Oops! Re: Snape, Apologies, and Redemption--Lupin vs. DD (continued)

[leslie41]

No: HPFGUIDX 152669

 
> > Leslie41:
> > I would condemn James and Sirius for being arrogant, thieving, 
> > self-important, 
> 
> Lanval:
> See, that's where you lose me. Arrogant, yes. Self-important, 
> definitely. 
> 
> But 'thieving'?  Canon, please?

Leslie41:
The Snitch James is playing with--showing off with to be more precise-
-is stolen.  When asked where he got it (by Sirius), James says 
he "nicked it".  If I'm not mistaken (and I'm not), this is British 
idiom for "taken without permission".  Stolen.  Granted, it's not a 
mammoth theft.  James, like the Weasley Twins, is only a petty 
thief.  But it's definitely canon.

 
> > Leslie41
> > malicious a-holes, whose great joy in life is taken in 
> > socially eviscerating the less popular and less attractive just 
> > because they CAN.
> 
> Lanval:
> And here your argument leaves Canonland forever, and floats off 
> into the vast space of Creative Speculation. Canon, please, for 
> Sirius and James' foremost joy in life being the social destruction 
> of all the less popular and attractive? 

Leslie41:
Well, Lily seems to think so.  When she upbraids the pair she's not 
just referring to Snape, I think.  This is what she says to James 
before she stalks off:

'Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like 
you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid 
Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just 
because you can - I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the 
ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK.'

The "anyone who annoys you just because you can" seems to me to 
indicate that Snape is not the only victim of James Potter's abuse.   
The haphazard way in which Sirius and James end up violating Snape in 
this chapter (because he's there and because he exists--by James' own 
admission) makes me think that he just happens to be the most obvious 
target here.  They'd prefer to bother Snape.  But if it's not Snape 
it's going to be someone else.  Lily knows this.  James Potter and 
Sirius Black are that particular brand of high school social predator 
that many of us dreaded, or hated.  The weaker among us admired 
them.  The strongest among us confronted them.  Lily is my hero.  

My argument is strongly supported by canon, not "speculative" at all. 
 
> Lanval:
> Can you point me to where in canon Sirius, post-POA, displays 
> strong meanness toward anyone but Snape (and, on one occasion to 
> Harry)?

Leslie41:
Kreacher.  Dumbledore even comments on Sirius' nastiness towards him, 
and suggests it's unwarranted.