good and bad slytherins/Disappointment and Responsibility

[lizzyben04]

No: HPFGUIDX 175157


> Carol:
> > But I'm not talking about the SWM. I'm talking about the first
> > encounter between Sirius, James, and Severus on the Hogwarts 
> Express.
> > 
> > A little canon then (and I really am wondering why so few people 
> are
> > quoting it at this point).
> > 
> > "'You'd better be in Slytherin,' said Snape, encouraged that she
> > [Lily] had brightened a little.
> > 
> > "'Slytherin?' One of the boys sharing the compartment, who had 
> shown
> > no interest in Snape or Lily at all until that point, looked 
> around at
> > the word, and Harry . . .  saw his father, slight, black-haired 
> like
> > Snape, but with that indefinable air of being well cared for, even
> > adored, that Snape so conspicuously lacked.
> > 
> > "'Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?'
> > james asked the boy lounging on the seat opposite him. . . [BTW,
> > James's words precisely echo Draco's sneer about Hufflepuff in 
> SS/PS:
> > "Imagine being Sorted into Hufflepuff. I think I'd leave, wouldn't
> > you?" SS Am. ed. 77).]
> > 
> > "Sirius did not smile. 'My whole family have been in Slytherin,' 
> he said.
> > 
> > "'Blimey,' said James. 'And I thought you seemed all right!'"
> > 
> > "Sirius grinned. 'Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you
> > heading, f you've got the choice?'
> > 
> > "James held up an invisible sword. 'Gryffindor, where dwell the 
> brave
> > at heart. Like my dad"" (DH Am. ed. 671).
> 
> 
> 
> Lanval:
> And that's when Snape sneers at James, and insults his choice of 
> house. Let's not omit that, if we're talking canon. 


lizzyben:

Just wanted to add one thing. When James said "just like my Dad" and
waves an invisible sword, I'm convinced that Snape interpreted that as
"I want to be a bully, just like my Dad." Hence his "small,
disparaging noise" and later comment about "brawn." James sees his
father as someone to emulate, but Snape sees his as an abusive bully.
So while James sees his desire to be like his father as something
noble, it provokes a negative reaction from Snape. Just another
example of the (many) misconceptions & misunderstandings from that scene.