Snape killing flies WAS: Re: Lily WAS: First lesson

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 185736

Carol:
> I don't know what to make of the broom memory, either, but I think 
> it shows a young Severus eager to learn skills he's not quite ready 
> for (in contrast to Lily, who's quite happy to watch him and laugh 
> rather than take her turn--maybe the laughter indicates excitement 
> and happiness rather than ridicule?) or the broom is hexed, which I 
> think is likely from its behavior. One thing's for sure, it's not a 
> fine racing broom like the not-yet invented Nimbus 2000 or Firebolt.
> Severus's mother wouldn't be able to afford one. I suspect it's the
> broom she uses to clean her house (and, occasionally, for
> transportation), which she doesn't want her nine- or ten-year-old 
> son to attempt to ride.


SSSusan:
The only thing I'd say as a counter to the possibility that the girl 
(probably Lily) is laughing out of excitement or happiness is that I 
tend to look at the memories the way Alla does.  That is, there's a 
*reason* JKR chose these specific memories to include.  Since this is 
in there with other bad/negative memories, I think that leads us to 
more naturally conclude that it's representative of another negative 
incident.  

Why would there be a memory of him trying to ride a bucking broom and 
having a girl laughing along with him out of excitement, making it at 
least a semi-positive memory?  No, I think the girl laughing *at* 
Severus is what we're supposed to conclude; as in, yet another 
instance where something is going wrong for poor Severus.

Siriusly Snapey Susan