded of the early chapter of OOtP,
especially, when Harry begins taunting Dudley. In my comparison, he
seems at first, like Lily in the pensieve when Snape calls her a
mudblood, then he seems to take a bit more James in the pensieve
approach and throws in some extra points that seem fairly righteous
*to Harry* but from the objective point of view, it is a *bit far*.
I think it is uncanny that it is at this moment, while he is feeling
very James... that the dementors come and he sets aside all thoughts
of what Dudley has coming to him, and just does the saving thing.
I kind of read that as a foreshadowing of James...

vmonte responds:
Yes, Harry does look bad here. If someone did not know Harry and were 
watching this scene through a penseive, they would think that Harry 
was a bully. And I agree with you that there is more to Snape's 
penseive memory than what we are told. There is a reason for why the 
marauders did what they did to Snape; I just don't believe that 
vengeance solves anything. That sort of behavior is not very 
appealing, nor mature. I do hope you are right about James though.

Vivian