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Is how the Marauder's map is treated really surprising from the series that minimizes trauma, glorifies bullying, portrays abused children as inherently evil and sees nothing wrong with the implications of a society where love potions are so routine that people sell them by the store full to literal children and tell "back in my day" stories about them like sexual assault is a fucking joke?
No, it doesn't surprise me at all that the invasiveness of the map is never addressed.
It's very telling that even though her general excuse for all marauder antics is that they were just mischievous kids, but then she has characters who were adults then do nothing and then she has characters who are now adults--adults she wants us to Believe are reasonable and fair--who know what they did and still defend it and treat it like it's perfectly harmless and a "just good fun."
It infuriates me that people always seem to consider the Marauder's Map as something "cool" and boyish. To me, it is the ultimate tool to bully and abuse - a violation of all privacy and safety, the ultimate object of control for the abusers. I cannot see many things that would be more dangerous than this inside a boarding school, and I cannot even begin to imagine how Snape and other students must have suffered from it, unable to hide from those who could attempt murder or sexually assault them without being expelled. I don't care if this takes place in a magical world - everyone has a right not to be restlessly tracked. The fact the matter is never addressed within the books, and the Marauders seem to have received no real punishment (in a normal and proper school, this would get students expelled) when this clearly is psychological harassment and stalking, is another example of how unsafe Hogwarts is for all students that do not have the privilege to belong to Gryffindor, or come from a wealthy background, thus being at the mercy of bullies like the Marauders. And the fact the narrative doesn't point out this fact is highly disturbing - on the contrary, the map is always talked about in a positive way:
"This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."
It is still an object of pride for Lupin, who gives it to Harry at the end of his third year. We know for a fact he never understood, or wanted to understand, the seriousness of his actions - the fact is this time, his views on the map aren't contradicted by anything in the narrative (in the contrary to the bullying of Snape, seen for what it was by Harry).
"While on the run in looking for Horcruxes, Harry would often look at the map to see what Ginny Weasley, his love interest, was doing, which would hint that the map works from any location."
We know that Harry and Ginny's relationship is a positive one with shared love in a particular context; but still such activity should never be romantized. None of the partner should have the power to stalk their loved one: it gives a disturbing idea of "entitlement" to the other.
"Eventually, James Sirius Potter probably stole the map from his father's desk."
Finally, the map is again presented as an object of enjoyment which provides mere fun - according to JK the map certainly made its way back to Hogwarts, in the hands of a James Sirius nonetheless (I mean, this is a symbol as a whole). I think that shows how she never understood the seriousness of what this object implies - because the use of the map is clearly, and definitely, written and talked about as positive and even funny.
Thus it is also talked about as something entirely positive within the fandom, just as bullying and trauma are minimized by many people - and to accept the idea that stalking is okay, another tool for "pranks", is worrying. The map is, on the contrary, a symbol of what the Marauders had and looked for during their school years: absolute power.
"Snape was a literal Nazi!"
These two are the same people?
Well, are they? Would Snape kill someone just for existing? The same way James Potter bullied him for existing?
Pretty sure he would have a motive, and his motive would make sense. If you want Nazi, check out this character Stormfront, this is really someone to vent your anger on.
I'm gonna start by saying this is a chapter I wrote on this fanfic I'm writing. I'm really happy with this chapter and I'm wondering about the opinions of whoever reads it. The story is on the Archive of our Own website. It's about Fem Severus Snape who raises the son of Sirius Black and doesn't become a death eater. One of the ships is a one-sided Sirius Black/Severus Snape, where Sirius has an obsession with Snape but she doesn't return his feelings. If anyone wants more context I'm gonna slyly suggest (advertise) reading my story. Spoilers: The son in question is named Caesar and Sirius doesn't know it's his son, but believes it's Regulus' son. Caesar was adopted by Snape.
Have yet to see more obsessed Sirius so I'm writing them myself.
Sirius was at home alone, sitting in the living room in silence downing some whisky. The home in question used to be owned by his uncle Alphard, and while Alphard was a purist and dark wizard, he loved his nephew very much, or maybe he hated Walburga that much. As a final middle finger to his older sister he gave everything he owned that wasn't directly connected to the Black lordship to her most disgraced child. It was weird of Alphard to leave him some gold and a home, but he was always the strange one in the family.
Sirius never understood his dear uncle. Alphard and Regulus had the same doppelganger, and Sirius himself had the face of Sirius the 2nd, and was less like either of them. Walburga also made sure he was a walking copy of her. That didn't stop Sirius from theorising, it helped with his investigation skills.
Sirius always hated the leash she kept on him, and Alphard saw that. Alphard discreetly rejected his own father's ways, in what, Sirius had yet to discover. Alphard taught him well, guiding him on how to piss off his own mother. Sirius did every step in understanding glory. He made it his mission to show her who should be in control by doing the opposite of what she wanted, and while a lot of his punishments included the cruciatus he grew accustomed to them. He even grew to enjoy them. This is love isn't it? Walburga did that to show him she loved him.
So Sirius pissed her off even more. He made friends with a Potter, who came from a light family, and joined Gryffindor house, the breeding ground for blood traitors and mudbloods everywhere. What was great about James is that he wasn't like any other light child Sirius came across, there was a familiarity with him. Sure, he turned out to be equally as dark, but you'd think he'd at least try to be light. Remus as well, who was alright for a half blood. Those were Sirius' thoughts at the time. Who knew there was a beast underneath Remus? Sirius secretly admired Moony, the creature could cause so much destruction, and Sirius honestly believed he should let Moony take control more often.
Why did any of this matter? He was going over what his nephew had told him. He knew what he should do, but didn't understand the steps. Even if the answer was clear it was hard for him to get to the point of it.
I was taught that I was showing love. Sirius thought to himself. I know that everything is wrong now, but how much of it was?
"It's not real love you felt for mum." came a voice in the back of his mind. It sounded like Caesar. His nephew. "I read about it. I've seen it. I've felt it. My eyes don't spark up like yours do when I think of my dear Lavender." Sirius didn't recall his nephew saying those things. "There's no way a crush looks like that. I don't doubt that you loved her, but there was no way everything was love."
The intruding voice said it like an echo.
"Grandma didn't love Grandpa, now did she? She only loved the ownership, the power. She claimed him ever since she first saw him, just like Pollux saw Irma. Just like Cygnus saw Druella." He felt a chill. "Just like you saw mama."
Sirius did claim her, this was true. He decided she was his. His darling. A strong woman to break, and when she starts accepting him into her heart he treats her well. It made sense at the time. Surely it still does. Petunia loves hurting him, she likes the pain too. It wasn't bad for them.
"You're just like them. Your family. Insane, carrying some kind of sickness or oddity. And each curse has a counter to it."
As eager as Sirius was, there was no way he'd bed anyone by the age of 13. Sirius didn't hate muggles. Severina was half blooded, his heart decided she was the one, there was no way. Besides, Petunia... The feelings he felt for her were natural. She made him submit.
"Thankfully for her, too bad for you, someone got to her first. Loved her before you could."
Oh, Regulus. Regulus! That dear little brother of his. Death was announced in the daily prophet, Sirius recalled reading the words. They didn't know who the killer was. And then came Orion's passing. Sirius wasn't invited to the funeral but it was right there on the daily prophet. Right after Regulus' own announcement. Sirius didn't understand why it was important for everyone to see, but it was important for him.
How was it for Regulus? Loving her? Was it natural or was it something else? Did he hurt her? There was no way, Walburga hardly saw the point in Regulus, he had Orion's weakness. What was that weakness?
That's why Regulus never had to apologise. He never hurt anyone, physically. James' wife says otherwise, she believed he broke Sev's heart. Nothing Evans said could be trusted, she wasn't that smart, but she knew the most about Severina's past self. She knew that Severina and Regulus went out. She approved. He must've been good to her if Evans approved.
All Sirius did was hurt her, he would know. He enjoyed doing it. He even made up a nickname for the best memory, she never cried afterwards. He hasn't seen her cry since their first year. Looking back, maybe that was best. He didn't deserve that privilege. Seeing a happier version of her was more preferable. She didn't damn him, but she hid her contempt. He saw it in her eyes but with how unreadable her face was he didn't see it, too busy enjoying her presence.
Sometimes it was like looking at a different person.
What else did Sirius do, to have his own nephew confront him about it? He now concluded the pain part, but there was something else. Something else. Something else.
Wait, that night.
That full moon.
He wanted to share his secret with her.
His best friend, Prongs saved her. That was his fault.
She almost died. He almost lost her, that was him. Sirius could never murder his own wife, but that night said otherwise and Dumbledore did nothing about it. He just made it worse. They all deserved to rot in Azkaban.
"That's right, you're getting there. Keep thinking, old man." came Caesar's voice.
I almost killed her.
"Bingo."
"I almost killed her." he said out loud.
If Sirius didn't understand the saying of blood going cold he definitely did now, as the image of those scared black eyes replayed in his mind.
Yes, I fancasted Aya Cash as fem Snape while she was in her Stormfront attire.
I would lowkey read a story about Sirius having a weird obsession with Snape that he justifies by being a bully and realises that he has some kind of attraction to him, that is obviously not reciprocated.
Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any. How about we make a writing competition? Could be any setting, marauders era or Harry being at Hogwarts. Snape could be female or his canon self. I'm interested in ways many can interpret this, I think there's a lot of potential for yandere Sirius.
Sirius black gets thrown into jail for 13 years, James and Lily die, Remus has to live a tough life.
Me: Ya'll deserved that.