Quote from IFFIN on September 23, 2026, 6:05 pm

So he is judge,jury and executioner. Sad that this is what many people think today, yesterday and tomorrow. 

I took what Lupin and Sirius told Harry as half truths. That there was more. I could not completely trust what they were saying. They never talked about Lily. I know in the movie Lupin mentioned Lily as an individual, but not in the books of what I can remember. I also wonder if they didn't talk about Lily, because it would also bring up Snape. I wonder if Dumbledore told Lupin and Sirius not to bring up the fact that Lily and Snape knew each other. Snape did ask Dumbledore to not let anyone know why he was doing what he was doing.

“Yeah,” said Harry, “but he just attacked Snape for no good reason*, just because — well,  just because you said you were bored,” he finished with a slightly apologetic note in his voice.*

“I’m not proud of it,” said Sirius quickly.

I think Sirius is taking the bullet here for James, because James wanted to get Lily's attention.

Another thing I want to add that shows that James and Sirius were hexing for fun was Argus Flich records of punishment on wrongdoers. I don't think it was covered on this Meta, but I am not done reading yet so I can be wrong.

"James always suspected Snape harboured deeper feelings for Lily, which was a factor in James’ behaviour to Snape."

This is one of those quotes from JKR that gets my head spinning. So does that mean ever since Snape was 10? Because that is when I thought the bullying started. Was it right when Lily and Severus entered the cart and James thought that boy wants something more. Okay. I know she probably met when he was older, but James had started his bully right when he first met Severus.  So there is another example that shows it wasn't about him being a future Death Eater, but more about being a Slytherin and poor.

I also don't see why it would be a competition for James if Severus harboured deeper feelings for Lily, unless he also suspected that Lily also harboured deeper feelings for Severus. In real life and fictional teenage trope, teenagers always have trouble declaring their feelings to their childhood best friend for fear of rejection and losing that familiar friendship and it ending or changing.

Dark Magic encompasses any form of offensive magic intended to hurt others, including milquetoast jinxes, hexes, and low-level curses. The Harry Potter Compendium also defines it similarly:

And someone said this.

“Ah, Evans, don’t make me hex you,” said James earnestly.

I went looking for the quote on the internet and found it on the board and like an idiot I started to reading the comments and Jily lovers who think this banter is so cute between Lily and James and he was just being cheeky. It is Lily "the lady doth protest too much, methinks".

What I think is he is testing his boundaries with Lily. Yes he is joking, but for me it is like a guy say. "Ah, Evans, don't make me slap you," said James earnestly.