Nicknames

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 185559

Geoff earlier:
> > > <snip>
> > > 
> > > That apart, what about "Snivellus"?
> > >
Carol earlier:
> > 
> > That's not a nickname. It's an undeserved taunt by an enemy.
> > 
> > Carol, who finds it hard to forgive Sirius for adding that
particular bit to the torment of Severus after James had tripped him
and retaining it all those years
> 
> Geoff:
> But I suspect that it was used by the Marauders more than once; it 
> seems an unlikely spur-of-the-moment choice. To me, it would 
> be a nickname. <snip>

Carol responds:

I'm not so sure that an insulting alteration of a person's name is a
nickname. Is "Potty wee Potter" a nickname? Peeves uses it more than once.

But as for "unlikely spur-of-the-moment choice," unlikely or not, it
*is* a spur-of-the-moment invention. Neither James nor Sirius knows
Severus. The only reason they know his first name is that Lily uses
it. So Sirius (at least, I think it's Sirius since James has already
done his part by tripping Severus) calls him Snivellus on the spur of
the moment, and, enamored of what he considers to be his own
cleverness, continues to use the insulting "nickname" not only in SWM
but into adulthood.

When I was ten, one of the older girls used to call me "Spider"
because of my long, skinny legs. However, I assure that I never
acknowledged "Spider" as my nickname!

Carol, who thinks it's only a nickname if the person answers to it (as
Mad-eye does)