The Huge overreactions from a five minute time span.

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 150093

> >>Joe Goodwin:
> > Snape's worst memory has to be the single most hysteria-inducing 
> > piece of Harry Potter. It gives rise to a lot of clap trap      
> > including:    
> > 1. Snape would be a teddybear if only the mean old James Potter 
> > hadn't tortured him in school.

> >>Alla:
> <snip>
> What I am having problems with is portraying Severus Snape as a 
> fluffy bunny against big bad Marauders.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I totally agree.  There's nothing in canon to suggest Snape was ever 
a fluffy bunny.  JKR has done a very good job, IMO, in showing that 
Snape was actually a human being.  I don't think she ever described 
him as fluffy either.  So yes, Joe and Alla, very good point.  Snape 
is not, and probably never was, a fluffy bunny. Or a teddybear.  
(I'm assuming this is an animagus theory?)

> >>Joe Goodwin:   
> > 2. James and the other Marauders were really nasty people and 
> > Dumbledore let them get away with everything.

> >>Alla:
> THAT is one of the most puzzling things - e.g. Dumbledore letting 
> Marauders get away with anything, because I REALLY don't remember 
> anything in canon which can testify to that - Dumbledore letting 
> Marauders getting away with anything.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Well, this scene certainly goes a long way towards painting the 
Marauders as rather nasty people.  I think Dumbledore gets blamed as 
the stand in parent, just as whenever children do something 
horrifying the public asks, "Where were their parents?"

> >>Joe Goodwin:
> 3. Now we have James and Sirius sexually harrassing Snape.

Betsy Hp:
Sexual harassment or sexual humiliation, James was the one who chose 
to expose Snape as he did.  Honestly, I think this is just calling 
it as it is.  It doesn't strike me as hysterical.

> >>Joe Goodwin:
> <snip> 
> James hated Snape because he was, to quote Remus Lupin "Up to his 
> neck in the Dark Arts." Now this wasn't teenage Remus Lupin who   
> said this it was adult Remus Lupin who is one of the few people
> JKR sets up and paragons of wisdom and forgiveness.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Does she?  Then maybe you can explain why Lupin was so willing to 
stand aside and let Harry die?  Nothing particularly wise in Lupin's 
behavior there.  Or throughout PoA, actually.  So no, I'm not going 
to take Lupin's word on it when he starts talking about the boy his 
friends bullied throughout his time in school.

There's a reason JKR chose this particular scene as *THE ONLY* scene 
we've seen of the Marauders in school.  I don't think she wrote it 
for us to ignore.  Though, this being JKR, it's probably wise to not 
jump to too many conclusions. <g>

Betsy Hp