Poll: One Marauder Friend
I would probably pick Remus due to him being the least bullying of the four. Not sure about what sort of hobbies he likes, but in the event that he opened up to me about being a werewolf, and if he told me that the other Marauders were running with him at night, I'd straight-up tell him to quit doing that so that he didn't endanger Hogsmeade. I'd probably dig into him whenever the Marauders did their usual Marauder antics, especially if Remus was a Prefect.
Wow, this is a hard one. I don't like any of the Marauders, though I ultimately went with Sirius. Why? Because unlike James, I think he had legitimate reasons for acting out. I'm not excusing his behavior by any means, but I can understand it on some level. I'd want to be friends with him primarily to be a positive influence. As was pointed out in another thread, there does seem to be a level of codependence between him and James that wasn't necessarily healthy. It seems like having more friends/other interests might've helped with that… I also think he'd be a fun companion for adventures and (harmless) pranks.
My backup choice would've been Peter, mainly because I'd like to see what might've happened if he'd had at least one friend who didn't treat him with contempt.
Quote from Heatherlly on December 8, 2022, 11:20 pmWow, this is a hard one. I don't like any of the Marauders, though I ultimately went with Sirius. Why? Because unlike James, I think he had legitimate reasons for acting out. I'm not excusing his behavior by any means, but I can understand it on some level. I'd want to be friends with him primarily to be a positive influence. As was pointed out in another thread, there does seem to be a level of codependence between him and James that wasn't necessarily healthy. It seems like having more friends/other interests might've helped with that… I also think he'd be a fun companion for adventures and (harmless) pranks.
My backup choice would've been Peter, mainly because I'd like to see what might've happened if he'd had at least one friend who didn't treat him with contempt.
Thinking about it after reading your reasoning, I think Sirius and Peter are pretty fair choices. At first, I considered Peter as a back-up, but I think you sold me on Sirius needing a positive influence, like Lily and Severus.
It's going to be Remus Lupin for me, based on a combination of likeability and intelligence. I believe that he would be good company, especially without the influence of James and Sirius. And I think that if he received sympathy and good advice about his being a werewolf, then he might have been kept on the straight path.
As much as loathe to say this, it's James. I hate this guy in general but I think he was a very good friend only because others seem more flawed as friends compared to him.
Sirius: This guy treated his friend Remus as a murder weapon and first to doubt him as a spy and convinced Potters to doubt him too. He also treated Peter with contempt as seen in SWM and later on.
Peter: No need to say much, I won't trust a self serving guy who can betray you with blink of an eye.
Remus: He is most morally good but he was a coward who never stood up to his friends, a quality I dislike in friends. Also he didn't do his image any favour in my eyes when he was content to distance himself from Harry after mentoring him in POA and made lies for his friends repeatedly.
James: In spite of his many a glaring faults, being a bad friend was not one of them. He accepted Remus with an open heart, he gave Sirius a home after he ran away, he supported Remus financially during first war and he trusted Peter with responsibility of Secret Keeper. He was someone who could make life hell for his enemies and move world for his friends.
@kris, I love this perspective. I dislike James so much that I rarely think about his better qualities, but you're right. He is by far the best friend out of the bunch.
It's interesting to think about, especially with the flaws you pointed out with the other three. All of them were effectively "yes men", one of whom was reckless and the other two cowards. Would he have been so bad if he'd chosen different friends? What if he'd surrounded himself with people who called him out on his bullshit/weren't afraid to take him down a notch?
Quote from Heatherlly on February 6, 2023, 12:55 amWould he have been so bad if he'd chosen different friends? What if he'd surrounded himself with people who called him out on his bullshit/weren't afraid to take him down a notch?
I don't think 11-year-old James would have chosen anyone other than loyal (or "loyal") followers, and what 11-year-old James chooses dictates what teen James becomes. But yeah, of the four, James knew how to keep friends better... even though one sold him out to Voldemort and was convinced to distrust another by his best friend. That's actually really depressing, now that I type it out.
Quote from Heatherlly on February 6, 2023, 12:55 amIt's interesting to think about, especially with the flaws you pointed out with the other three. All of them were effectively "yes men", one of whom was reckless and the other two cowards. Would he have been so bad if he'd chosen different friends? What if he'd surrounded himself with people who called him out on his bullshit/weren't afraid to take him down a notch?
Out of other three, Sirius was definitely not a 'yes man'. He reveled in rebellious nature and did wantever he wanted. In fact, I believe he was the one who brought out the worst of the already bad James. As seen in SWM, Sirius was only one to whom James listened and this was again proved when he begun doubting Remus and changed secret keeper on Sirius' suggestion leading weight to this fact.
On the matter of friends, James chose Sirius due to their similarities, both were arrogant, reckless, rule breakers and troublemakers in nature. And I agree with @thegestaltprince opinion that he wanted followers to stroke his ego. James and Sirius lead while Remus and Peter followed, so ultimately for James and Sirius, the other one mattered more than anyone else, even their other friends Remus and Peter.
James' parents spoiled him rotton so they couldn't have corrected his behaviour. He likely inherited his Slytherin prejudice from his parents. Other big positive influence could have been Dumbledore but he didn't do so as seen from his active favorism of marauders and letting them get away with attempted murder and sexual assault and even rewarded him with the position of the 'Head Boy'.
Even the marauder stans' belief that Lily caused him to change is ridiculous as seen that he secretly kept bullying the Severus behind her back, he bullied muggle police as seen in JKR's prequel and he actively sneaked out for marauding till Dumbledore took his invisibility cloak.
Quote from Krystal on February 6, 2023, 8:49 amQuote from Heatherlly on February 6, 2023, 12:55 amIt's interesting to think about, especially with the flaws you pointed out with the other three. All of them were effectively "yes men", one of whom was reckless and the other two cowards. Would he have been so bad if he'd chosen different friends? What if he'd surrounded himself with people who called him out on his bullshit/weren't afraid to take him down a notch?
Out of other three, Sirius was definitely not a 'yes man'. He reveled in rebellious nature and did wantever he wanted. In fact, I believe he was the one who brought out the worst of the already bad James. As seen in SWM, Sirius was only one to whom James listened and this was again proved when he begun doubting Remus and changed secret keeper on Sirius' suggestion leading weight to this fact.
On the matter of friends, James chose Sirius due to their similarities, both were arrogant, reckless, rule breakers and troublemakers in nature. And I agree with @thegestaltprince opinion that he wanted followers to stroke his ego. James and Sirius lead while Remus and Peter followed, so ultimately for James and Sirius, the other one mattered more than anyone else, even their other friends Remus and Peter.
James' parents spoiled him rotton so they couldn't have corrected his behaviour. He likely inherited his Slytherin prejudice from his parents. Other big positive influence could have been Dumbledore but he didn't do so as seen from his active favorism of marauders and letting them get away with attempted murder and sexual assault and even rewarded him with the position of the 'Head Boy'.
Even the marauder stans' belief that Lily caused him to change is ridiculous as seen that he secretly kept bullying the Severus behind her back, he bullied muggle police as seen in JKR's prequel and he actively sneaked out for marauding till Dumbledore took his invisibility cloak.
I think you'll find that my post on James touches on pretty much all of this, as well as my post on the major malfunctions of the Marauders in general. They're all pieces of work.
Quote from The Gestalt Prince on February 6, 2023, 11:45 amQuote from Krystal on February 6, 2023, 8:49 amQuote from Heatherlly on February 6, 2023, 12:55 amIt's interesting to think about, especially with the flaws you pointed out with the other three. All of them were effectively "yes men", one of whom was reckless and the other two cowards. Would he have been so bad if he'd chosen different friends? What if he'd surrounded himself with people who called him out on his bullshit/weren't afraid to take him down a notch?
Out of other three, Sirius was definitely not a 'yes man'. He reveled in rebellious nature and did wantever he wanted. In fact, I believe he was the one who brought out the worst of the already bad James. As seen in SWM, Sirius was only one to whom James listened and this was again proved when he begun doubting Remus and changed secret keeper on Sirius' suggestion leading weight to this fact.
On the matter of friends, James chose Sirius due to their similarities, both were arrogant, reckless, rule breakers and troublemakers in nature. And I agree with @thegestaltprince opinion that he wanted followers to stroke his ego. James and Sirius lead while Remus and Peter followed, so ultimately for James and Sirius, the other one mattered more than anyone else, even their other friends Remus and Peter.
James' parents spoiled him rotton so they couldn't have corrected his behaviour. He likely inherited his Slytherin prejudice from his parents. Other big positive influence could have been Dumbledore but he didn't do so as seen from his active favorism of marauders and letting them get away with attempted murder and sexual assault and even rewarded him with the position of the 'Head Boy'.
Even the marauder stans' belief that Lily caused him to change is ridiculous as seen that he secretly kept bullying the Severus behind her back, he bullied muggle police as seen in JKR's prequel and he actively sneaked out for marauding till Dumbledore took his invisibility cloak.
I think you'll find that my post on James touches on pretty much all of this, as well as my post on the major malfunctions of the Marauders in general. They're all pieces of work.
I did read your posts and your observations pretty much match up with my own analysis.
