I agree with several people here. Like for example, I doubt there is bias in the memory, as there are things happening that Snape probably didn't notice himself. Like James and his friends discussing the Full Moon. Certainly then Snape would have known Lupin was a werewolf, and would have known better than to go following him under the willow. Snape may have wanted to get all four of them in trouble, but he wasn't stupid.

And I don't think that his age has anything to do with anything. I've known guys who were jerks when they were fifteen, and they still are years later. I think James' personality change wasn't something with him growing up over one reason just because. I think something happened to make him take a step back and say, "Whoa."

When I read about Snape's pensieve, I figured he was always decent to people but loved pulling pranks especially on his enemies (Snape) and acted a bit arrogant. I don't know who started the rivalry but Snape obviously had some part in it or James and the others would've left him alone really I think. I also figured something happened in James in his 6th or 7th year that caused him to really to grow out of his arrogance and mischieviousness (mainly arrogance I'd say cause he is a marauder after all and can't lose too much of his pranking habits) enough that Lily fell in love with him.

After given over a year to think long and hard about the young Master Potter we met in book 5 I've decided I find James rather loveable (no I'm not stupid hear me out).

It's painfully obvious that James adores Lily Evans from the little things he does (like fluff out his hair and lower his voice) to the adjective choices used by JKR ("Don't make me hex you, Evans," James said earnestly") to how bloody angry he got when Lily turned him down cold and Sirius teased him about it.

The boy's 15 and in love. He's going to be either mental or stupid because of it.

For those of us who have survived High School remember how idiotic everyone was? Boys convinced themselves that if they could drink an entire ketchup bottle that girls would be impressed. Girls thought that if they wore chunky shoes that made them tower over most guys and broke a toe if they stepped on your foot they would be sexier.

People do silly things for the longest time because they haven't figured out the difference between doing stuff that would impress you and doing stuff that would impress them. James is no exception. He had everyone in his year in a riot over what he was doing to Snape. It stands to reason that he thought Lily would be amused also. James is a master of what he knows so it's a little harsh to expect a rule-breaking boy who hangs out too much with three other guys to be sensitive and romantic in front of a crowd.

Who knows? Maybe if James didn't always have Sirius around to amuse he might actually be a sweetie.

Ahh, yes, how I do love high school. I think you've nailed it right on the head there, Angie. James was 15, in love, and stupid because of it.

Sometimes I wonder how James would've turned out if there hadn't been so much going on with the Death Eaters as well. From what we know, he was a good person--I'm guessing he had the capacity for compassion, too, else someone like Lily probably wouldn't have gone for him later on. We're also told that he hated the Dark Arts. So how did that bring out the best and the worst in him?

I tend to think of James as a character with a darker side to him--not exactly a twisted or sadistic side, but something cynical and hardened. Given that he was alive during all of Voldemort's reign of terror, it's reasonable to guess that a lot of James's less charismatic qualities developed alongside his lovable ones.

I also love James, some of friends thinks that I'm crazy 'cuz they think he was a git, at least at that time, but I like him I mean he was 15, he was in love, and at that age you want to ímpress your friends and also they person you like, (I know I'm 15), besides you can't judge a person for only 1 bad thing he do, I think james just wanted to tease somebody and Snape was the nearest person and at that age you don't really know what you do, you just do it and then you see if the consecuenses were bad or good (well at least that happens with me)

Yeah as has alrady been said you can't jusge someone for one bad thing they did. James was 15 at the time that he did that and honestly none of us stay the same as we were at 15, we grow up. I really don't think peoples oppinions on James should've changed because of that scene in OotP. I mean everyone's done some stupid stuff in there lives.

~ Gems

Man! I was such a snot-face when I was 15 (still am just not to the same extent ) Everybody changes, we mature and we learn (some moreso than others).

I think James is a cute little mischieve maker. The kind a mother wouldn't know whether to scold or embrace!

Love Millie