The Prank in DH (was Re: Predictions for the End (what I think, hope and know)

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 167270

> Julie:
> I recall JKR saying we will find out more about the Prank in Book  
7, and
> I agree with Carol. I think the Prank may be one of those pivotal  
moments
> that set the course leading to the Potter's deaths and Harry 
becoming 
> the Boy who Lived. I think JKR may show the Prank, along with  
Dumbledore's
> reaction to it, as a main motivator for Snape turning toward 
Voldemort.  In
> one sense, the Marauders helped set a course toward Voldemort  
ultimately
> targeting Harry and his parents for death.

Alla:

Yes, of course that is ALL Marauders' fault <g>. Snape knowing the 
word mudblood and possibly thinking that maybe Voldemort's 
philosophy is superior to all others may not possibly come into play 
at all. Yes, I am being a little sarcastic here :)

Yes, JKR said that we will find out more about Prank and about the 
reasons of the hatred between Sirius and Snape, no?. That makes me 
to believe that Snape will not be just victim of that night. If for 
no other reason then because right now he **already** looks like a 
victim, no? To me more means discovering something that we may not 
yet know.

Julie:  
> Please note, I am IN NO WAY absolving Snape of blame in regards  
to the 
> Potters'
> deaths. 

Alla: 
Um, Okay. Reads like that to me though. It is your right of course 
to read it this way - that Marauders and only Marauders drove poor 
Snape to Voldemort. I mean, this is your reading, right? There are 
no other reasons why Snape joined Voldemort that we may learn. He 
was just so pissed at James and Co that he decided to execute 
revenge and join Voldemort. Sorry if I misread your argument.


Julie:
But it's similar to those who give Snape some of the blame for  
> getting
> Sirius killed because of his goading Sirius about his inactivity 
at  Grimmauld
> Place. If that was one of the straws that finally broke the 
camel's back in 
> regards to Sirius throwing caution and orders to the wind and 
going to the  
> MoM,
> then it may be that Sirius (and James if he was involved at all in 
the  
> original 
> idea) playing the Prank on Snape may have provided the straw that 
broke  
> *that*
> camel's back and ultimately sent Snape to Voldemort. (The analogy 
isn't  
> exact,
> as the actions in the latter case were more direct and malicious, 
but  similar
> enough to compare.)

Alla:

Actually, I am not sure about other people who advanced this 
argument, I know that I never did or at least never intended to. 

Snape's goating made no influence on Sirius death as far as I am 
concerned. I find it disgusting,  but certainly do not think that it 
is translates in Sirius death.

I will most definitely blame Snape for Sirius death, but that is 
more connected to that he himself claimed to take part in it. I 
interpret it as Snape supplying Voldemort with extrainformation 
about him - be it the same info that Kreacher provided or anything 
else.

Julie: 
> If James were alive, I think he might regret how he treated Snape 
during  
> their
> school years, and how he helped shape Snape's later actions. Just 
as  Snape
> (at least per Dumbledore) regrets how his informing Voldemort 
about the 
> Prophecy helped shape Voldemort's later targetting of the Potter  
family.
> (Here Snape's action was far more direct, but when one's actions, 
small or  
> large,
> affect the actions of others, there's no erasing that effect 
later.)

Alla:

Well, as valid speculation as any, I would say, but I would also say 
that we do not know that James helped shape Snape later actions, at 
least not yet. Unless we of course learn that James was involved in 
Prank and got the feet later, your analogy falls flat for me. 
Because we **know** for a fact what Snape did - informing Voldemort 
of the prophecy and what we know James did is going and saving Snape 
life.

Julie:  
> Definitely the Prank has something to reveal about the characters 
involved  
> and
> their motivations or JKR wouldn't be featuring it in the crowded 
plot of  DH. 
> And
> if the revelation is that Snape was equally responsible for the 
Prank  (he 
> knew 
> Remus was a werewolf, planned to kill Remus, etc) as some fans  
hope, it could
> make sense if Snape is ESE or perhaps a version of OFH.

Alla:

Well, some fans ( me :)) have those two exact essays flashing before 
their eyes which were used for specific purpose to recognise who 
Remus was when Snape is a teacher, so some fans ( me :)) think that 
it is plausible that twenty years ago ( or something) Snape may have 
had that exact revelation and acted on that.

Some fans ( me) could be wrong of course and have their crow handy.


Julie:
 But since I believe 
> Snape is DDM, I think the more likely revelation is going to be 
that Snape  
> *was* 
> the victim in *that* particular incident, and it ultimately drove 
him  into 
> Voldemort's
> arms...er, so to speak.

Alla:

Snape **already** looks like one. 


JMO,

Alla