What might Snape consider cowardice?

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 163706


> > >>Valky:
> > Hehe ;) Yeah, it was me who was so shocked and shaken at the idea   
> > that "sniveller" as in colloquial late 20th century english term   
> > for a weak grovelling git, was anything short of a given for some   
> > readers. 
> 
> Betsy Hp:
> I seem to recall there was some debate about "sniveller" being a 
> synonym for "snitch".  Which it's not as far as I know.  Weak, 
> grovelling, and even git I'll give you.  But don't forget crying. <g>
> 

Valky Now:
I remember what you are referring to here, Betsy, I was speculating on
the detention slips, (James had many, Snape none as far as we could
know), and was relating it to a possible background for the
"Snivellus" moniker. It wasn't "Snitch" I was pressing for as the
synonym, but rather "crying/complaining which is insincere and
intentionally manipulative", ie grovelling. My thinking was that Snape
recieved his reputation with the Marauders by virtue of what they
percieved as Snivelling which was a cowardly way of ever having to
deal with the consequences of his own ill-doings. This translates into
a Teen Snape who was into the evil sort of magic, hanging out with the
evil crowd, cursing James at every opportunity, *sneaking around*
trying to get the Marauders in trouble, basically being a complete
a*se but never actually recieving a punishment/detention or admitting
to himself or others that he was short of a great guy. 






> > >>Valky:
> > <snip of eliminated theories>
> > Q. A Muggle????? 
> > A. Bingo!!
> > Snape's father was a muggle, and by what appears to be accounts,
> > Snape's father was also an a***ole.
> 
> Betsy Hp:
> This is still unconfirmed.  The a***oles could have been members of 
> the Prince family.

Valky now:
Yeah, I definitely acknowledge that it is unconfirmed. Still it
occurred to me in the moment and everything seemed to slide into place
very quickly. "That awful boy", "Worst kind of Muggle", Hot-headed
Snape. Your right that it probably isn't the main reason why Sirius
labels Snape a coward, thinking back on it, but I do still like it as
a theory of what might be a part of Snape's history with Lily and
Petunia's history with the Wizard world. 



> Betsy Hp:
> See, *I* think attacking a muggle with a nasty spell is cowardly, but 
> unless JKR is going for evil twins and evil Hagrid, she doesn't seem 
> to feel the same way.  Especially since Dumbledore had a bit of fun 
> using magic (though not nearly as nasty) against defenseless muggles.
> 

Hmmm, just aside, I'm not sure I share you views on Dumbledore's
treatment of the Dursleys. But I have had this debate long and hard
before.. 

I think DD was almost infinitely patient with those two, and what he
finally did do to them in book six was IMO nothing more than a good
firm taking in hand of the situation; no more or less than they
deserved, really. I'd hardly call it attacking especially given that
Dumbledore and Petunia do have history. I'd say that history most
probably includes no less than helping and/or protecting Petunia and
her family on more than one ocassion. We do know that Harry saved
Dudley's life, and Petunia does too, and yet, she carries on with her
rudeness and cllousness indiginance towards these kind people, I
personally don't feel the slightest sympathy for her being poked in
the forehead with a glass, it's the least I'd do to demonstrate my
restraint to her, personally, if I were in Dumbledore's shoes. 

As for Fred and George, what they did wasn't exactly innocuous, but at
the same time, recall they were testing these products on themselves,
and wouldn't release one that would do any permanent harm. What they
did to Dudley wasn't something that they hadn't already done to
themselves to make sure it was nothing more than a temporary and
non-lifethreatening discomfort. That said, I think what they did was
bad. Funny, but bad. ;)

Valky