The Prank in DH / Life Debt

[Neri]

No: HPFGUIDX 167381

Steve wrote:
><snip>
> 
> Next, Snape is not guiltless. It was crystal clear from
> circumstances, that the Headmaster did not want anyone
> going into the Whomping Willow. It was clear from the
> fact that Mdm. Pomphrey accompanied Lupin to the Willow
> that whatever was going on was official Hogwarts business.
> Snape was out of bounds, likely out after hours, and 
> going into a situation that he could reasonable conclude
> entailed some degree of danger. <snip>

Neri:
In addition, according to Lupin (PoA, Ch 10) "They planted the
Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used
to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the
end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were
forbidden to go near it". Therefore Snape must have known he was out
of bounds and taking his chances even just coming close to the Willow.

We need to keep in mind here that Hogwarts is the kind of school where
the Headmaster can warn his students not to enter a certain corridor
in the third floor unless they wish to die a very painful death, and
everybody but a few clueless first-years takes him quite seriously.  


Steve: 
> As to connecting that Prank to the final book, I don't
> see it being made a big deal of. I suspect we may get 
> some more details in-passing, but I don't see the flow
> of the story stopping to resolve this issue, nor do I
> think the issue is important enough to warrant much 
> page time.

Neri:
I tend to agree. Even if the *consequences* of the Prank (i.e. the
life debt) will turn out to be the key for the whole Snape mystery, as
I personally theorize, we don't need to know about the Prank more than
the fact that James indeed saved Snape's life, which we were already
been told by both Dumbledore and Lupin. The details don't seem
critical for the consequence. Moreover, the current versions we have
were told by Snape and Lupin in quite dramatic circumstances, so BANG
considerations don't demand a retelling of the story either.

Another question is which character *can* tell us the full story of
the Prank? Sirius, James and Dumbledore are dead. Lupin certainly was
not present when Sirius told Snape how to get in. Snape himself is a
bit suspicious as a witness at the moment. I guess it would be
possible to see what had transpired in a Pensieve memory, but the
chances of Snape again leaving his worst memories unguarded in Harry's
presence seem slim, and if Snape would offer them of his own free will
it would appear suspicious, as we now know Pensieve memories can be
tampered with, and certain people might be able to do better job at it
than Slughorn. Peter's testimony would be suspicious for similar
reasons, even assuming he *was* a witness at all. So we need a
hitherto unknown witness to tell the story, preferably someone who was
present during both the conversation between Sirius and Snape and
inside the tunnel. Of course, this is JKR's story and she can make
anything happen, but some coincidences would stretch credibility, and
I doubt the story even requires the retelling of the Prank.  


Neri