Prank Generally (Was: Re: Snape's Culpability in the Prank ) (WAS: James and Sirius as Bullies)

[liliput99ar]

No: HPFGUIDX 181272

Nora:

My view about the Prank.
All canon from PoA, GB pocket edition

Page 152: "Precisely, said Professor McGonagall. `Black and
Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright,
of course – exceptionally bright, in fact – but I don't think
we've ever had such pair of troublemakers-`

Page 260: Hermione: "That was still really dangerous! Running
around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the
others the slip, and bitten somebody?"
" A thought that still haunts me', said Lupin heavily.' And
there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them
afterwards. We were young, thoughtless – carried away with
our own cleverness"

Pag 261: Remus: "Sirius thought it would be- er -amusing, to
tell Snape all he had to do was to prod the knot on the tree-
trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me.
Well, of course, Snape tried it".

-end of canon-

I think that Sirius did not think about dangerous consequences
in telling Snape to go after Remus through the Womping Willow.
He was a "troublemaker", reckless, arrogant, and rash. I don't
think he was seaking harm for Snape.

I am not saying that it was just an innocent joke. I am saying
there have always been a lot of jokes, that without a minimal
further thinking look very amusing, and that are in fact cruel
and/or dangerous. Or that turn badly without purpose. Some canon
examples are many of the Weasley twin's jokes, or Harry and Ron
going to Hogwarts on flying car (not a joke but a stupid /
thoughtless move), or Harry going to Hogsmeade without
permission, and Ron supporting him, etc.

Prank was an idiotic joke that could have turn very badly, and
that finally turned badly because of the people involved. It
contributed to the hatred and resentment of Snape, who did not
even try to listen to the explanations of Sirius, Remus and trio
about "the rat". Things could have been different with Snape's
support, to get the conviction of Pettigrew for the murders of
the Potters and the Muggles, to clear Sirius, and so on. And we
would not had the story...hehe

Just my thoughts.

Nora