Snapedom

Here’s another thing I’d like to drag out from the depths of Sailorum’s Snily post-and-commentary for independent attention.

Most often, when I read something by someone with a viewpoint strongly different from mine, it clarifies my understanding of how they view (or misinterpret—evil grin) canon, but it has a hard time altering MY view. But sometimes someone offers an insight that just reverses things for me.

The insight that Lily almost certainly was a prefect in SWM altered my perceptions of her behavior very negatively.

However, one of Sailorum’s responses to a comment has the exact opposite effect on my view of Lily in the Mulciber/Potter argument. Like 00sevvie and others, I’d felt Lily to be cold and distant in that scene, not responding like a true friend, for not expressing overt sympathy and horror over her supposed best friend’s near-murder (and for thinking Mulciber’s failed prank, whatever it was, on a par with death-by-werewolf).

But I see now that I was falling into the old trap of assuming that what I knew, a character knew, and judging them on the basis of my knowledge. (Just like all the fen who think that OF COURSE Snape knew all along that the Dark Lord was an Evul sociopath—I mean, it’s obvious in retrospect, right? How could Sev not have known at 15 that this Dark Lord wizard was Bad News?) I’ve been committing that same sin with Lily.



For here’s what Sailorum so cogently points out:

Here's another thing to consider: Lily is a Gryffindor. Gryffindors are known for, among other things, foolishly risking their lives, sometimes just for the thrill of daring do. They are known for having thrill issues. Lily might know plenty of peers who would be just fine after having their life in danger (as long as they entered into the danger themselves and weren't physically hurt very much or permanently damaged). Lily doesn't know that Sirius played a "prank" on Severus. As far as she knows, Severus went down that tunnel of his own accord, with no prompting. And the Whomping Willow is dangerous to be going on with.

Oh, stars.

From Sev’s point of view, what happened was: his enemies made a deliberate attempt to kill him. At the last minute, James realized that the danger of the Marauders getting caught was too great, so he “rescued” Snape in order to save himself and his friends from expulsion and possibly Azkaban.

Given that Severus already suspected that Moony was a werewolf before heading down that tunnel, I think that he had already spied them going down it—and naturally assumed that Lupin was caged or otherwise secured at the other end. But Severus afterwards has spectacular assurance that Moony was not secured in any way, so he must eventually have concluded that the Marauders must somehow have found a way to be safe in a werewolf’s company. (Which must have absolutely BURNED him—those swaggering empty-headed braggarts figured out how to do something he can’t figure out?) Moreover, James plays the hero card (first with the headmaster and then with Lily) for “rescuing” Severus at risk to himself, when Severus is sure (or becomes sure) that James hadn’t put himself in danger.


But from Lily’s point of view, what happened was: Severus pulled a Gryffindor, almost killed himself messing it up, and has James to thank for his life (which Sev has conspicuously not ever done—thanked James, that is).

Now, stop to consider: Lily’s probably a bit of a daredevil herself (if she did consent to rejecting Dumbledore as Secret-Keeper in favor of the Sirius/Peter switch, she must be—and we did see her sailing off that swing as a little girl), and she’s in a house that values that sort of thing.

Think of how James and Sirius react to risk. They’re adrenaline junkies; they consider a week wasted if they haven’t had three brushes at least with death, physical danger, and/or trouble with the authorities. James is a Quidditch star; they both run around out of bounds and let out a werewolf to play; they lead cops on high-speed chases; they join the Order and fight Death Eaters—and are frustrated to the point of reckless stupidity when circumstances force them to stay hidden at home…. (Now, mind, it’s a fact little observed by the Marauders that many of their exploits endanger others in addition to—or more than—themselves. But hey, by sheer coincidence that happens in the neighborhood of thrill-seekers.)

Compare how Severus and Sirius face deadly risk and eventually death: Severus is openly terrified when he approaches Dumbledore to beg for Lily’s life, white-faced but grimly determined to do his duty in GoF, shows a “face like a death mask” when Riddle threatens him in DH, cries out at the snake’s attack…. Sirius, in complete contrast, is exhilarated at the chance to duel Death Eaters, taunts Bellatrix with relish, and falls through the Veil with a look of surprise on his face. To Sirius, danger is a source of pleasure; even after losing friends horribly, the risk of death is never real to him until it happens. For Severus, the risk is always real (and vividly present to him); being a Slytherin, he’ll face it whenever he must, but he finds nothing whatsoever enjoyable about it.

So: how would Sirius have reacted if one of his harebrained exploits had almost killed him, and Severus had waded in and saved him? The risk of death would not have been traumatic in the least; the humiliation of being caught short and saved by his worst enemy would have been excruciating.

Lily has by then spent five years in this subculture, absorbing its norms. And Severus certainly doesn’t go around telling her that he doesn’t actually enjoy danger—she’d think him a coward.

And she has no way of knowing, and Sev’s not allowed to say enough to prove to her, that the Marauders were responsible for his danger in the first place—and that Severus believes that it was an almost-successful murder attempt, which failed only because James at the last minute realized the danger to the Marauders of carrying it through.

So Lily may really, truly, REALLY not understand that Sev was traumatized by his near-murder by the Marauders. She thinks instead that he risked death voluntarily, for fun. What Sev is sulking over is that he failed at his “sneaking,” and had to be rescued by James.

“And you’re being really ungrateful”…

“Saved? Saved? You think he was playing the hero?”

Indeed.

And Sev has just found out that his best friend knew he was almost killed and didn't even ask how he was doing. And is siding with his would-be murderers. He'd been forbidden to talk about what happened; obviously Potter was not so constrained.

(Bangs head against wall for merciful interval of oblivion.)

*

This carries the theme of crossed communications between them to a dizzying height.

Oh, oh, ouch.

And thanks, Sailorum.

I hate to be corrected.