Re: If Severus is nuanced, so is Lily
(Anonymous)
Being dishonest with her 'friend'. She didn't really consider him her friend at the time of the werewolf incident, she lied when she said they were 'best friends'.
It wasn't a lie, IMO. Maybe she still wanted to believe it, because she cared about him. And I think he still cared about her -- but he simply wasn't listening to her concerns about Mulciber and Avery (which he laughed off).
She didn't care that he nearly died, she didn't want to hear his version. She took the rumors that originated with the Marauders as truth that didn't need examination. That is not the behavior of a friend, let alone a 'best' one.
I just don't think that whole thing is ... written very well, on reflection. I can see what JKR was trying to do, but it sort of fails in the execution. To be fair to Lily, Severus WAS standing in front of her plainly in one piece.
But I don't think Lily was a bitch.
And I surely cannot be the only Snape fan out there who doesn't regard Lily as a bitch.
I agree that her lack of social decency has nothing to do with her behavior during the moments before her death, though I have no idea whether her behavior was courageous, panicky or what.
Or perhaps it was a mixture of BOTH, seeing as how Lily is no saint. ;)
I know how I'd react if a psychopathic murderer threatened me and the life of my baby: I'd be a gibbering wreck. But maybe I would have enough presence of mind to try to bargain for my child's life, as well.
-- Pearlette
It wasn't a lie, IMO. Maybe she still wanted to believe it, because she cared about him. And I think he still cared about her -- but he simply wasn't listening to her concerns about Mulciber and Avery (which he laughed off).
She didn't care that he nearly died, she didn't want to hear his version. She took the rumors that originated with the Marauders as truth that didn't need examination. That is not the behavior of a friend, let alone a 'best' one.
I just don't think that whole thing is ... written very well, on reflection. I can see what JKR was trying to do, but it sort of fails in the execution. To be fair to Lily, Severus WAS standing in front of her plainly in one piece.
But I don't think Lily was a bitch.
And I surely cannot be the only Snape fan out there who doesn't regard Lily as a bitch.
I agree that her lack of social decency has nothing to do with her behavior during the moments before her death, though I have no idea whether her behavior was courageous, panicky or what.
Or perhaps it was a mixture of BOTH, seeing as how Lily is no saint. ;)
I know how I'd react if a psychopathic murderer threatened me and the life of my baby: I'd be a gibbering wreck. But maybe I would have enough presence of mind to try to bargain for my child's life, as well.
-- Pearlette