#Snape was a bully as a teenager

[blitheringmcgonagall]

I don't know how to ask this, but, like, I like reading Marauders content but sometimes I read some stuff about them that makes me think I'm a bad person for that. Like. They were bullies. So, isn't horrible that I like them anyways? How can I? Don't I think bullying is bad? Am I making light of how bad bullying is? I wanted to ask you what you think. Like, do you ever get affected by these feelings. Do you ever get affected by how other people see these characters. Do you ever get affected by people implying you are a bad person if you like character X?

Snape says they were bullies. Snape doesn’t tell us that far from being a harmless little loner, he was in fact hanging around with Mulciber and other mini wannabe Death Eaters (Sirius tells us). This gang bullied muggleborn Wix and called them slurs like mudbloods (Lily tells us), and we’re also involved in using dark magic against other students (Lily tells us Snape’s mates did this to Mary). Snape tries to pretend it was no big deal (it was a joke, he says) but Lily angrily disagrees. Snape used dangerous curses like Sectumsempra against people he hated eg James Potter, which btw he invented himself.

James used Levicorpus against Snape which btw was a curse that Snape had himself invented. James wasn’t happy that Snape was salivating with glee at the thought of discovering and proving Remus was a werewolf. Lily wasn’t happy either. Despite their rivalry, James saved Snape’s life when Snape made the dangerous and frankly terrible decision to follow Remus past the Whomping Willow on a full moon (yes Sirius was wrong to tell him but that still doesn’t make it his fault that Snape consciously/deliberately put himself in mortal danger to out one of his classmates because he hated them).

During 7th Year, when James had deflated his head a bit and was mature enough to be named head boy, Remus tells us this:

‘She started going out with him in seventh year,’ said Lupin.

‘Once James had deflated his head a bit,’ said Sirius.

‘And stopped hexing people just for the fun of it,’ said Lupin.

‘Even Snape?’ said Harry.

‘Well,’ said Lupin slowly, ‘Snape was a special case. I mean, he never lost an opportunity to curse James so you couldn’t really expect James to take that lying down, could you?’

Well, tbf, no, you couldn’t.

So you see, as far as I’m concerned, there were two gangs who were fighting a bit like the golden trio and Draco’s mates, and Snape was just as mean to James as the other way around?

But at least the marauders were fighting blood purist, racist, bigoted little shits who clearly made it known to everyone that they were planning on joining a murderous fascist- dictator type whose forces terrorised a minority group and were at war with innocent people (1970s Wix UK).

So the marauders went out of their way to antagonise these feckers (who clearly did the exact same thing to them). And? I’m not even sure that counts as bullying. It’s not very mature, and I’d prefer if they didn’t, but if my child went out of their way to antagonise bigoted eejits I’m not sure I’d be especially unhappy about it? I might even secretly be quite proud? 🤷‍♀️

[flymetosnarryland]

Bullying.

teenager Severus at muggle school

[batwingsrosa]

Let‘s talk about how Remus Lupin.

Humiliated his colleague.

Who he and his friends had already tormented for years before that.

Who was almost murdered by his friends.

The man who kept his mouth shut for years and did not tell anyone about Remus true nature.

Eventhough he almost died because of it.

The man who never receieved a single fucking apology.

Because, you know.

They were just silly teenage pranks.

Right?

Let‘s talk about how Remus Lupin humiliated his teenage bully victim once more as an adult by encouraging Neville to imagine him in his grandmothers clothing.

In front of the whole class.

Knowing fully well that not a day later every single student in the castle would have heard about it.

And laughed about it.

Let‘s talk about how fucking cruel Remus was towards Severus.

He did it deliberately.

Fully knowing what would happen.

For a laugh.

Just like in the good old days.

[the-wayward-prince]

currently thinking about how if the majority of the people in the marauders fandom knew the characters in real life they would fucking HATE the marauders because they, too, would likely be targets of their antics (bullying)

[deathnguts]

Me: I think Sirius’ traumatic and oppressive upbringing made him constantly in fight or flight mode and he is a man who will always choose fight, making him vindictive, argumentative, petty, and volatile as he grows older and holds these same values just with new context he views as morally better even when it still leads to hate and anger in his life. I think his trauma made him kind of an asshole and a nightmare to be around if you caught him in the wrong moment or god forbid he didn’t like you for whatever reason

Snape apologists: yea-

Me: not you.

[enfinizatics]

it’s the way i’ve wanted to read all the young dudes ever since the author started publishing it on ao3 but i’ve never made myself do it bc of being a survivor of the marauders fans bullying back in 2017-2018 tumblr bc i posted stuff about snape LMAOO truly an extraordinary time on harry potter tumblr, the marauders fans were so vicious back then i actually avoided every single marauders content like the plague until like last year because the bullying made me feel physically nauseous whenever stumbling upon the content please-

[martinskis-lydias]

If someone tells me they like Snape (as a person) and he wasn’t a bad person and was redeemable blah blah blah I will never fully trust that person

[stagprongs]

I cannot believe people let Snape get the high ground.

How do people casually overlook the fact that Snape spent six entire years of his life telling a kid—who never even got the chance to know his father—that said father was an arrogant douchebag? Like, how do people think that behavior is normal?

Snape, a grown man, spent years trying to convince a grieving, orphaned child that his dead father—who literally died protecting his family—was a terrible person. No compassion for a man who gave his life for his wife and son. No sympathy for a kid who grew up abused, unloved, and completely alone, only learning about his parents through stories told by others.

Instead, Snape chose to rehash his teenage rivalry with James Potter by bullying his son. Imagine being so petty that you can’t move past your high school grudges, even when the other person has been dead for over a decade.

Even the coldest, most detached person would muster some respect for a man who died fighting for good. But Snape? No. He chose to sit on his high horse—ignoring the fact that he was once a Death Eater who only changed sides when his own personal interests were threatened—and still had the audacity to act morally superior to James.

James Potter died a hero. Snape, on the other hand, spent his life tormenting the child of the woman he claimed to love—while refusing to let go of a teenage rivalry and weaponizing it against a traumatized, grieving boy.

I cannot get over how utterly selfish and cruel that is. Snape had no empathy for the dead and no sympathy for the living. And people still try to defend him? Seriously?

[liliana264]

I wanted to respond to this comment in a little more detail than I can in the comments.

I don't think it's possible to put the end of Lily and Severus's friendship exclusively on the blood supremacy issue. Yes, canon shows that the breaking point was his use of a slur against Lily, but there is a classist dynamic in their friendship from the beginning that we can't discount. Severus is known for being from the poor side of town whereas Lily is middle class. We can conclude that the reason Lily deigns to be friends with him is because he's a wizard.

We also can't forget that when they go to school, where he's no longer the only other witch/wizard she knows, they are in separate houses, meaning they don't see each other much during classes. Lily is also constantly surrounded by other witches and wizards who tell her that Slytherins are terrible people. Her friends don't even understand why she talks to Severus, let alone why she is friends with him, so they put pressure on her — directly or indirectly — to end her friendship with him. Thus, their friendship is affected by many more factors than just the blood supremacy issue.

The argument I'm making is about why Lily is willing to date her (former) supposed best friend's bully/abuser.

Even though Severus is wrong, that doesn't make James (a wealthy, Pureblood bully who comes from a loving home environment that chooses to abuse people because they annoy him) suddenly right. What leads her to give him a second chance but not Severus, who is from an abusive home environment and a decidedly low-class background and is surrounded by blood supremacists who are offering him power if he goes along with their values and actions? If anything, we can say that James has less of a reason to be a bully than Severus has for falling in with the Death Eaters. There has to be more at play for Lily to give James a second chance despite his pattern of horrible actions but not Severus for using a horrible word on her once.

Basically, I'm trying to make sense of how Lily could possibly get over James's bullying of Severus. As someone who was bullied as a child, I can sympathize with Severus's position, but I find it difficult to make sense of Lily's decision to date James. A year and a half is hardly enough time to get over the bullying of one's supposed best friend of seven years. Thus, I argue that she doesn't actually view Severus as her best friend, hasn't for a while, and doesn't really care for him.

Severus is the one who says that they're supposed to be best friends, and Lily merely affirms it. He doesn't seem to think that Dark Magic used by one of his housemates on an acquaintance of Lily (because despite what fanon believes, nothing in canon indicates that Lily and Mary were actually best friends) is unforgivable. Even calling Lily a Mudblood doesn't seem unforgivable to him, or else he wouldn't try to apologize. In his mind, their friendship has not been nearly as tenuous as it actually was.

Yet, Lily isn't even willing to listen to him when he tries to ask for her forgiveness, let alone try to reason with him about how his association has changed him so that he could at least hear why she won't forgive him. No, she just drops him. Then a little over a year later, she gets together with his bully/abuser, meaning that she doesn't even have some sentimentality or respect for their ended friendship. If she did, she would recognize how much it would hurt Severus to see her with James, but she's clearly not above hurting him. We can look to Snape's worst memory for proof of that.

When he calls her Mudblood, she quickly turns against him, calls him Snivellus, and tells him to wash his underpants. That's hurtful stuff that she doesn't even hesitate to say. Of course, she's angry in the moment, but where did that come from? In the same way that Snape shows that he has spent far too much time with his housemates and has allowed himself to change by calling her a Mudblood, she shows that she doesn't really care about him as deeply as he seems to think by calling him the name that his bullies use. So either she says something she doesn't mean (and doesn't apologize for it when they talk about that moment later), or — and this is what I believe — their friendship has not meant much to her for quite a while, and her true colors are now showing.

Thus, when she and James start dating a year and a half later, his bullying is a non-issue because she doesn't really care about the people he abused and bullied (read: Severus) and how it may or may not affect them.

Musings on Jily

I've been thinking a lot about how Lily could go from being best friends with Severus and hating James for being a bully to ending her friendship with Severus and falling in love with James.

First, her friendship with Severus had to have been on the rocks from the outset. When they first meet, there is a class difference: Severus is from the poor side of town, and Lily is from the better-off side. Plus, Severus doesn't like Lily's sister, who is her literal family, or Muggles in general, which again is literally Lily's family. There’s also the difference in their emotional development. Lily comes from a home where she is loved and cared for, and she has a sister, so she has an emotional advantage over Severus, who is an only child growing up in an abusive and negligent environment. When they go to Hogwarts, they're in different houses that have a historical rivalry. It doesn't help that they each align perfectly with that rivalry: him, a Muggle hater and Dark-Arts lover with a thirst for recognition, and her, a stubborn Muggleborn with a temper who values standing up for what she believes is right above all.

Because of all this, I firmly believe that their calling one another best friends is unrealistic on both of their parts. We're meant to believe that Lily is pretty and popular, but for five years, her best friend is Severus, someone who isn't even in her house and thus that she doesn't see often? Unless she really doesn’t have many friends and is popular on a superficial level without any other relationships of substance. Now, if she allowed Severus to call her his best friend and humored him by responding in kind, that might make more sense, especially since he is in love with her. Another possibility for this title of "best friends" would be that they based it on the time they spent together in the summers away from Hogwarts when they maybe made a childish declaration of being best friends. Then, as one is wont to do as an emotionally developing teenager, they cling to that title without either of them actually doing anything to maintain that supposed friendship when they are at Hogwarts.

Thus, being that they’re not actually best friends — just childhood friends that have devolved into acquaintances with a storied history — when the pressure from their friends and housemates is exacerbated by the real world politics of the imminent war and gets to be too much to keep up this farce, they fold at the confrontation to the reality that they are (and have been) on different sides of these huge issues (AKA Snape's worst memory).

Because of this friendship not being nearly as substantial as both parties have pretended it to be, Lily can turn on Snape (as seen in Snape’s worst memory), move on from it readily, and refuse to even hear his remorseful apology. Later, she can find herself validated in abandoning this supposed friendship for the aforementioned political issues and in becoming actual friends with his bully, who eventually does abandon his bullying ways whereas her former friend only goes off the deep end.

With James and the other Marauders, she actually becomes friends with them thus showing she can be a good friend, which she never really was with Severus. This leads to their holding her in such high esteem. Unsurprisingly, this actual friendship with James leads to romantic feelings and eventually love.

[changetheprophecy81]

Why do people make it look like it's Sirius who goes along with whatever james wants when it's clearly the other way round?

In the one scene we get from their teenage years it's pretty clear that james is the one who keeps trying to get Sirius's attention. He looks for Sirius's reaction after he yawns hugely and ruffles his hair in the exam hall, then stops showing off only for Sirius (despite his inflated ego being a huge part of his personality at the time), and bullies Snape because Sirius just says he's bored. Personally I see Sirius as having a more independent personality that doesn't rely on external validation, given that he rejected his family's pure blood ideology and ran away at 16, while james at that age was ruffling his hair to look like he just got off his broom, showing off with the snitch, enjoying wormtail's admiration, constantly looking to see if lily was watching him, etc etc(and all of this is just from 1 memory lol).

Also Sirius has no qualms about disagreeing with him (unlike how he's portrayed to be james's yesman in the fandom), he asks james to stop showing off and points out that he's conceited when he wonders why lily is turned off by him. I just can't see Sirius blindly following someone even if it is james, because I think he would have learnt early on that he couldn't blindly trust the people he loved, so while he would trust james with everything, he simply wouldn't be inclined to behave that way. Even so he's way too independent for something like that. The real simp was the spoilt and pampered guy tracing the initials of his future wife lol

[viperify]

Smutmas 2024 | ᴛᴏᴍ ʀɪᴅᴅʟᴇ X ᴍᴜɢɢʟᴇʙᴏʀɴ ꜰ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

Celebrating Her.

Short summary: after spoiling you the entire day, Tom makes sure your special day ends in a blast.

Warnings: 18+ only! nipple play, fingering, slight degradation, choking, rough sex, unprotected p in v, ooc Tom but it’s okay because it’s my birthday.

A/N: leaving my teenage years behind. Today’s been super stressy, but I am happy to finally have time to post my birthday fic!!! Also happy birthday to my birthday twin, Severus Snape 🫶🏻

wordcount: 2,2k

celebrating him.

London. He has taken you to London. To your favourite restaurant to be exact, one that you have not visited ever since you moved to the wizarding world. Tom wasn’t the person to go to the muggle world, not if he didn’t have to at that. Too many bad memories have been made there, especially back in his orphanage days. So, for obvious reasons, you were surprised when he told you where you were headed to.

The clock strikes 9pm when he waves a waiter over and takes the courtesy to pay. Not that he would let you pay anyway, especially on your birthday, but you are still grateful. You feel people’s gaze on you as you both get up, your burgundy, crystal plated dress easily catching people’s attention as you stand out from the crowd on this seemingly so ordinary day. Ordinary for them, anyway.

Your eyes meet Tom’s, who is matching your attire with a black suit. The corner of his lips tugs up just the slightest bit at the attention you are receiving, and his arm wraps possessively around your waist. “Ready to leave?” he asks smoothly, and you nod, following him towards the exit.

However, he doesn’t take you back home like you had expected. No, instead, you are strolling through the city, finding your way through the crowd of people waiting to get home after another long Thursday. There are entire queues waiting for taxis, and suddenly you don’t miss your former, “normal” life in the slightest. London’s always been loud and busy, so when you received your letter for Hogwarts and got to know the most magical, hidden place in the Highlands of Scotland—you wish you could have lived there since your birth.

Being a muggle born isn’t easy. It’s come with its challenges, especially back in your first year at Hogwarts. It took time for you to find friends, to adjust to the change. And God, you missed your parents. Then, being exposed to all the hatred and bullying muggle borns had to endure definitely didn’t make it any better. Especially if you end up falling for your tormentor.

Being in love with Tom Riddle as a muggle born isn’t easy. But you two had somehow—after years of bickering and rivalry—made it work. It wasn’t until your seventh year that you got closer and essentially ended up being a couple. And no, you couldn’t believe it either. Not in your wildest dreams would you have thought the day would come that your strongest feeling for Tom would be love.

It’s always been hate, after all.

It was subtle at first, from stealing glances in classes to blatantly staring at each other, to—well. Him cornering you when you exited the girl's lavatory, whispering a soft “What are you doing to me?” as he leaned in. And before you could react, his lips were on yours, capturing you in a heartfelt kiss, pouring his feelings into it like he had to prove they really existed—firstly to you, but himself as well. Even when, in the end, of course you did love him too.

Tom’s love often is rough, distant. But you make it work, and when he does soften up—it’s like a plant sipping its first drop of water after an agonizingly long drought. You relish in it, your dynamics making you a perfect match for each other. And just like that, the boy you once hated with every cell in your body turned into your lover you wouldn’t even think about letting go.

That’s how you ended up spending your 20th birthday in London. Away from the wizarding world for once, back in your home city. You almost couldn’t believe when he apparated you both to the restaurant your parents used to take you to for birthdays. Tom Riddle, organizing a birthday dinner in the muggle world. A subtle smile brightens up your face at the thought. He leads you through the crowd, arms still around your waist. It’s not until he stops that you realize where you are headed.

One of the finest hotels in all of London, if you may. And he doesn’t just stop in front of it, no, you enter. Tom doesn’t respond when you ask him what you are doing here, instead withdraws a card from his pocket and leads you up the marble stairs. The setting feels special, too special to be true. It’s silent besides the clicking of your heels as you ascend the stairs, a chandelier dimly illuminating the hallway. There is no one around, no receptionist, no other guests. It seems as though you two are there alone, the property reserved for solely you two.

It’s not long until you arrive at door 464. As soon as he opens it, a smell of roses and lit candles floods your senses. The room, kept in an elegant vintage style, is illuminated by candles, the high ceilings decorated with baroque carvings. With you trying to take in the magic of the room, you don’t realize Tom stepping further into the room. Only when you hear muffled voices, followed by soft strains of classical music, your eyes flicker to where he is standing—adjusting a modern radio.

“Tom Riddle using a muggle device? This might be my best birthday present yet.” you snicker, walking towards the brunette. It’s then when he turns around, his deep brown eyes meeting yours.

“First and last time.” he answers, his voice low as his hands settle on your waist. Leaning in, he places a soft kiss on your lips. Without another word, Tom’s left hand intertwines with your right, the subtle notes of a violin and a piano resonating through the room as he guides you into a slow dance.

You can’t help but wonder how he’d learned to do that. At the two yule balls you experienced, he had never asked anyone for a dance. As you sway to the gentle tones, a memory plays in your head, taking you back four years to your 5th year at Hogwarts.

Being asked for a dance by one of the most popular boys in Gryffindor had its perks—you had been the center of attention the entire evening. Many people asked you for a dance, complimenting your looks as they took in your sapphire blue dress, adorned with tiny crystals.

In a brief moment of solitude, your eyes swayed around the hall, just for you to lock eyes with Tom. Merely a split second later, he averted his gaze, though the intensity of his eyes on yours lingered—and for the rest of the night, no one else asked you to dance again.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks you, and you are forced out of your thoughts, returning to the present. The dim candlelight casts a shadow on his sharp features, and you once again get lost in his eyes.

“Was it you? Back then, at the ball?” you murmur, a slight smirk playing at the corner of his lips at the question, and it’s almost as if you could see the memory replaying in his eyes.

“Nobody touches what is mine, darling.” Tom replies, and there is this familiar possessiveness in his voice, the one that you have grown to love. Another kiss later and he is tugging at your zipper as he leans in, his hot breath on the tender skin of your neck sending a shiver down your spine. “Let me take care of you now, just like you deserve.”

You don’t complain as he is leading you towards the bed, dress long discarded on the floor. Tom’s hand wanders, slipping under the waistband of your lace underwear as he settles down beside you. Finding your swollen bundle of nerves, the pad of his thumb rubs tight circles on it, having you take a sharp inhale at the sensation.

His other hand frees your breasts, pushing the dainty material of your bra to the side. His eyes wander up and down your almost entirely exposed form, muttering praises under his breath before he lowers his head to trail gentle kisses from your collarbone to your breast, gently wrapping his lips around the hardened peak.

“Oh— oh Merlin, Tom—“

His tongue flicks over the sensitive skin, drawing small whimpers and moans from you as your fingers thread through his silky brunette hair. You tug on it slightly, massaging his scalp as he continues his ministrations, nibbling and kissing your skin.

Your fingers dig into the sheets, firmly clenching around the fabric as two of his digits slip inside of your tight heat. “So wet for me,” he groans lowly, moving at an agonizingly slow pace as the heel of his hand rubs on your clit with every thrust of his hand. The sensations he is providing you with, fingertips massaging the one spot inside of you that has you grow dizzy with pleasure, the coil in your stomach winds tighter and tighter, and you are just there on the edge when—

“No, no please! I want to— want you to—“ you gasp, hand closing around his wrist, attempting to still his movements. His dark eyes lock with yours then, and he stops. “Use your words, sweetheart. What is it that you want?”

“Want you inside of me, please.” you murmur, and his lips curl into a knowing smirk at your words, shaking his head just slightly. He withdraws his fingers then, a small whimper falling over your lips at the loss. It doesn’t take long until he has undressed himself, parting your thighs before he positions himself between them, hovering over you.

“I really wanted to be nice to you today, darling.” he remarks, though his tip nudging at your entrance has all sane thoughts leave your mind at an instant.

“Merlin— you know I don’t want you to be. Please don’t be nice.”

Tom’s hand snakes around your throat at your response, mumbling something inaudible under his breath as he presses down on the sides of your throat, slowly splitting you apart on his hard length as you both groan. “This better? Want to be fucked like a whore even on your birthday?”

All you manage is a nod before he buries himself inside of you completely, not letting you adjust before he sets a harsh rhythm, his eyes darting down to his cock disappearing in your heat. Tom’s lips part slightly at the sight, a low growl rumbling in the back of his throat.

The classical music playing in the background is a stark contrast to how he is fucking you, hips snapping into yours from an angle that has you see stars, your nails digging into his toned shoulders, sure to leave behind crescent marks.

“So— good!” you cry out, hands holding onto his biceps as he thrusts into you from above, the sound of your combined moans echoing around the hotel room. It’s not long until your pleasure is building again, eyes rolling to the back of your head as his tip brushes against your sensitive cervix.

“Eyes on me, darling. Let me see how good I am making you feel. Let me see you come,” he demands, hand squeezing down tighter on your throat. You do as he says, eyes fluttering open just for you to meet his stern expression, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as his brunette curls stick to his damp forehead. His gaze burns into yours, the limited blood flow making you feel just slightly lightheaded, intensifying the feeling of his length slipping in and out of your sensitive walls.

You’re right at the edge, your cunt greedily clenching down on his thick cock. Tom seems to notice, his free hand reaching between you two, softly swiping over your needy clit with the pad of his thumb. “Tom— please!” you cry out, and he lowers his head, resting it in the crook of your neck. “Go on. Come for me,” he groans, and that is all you need to finally tumble over the edge, the intense feeling in your lower stomach leaving you a trembling and whimpering mess beneath him. Tom follows soon after, emptying himself deep inside of your warm, welcoming walls with a low grunt.

He collapses on top of you to catch his breath, though soon after pulling out of you, getting up to fetch a warm, damp towel to clean you up. It’s not long until he scoops you up in his arms, entering the bathroom where an already filled bathtub awaits you, lowering your spent body into the pleasantly warm water. He soon gets in as well, massaging circles into your shoulders as your head rests on his chest. It’s mostly quiet between you two, savouring the moment of intimacy you only rarely get to experience with him.

Before you drift off to sleep, he places a tender kiss on your head.

“Happy Birthday, love.”

[dinarosie]

The Rise of Snape Hate: Marauders' Rebranding and Snape's Villainization (Part 1)

I often hear people wonder why Severus Snape has become more hated in recent years, to the extent that even Voldemort faces less criticism and vitriol from fans. In the early days of the book’s release and even long after the final Harry Potter film was screened, the "Marauders" fandom hardly existed. James Potter was seen as a background character, best known as Harry's father, and did not play an important role among fans. Sirius and Lupin were mostly regarded as Harry's mentors, and their time as Marauders during their teenage years wasn't a focal point of fan attention. In the Canon, the Marauders didn’t hold much significance either, there were few details about them. They were mentioned in just a handful of small flashbacks, mainly depicting bullying, and their friendships were portrayed as rather toxic and disappointing. Naturally, these flashbacks were not only unappealing but could also be disheartening for readers. However, a new generation of fans wanted to bring something new to the Harry Potter universe that better matched their fantasies and imaginations (especially after the failure of "The Cursed Child" and the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling). As a result, a new story emerged: "Harry Potter and the World of the Marauders," inspired by Generation Z's fantasies.

They were given the attractive looks of actors like Ben Barnes, Timothée Chalamet, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and were morally very different from their canon versions. They became a group of charming, wealthy, and popular school heroes with dynamic, platonic, and romantic relationships that captivated fans. Since there weren't many details about them in the original books, fans freely created tragic backstories and fascinating dramas (for example, the Black family using a "Cruciatus curse" on their children!!!). These factors quickly increased their popularity and caught the attention of content creators on the internet.

But what happened to Severus Snape?

These newly reimagined, charming, and beloved Marauders needed an antagonist to heighten the school drama and make their adventures more exciting. Who better to fill this role than Severus Snape—broken, lonely, and completely different from them, with none of the looks, wealth, or popularity?

"The more they improved the Marauders to make them more likable, the more they vilified and distorted Snape to make him easier to hate."

It's clear that when Snape is portrayed as a powerful, dark, and evil wizard (even at the age of 11), James Potter and Sirius Black are turned into justice-seeking heroes, making all their bullying and cruelty towards Snape seem justified and even heroic.

Now, ask yourself: Is it easier to like the James Potter from the books—Arrogant and a bully—or the James Potter who is handsome and kind, punishing an evil villain worse than Voldemort named Severus Snape to save other students and his girlfriend? This is how the Marauders became charming and popular heroes, and Snape became a evil.

Many fans don’t even know Snape. From the moment they enter the Marauders fandom, they learn that they must hate Snape, and this trend continues. They only read the books with the intent of magnifying Snape's flaws, which is why his faults are highlighted even more than Voldemort's, and wherever Snape’s name is mentioned, they feel obligated to display their blind hatred to prove their loyalty to the ideals of their beloved Marauders.

[lilithofpenandbook]

I don't love him in spite of his flaws, I love him because of them

I’m absolutely fed up with having to defend any positive thing I say about Snape. Every time I acknowledge his significant contributions, people rush in with, “But he bullied children,” as if that one fact erases everything else he did. Yes, I know he was nasty to students. So what? His behavior doesn’t cancel out the immense sacrifices he made or the critical role he played in the war.

It’s exhausting to repeatedly clarify my opinion of him and that Snape can’t be labeled as simply good or evil—no human can. He was deeply flawed but still made substantial contributions. His wrongs don’t erase his heroism, just as his heroism doesn’t excuse his wrongs. They coexist. If you dislike him, that’s your prerogative, but stop pretending his faults are some sort of ultimate argument. They aren’t. If you can’t understand that, then you can stick your opinions where the sun doesn’t shine, because I’m done listening to you.

[singmyaubade]

No Longer Yours

James Potter x Female!Reader

A/N: I am trying a new way of writing these stories, there won't be lots of dialogue in this part, but there will be more; this is just a look into where the story starts.

IB: In The Cold November Rain by @sweetsweetjellybean (Make sure to check it out, it’s amazing and one of the best I’ve ever read !)

Summary: James had disregarded you for multiple years, but when you have an epiphany in your final year, how does it feel to taste his own medicine?

Warning: It may contain swearing and soon-to-be smut.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

You never considered yourself to be a pushover when it came to things. Instead, you would use the word "understanding" and used it the most when it came to James Fleamont Potter.

He meant the absolute world to you since you were nine when you first met him. He lived next to you, both of your rooms being next to each other. You could always see him in his window, not that you were stalking, but you could never quite get your eyes off him.

Every time he would catch you staring, he would give you a wave, never felt weirded out. Then he would ring you up and ask you to come for dinner with your family. You would always accept unless your mother insisted on not intruding on them anymore.

You always caught his look of disappointment when you told him you couldn't come over, seeing him on the phone with you. It would always make your heart flutter, always having to stop the smile from forming on your face.

And then, after dinner, he would always come over, and you two would hang out (of course, with the door open). But you knew James would never try anything.

Your parents had suspicions when you both were fully formed teenagers and had hormones. Again, you knew James wasn't a perv; he respected you.

Even when he would slap your thigh in laughter when you said a joke or when his front pressed against your back when you two joked around, or his touch would linger when he ticked you.

But that was all besides the point; you loved James like no other. You loved the rest of the Marauders, too, but with James, there was no questioning if the love was different.

The only times you weren't sure about that 'love' was when Lily Evans would come around. He never truly knew how to pay attention to or regard you when she came around, but he claimed it was 'love.'

You wondered if he loved Lily the same way you loved him or if it was more complete, passionate, and extraordinary. You could never ask; James wouldn't know what to do. You couldn't blame Lily, it wasn't her fault, and she turned down his advances multiple times.

You were sure that James would move on, but then, during sixth year, Lily confessed that she was starting to have a crush on James.

You tried hiding your disappointment, but it was hard; it nearly broke your heart; you knew James would tell you all about it as soon as you saw him again.

There was no wish to be cruel, but a part of you, maybe the whole, was hoping she would joke. Perhaps she would again realize how immature James was and remember how he bullied Snape.

But that would be selfish and unfair to James; you were supposed to be his best friend, and he deserves this.

And you knew Lily was kind, beautiful, thoughtful, and honest. She deserved James more than he deserved her. You wouldn't break her happiness because it was pure; if you did, it would be evil.

So when she asked you if you were okay with that, constantly questioning your feelings towards James, you said,

"Of course, you should go out with James," You placed a hand on her shoulder, "I think you two would be amazing together." A genuine bright smile passed your face as she embraced you and thanked you for being truthful with her.

While they dated, James would always tell you every time he and Lily did something.

From every kiss, every date, and every cute moment to Lily laughing at a joke he made about crisps in Hogsmeade or the dove they saw randomly, which is a sign that they are genuinely in love.

After telling you every detail, he would embrace you in a tight hug so you could smell his scent entirely. He would thank you for being "such a good friend and say that "he loves you."

You knew he loved you but you wished he loved you in a different way. A way that his heart would scrunch when you were around or a way that made him want to compliment your hair or your smile like he did with Lily.

You wished it pissed you off enough to be mad at him, but every time he hugged you, you forgave him and knew it was just him being happy and wanting to tell a friend.

He still always joked around with you the same and bantered with you, but it was just less, you wanted more, but he could only give you so much time, and you knew that.

Only a few of your friends understood, like Remus and Dorcas. They would comfort you in every moment when you felt unsure of yourself, or you just wanted to talk.

You probably would have been misunderstood if it weren't for them, but they acknowledged and validated your feelings.

That's what got you through that time.

Nonetheless, there was no point in dwelling on past memories. James and Lily broke up at the end of that very year, it being mutual due to the realization of too many things clashing.

He was a bit of a wreck but recognized that it was for the better. It didn't stop him from sometimes crying in your arms, talking about how much he missed Lily.

Eventually, James started to move on, talking to you more, joking with you, and inviting you to sit next to him at dinner. You had missed this for so long and were grateful.

He went back to tickling you and playfighting with you. He would even make you sit with him during potions.

This was until the end of the year Quidditch match, Gryffindor had won, and excitement had raised. You went to congratulate James on the win, having a big jar of Fizzing Whizbees in your hand, his favorite.

You opened the door a crack, overhearing him but not wanting to interrupt his conversation with the rest of the Quidditch team.

"Come on, Potter, don't tell me you aren't going to snog her tonight," A boy you recognized as Matthew Collingwood teased, "She's been over you for years; why not just hit it and quit it?" Your face contorted to disgust after hearing his use of words.

"Don't tell me you are talking about Y/n," James scoffed, "There is no way I would ever think of her like that," A part of your heart broke hearing his words; he didn't even defend his last words.

"I mean, she does have a fat bum," Another boy laughed.

"Oy, she's like a sister to me, don't talk about her like that," James warned, his tone sounding half serious as the boy put his hands up jokingly.

A sister.

"Okay, but come on, Potter, you have to shag her at least once before we graduate," Matthew sneered.

"Listen, boys, I wouldn't touch Y/n if she were the last girl on earth," He belittled, "Besides, she would cling to my cock like crazy after that; I mean, look at her now, can't even take a piss without her peering over my shoulder." He gestured, pretending to take a piss and looking behind him to see if you were around.

The boys hollered, laughing at James’s visual representation of you.

Tears brimmed your eyes as you dropped the glass-made jar, shattering in the process. You let go of the door, turning your heel to run away.

The tears started running down your cheeks as you wiped each of them as they came. You went under a tree, crying your eyes out, wondering why James would be so cruel.

He was your best friend, and you thought he loved you enough to not make fun of you. James could sometimes be thoughtless, but he never was brutal to you.

Did he really think you were clingy, consistently all over him? Did he get annoyed by how much you were around him? Would he never like you even if you were the last girl on the planet?

You were humiliated, embarrassed by his words, his thoughts. Every feeling of James Potter that made you happy and wanted to fall into his arms turned into hate and resentment, his words reiterating in your mind a thousand times.

That night, you vowed never to make James Potter make you feel that way again.

So that night, you didn't join the celebration. You told your friends that your stomach was hurting and you weren't in the mood for festivities.

You didn't know if James had asked where you were during that night, and you didn't want to know after the words he had shared with others.

Since you were allowed to leave Hogwarts the day after summer began, you did. You didn't wait for James to go with you; you left without him, wishing all your friends goodbye, dismissing all questions about why you were leaving early and blaming it on your mother's wishes.

"Okay, well," Lily sighed, "Make sure to ring me over the summer and visit if you can." You embraced her and nodded your head, telling her that you will.

"And don't forget to ring me as well," Dorcas said from behind you as you went over to her and hugged her tightly, "Whatever he did," She whispered in your ear, "Give him hell."

You pulled out of the hug and gave her a smile, "I will."

As she left, you approached the Gryffindor common room to find Remus reading as usual.

"Gonna wish a good friend goodbye?" Remus questioned, looking over at you. You were glad he wasn’t questioning why you were leaving so early in the morning.

"How could I ever not?" You asked, embracing him for a minute.

"So, are you gonna tell me what he did?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How do you and Dorcas know everything?" You said, rolling your eyes.

"How good of friends would we be if we didn't." He smirked, "I can ta-"

You cut him off, "No, this is not your responsibility; I will take care of it." You smiled, "But thank you for caring; it means the most to me."

"Of course," He said as you nodded and turned to leave, "And take care of yourself." You turned back, giving him a reassuring smile.

After saying all your goodbyes for the school year, you sat in a window seat, looking at the school you loved dearly. You never thought you could quite say this, but you were ready for home.

Once you returned home, a letter was waiting for you on your window seal stating,

Dear Y/n,

Give him hell.

Sincerely the only one you need,

Dorcas Meadows.

And what kind of friend would you be if you didn't do what was asked?

[maxdibert]

Severus Snape in a rage over the most absurd things. Severus Snape losing his composure because one of his students is an idiot or another reminds him of his teenage problems. Severus Snape turning into a rabid cat when his old bully appears and is ready to gouge his eyes out. Severus Snape going from zero to a hundred in a millisecond when something triggers him. Severus Snape making sarcastic comments in class that are more fitting for the children he teaches than for a grown adult with chest hair. Severus Snape being a subtle bitch, throwing shade under his breath at those he can’t stand, laughing at them internally. He’s such a dramatic diva, extra to the max, and I love him. I wish it hadn’t been a children’s series and we could have had Severus Snape throwing so many bad words that even Dumbledore would be scandalized because I’m sure when Sirius referred to knowing more “curses” than any seventh-year student, he wasn’t just talking about magic.

[meear]

Are we finally going to talk about how POC James Potter does NOT make sense... I'm so glad someone finally said it because some of you guys are delusional. They want to turn him into their uwu cool boy so much they forgot to read the books

James was a rich privileged bullying jock in the 70s what the fuck makes you think he would not be white.

I have............ opinions on the new Harry Potter show, specifically the diversifying of the cast

Maybe this is me being overprotective as a poc myself but I really don't want to see white hp character become poc. Mainly because their whiteness is such an integral part of their characterisation.

I don't want to see a Black Hermione because her performative activism is very white savior. She canonically disregards the people she is protesting for and she just is privileged and acts like it. Like in 'Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Sam is a lot more careful around the law than Bucky, because well Black people tend to face harsher sentences. Hermione is canonically reckless now it would be different if this was just a flaw she grew out of but no this is a part of her personality. And one time commenting on how she'd rather be killed then expelled does not change the statement. Also Hermione has never canonically discrimination, besides some cheap remarks, she has not faced any real discrimination I mean she is regarded as one of the brightest witch of her time and heck she was lended the f*cking Time Turner for classes.

Also another discussion I have seen on the internet is a Arabic Harry and honestly I have no problems with he is great I love him. My problem is with his parents Lily is a green-eyed ginger she is undoubtedly white which leaves James f*cking Potter. Let me start this of by saying I hate James, his entire character is just of a rich, privileged, white boy who got away with all the harm he did, I barely even like Snape but James Potter just disgusts me. He canonically just approached another student, disarmed him and humiliated them in front of a mob by stripping him. He is nothing more then a bully. His privilege is what kept him safe, he should have been suspended but no if you as administrator are going to protect one student over the, protect the privileged perpetrator