Snape and Sirius WAS :Regulus and Sirius

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 163772

Alla:
> Oh, but I never had any doubts that Snape is powerful, smart, etc. 
I mean, why would I dispute it?

It is there in the text, loud and clear. I am doubting that Snape is 
using his powers for good, hehe, but **never** that he is powerful.

I am just taking an issue with discounting all that there is in canon 
about Sirius powers.

And as veteran of Snape v Sirius battles, lol, I do hope that we can 
one day analyse Sirius without bringing in Snape, hehe.

He stands to me quite nicely on his own, not just in relation to 
Snape, even though they are certainly connected.

Ceridwen:
I think they're both smart.  I don't know if either one of them are 
Reinaissance Men, good at everything.  Sirius certainly has a talent 
for Transfiguration, while Snape seems to be better at Potions and 
Defense.  In personality, too, they're a bit different.  So of course 
they would not be alike in academic interests.

Carol mentioned that McGonagall might think Sirius was all that smart 
because he excelled in her class.  I can believe that.  She saw his 
classwork and gave his classroom exams.  She was his Head of House, 
but she may have given him the benefit of the doubt about his other 
classes since he did so well in hers.  He was probably no worse than 
average or slightly above, even in his worst subjects or she would 
have remembered that.

We've only seen Snape playing to his strengths, so we don't know how 
he did in Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, or other courses.  But, 
most people have an area that is stronger than other areas of 
interest.

I wouldn't take Slughorn's word as gospel, since he has his favorites 
and doesn't hide that fact, and I don't think Snape was one of his 
favorites.  He was good in Slughorn's subject, but he was an 
unattractive boy in many ways.  Slughorn likes the cut-above-ordinary 
student who has some sort of personality spark.  Ginny is spunky, 
Hermione is smart and pleasing, McLaggen (sp?) is related to someone, 
and has an air of arrogance that is impressive to some people, maybe 
Slughorn among them.

So, I think they're both smart, only maybe not at the same things.

Ceridwen.