Marauder Knowledge?

[padfootsgirl1981]

Hi! Was Sirius, James, Remus and Peter's pet name for themselves (The Marauders), known throughout the school? For example would the Slytherins have referred to them as this when talking about them collectively? Did the Marauders make their name known throughout the entirety of the school?

Any help highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[SlytherinTears]

I think the Marauders was more of a name they used to refer to themselves. It just doesn't seem fit for people to be calling them The Marauders while in school.

[Mollie Black]

I don't think the students would have talked about them as the Marauders in school. But since marauder is more of a pirate term that means someone who causes trouble, there's a good chance that one of the teachers actually started refering to them as such, and they just began calling themselves the Marauders.

[megan_lupin]

All that we know for a fact on this point is the Marauders referred to themselves as "The Marauders." It's unknown whether or not others outside of MWPP used the name.

Personally, I've never been very fond of others using it -- except perhaps Lily, once she and James have officially gotten together (like, perhaps around engagement time or something).

Just my personal preference, though. I'd prefer, when reading, to see others refer to them in other ways -- If a Slytherin happened to say something like how he was going to get back at "Those four" or whatnot, then I think just about everyone would know *who* he was referring to, especially if MWPP have already started building a name for themselves.

~Megan

[LilykinsLove]

I agree. I dont think that the marauders would have even made their name for themselves a school-wide thing. I think that was an in-group name.

and maybe lily, seeing as she knew their nicknames,


emma

[moonymaniac]

Well, I'm going to go the other way and say I think it might have been a pretty well known thing. They were so cocky and full of themselves that I can see them wanting to be known by the name they chose for themselves. Like most of the young arrogant teenage cliques I have ever known, I think they would think having a special title would add to their mystique, but only if it was known. I don't think they would have tried to keep it a secret at any rate. They didn't even keep their personal Animagi nicknames a secret, as we see in Snape's Worst Memory.

I also got the feeling that Snape knew who the Marauders were when he caught Harry with the Map. I think that's why he calls for Remus, not because he can't figure out if it is a Dark Magic item. When he tells Lupin something to the effect of it being likely that Harry got it "straight from the manufacturers", I felt it was an accusation. I think he thought Remus had given it to Harry in order for him to find a way out so that Sirius could get him. Now, if I remember properly, the map didn't say Marauders when Snape tapped it, but it did have MWPP's nicknames, so I think he knew them.

Anyway, I think people did know. The Marauders were just too cocky to keep it quiet.

*loves arrogant berk Marauders*

Now, I don't know that the Slytherins would refer to them as the Marauders. Maybe those bloody Marauder gits or something, but the people who thought they were the height of cool might.

[megan_lupin]

Actually, now that I read your post, I'm leaning towards wanting to agree ... despite what I myself said earlier. You made a lot of really good points about it, I have to say.

Of course, I still don't think that they would have worked to make it common knowledge, so much so that I think they didn't really care if someone called them "Marauders" or not. The same thing goes with their nicknames; they didn't need to keep it hidden, really, as the majority of people who knew them would probably not think anything of it -- it would just be another thing that those four did, for instance.

However, at the same time, I'm still not greatly fond of everyone referring to them as "the Marauders." It's one thing for the knowledge to be known, but I could see a great deal of people using the term in a mocking manner -- Slytherins, for instance, would add some insults to it, or use the term like they think it's ridiculous or something.

I also just took a quick look in PoA when Snape sees the Map. You're right, in that it never uses the term "Marauders," but as MWPP never cared about using their nicknames in public, he would recognise the Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs that are currently insulting his intelligence (Padfoot) and appearance (Moony, Wormtail, and Prongs), and would, therefore, summon Remus.

And I, too, believe that his line about getting it "directly from the manufacturers" proves just such an idea. The nicknames were common knowledge, but like with the term "Marauders", something can be common knowledge but that doesn't necessarily mean that others would *use* the term.

~Megan

[moonymaniac]

Thanks, Megan. And I agree with what you've said. I don't think they would have actually gone around telling people to call them that. I just think they would have called themselves that in conversation, (ie. "We're having a Marauders' meeting; bugger off.") and if people picked it up, fine, if not, oh well.

I also wouldn't want to read everyone referring to them as Marauders every other line in a story either. I simply think that it would have been a name that the other students were likely familiar with and that might get used in some cases, (ie. "Who hung Snape from the rafters?" "It was the Marauders," whispered an awed first year.) Again, I think it is much more likely to be used by their fans than by their enemies. I admit to having someone use it ("You really are a Marauder, aren't you?") when expressing surprise at Remus' wild side. LOL He does have one, after all!

edit: Oh, and while I think others might use Marauders, I really don't see anyone else calling them by their MWPP nicknames (unless it is Lily after marrying James, and even then, I'm not so sure. She would have known them by their names for so long...) Anyway, I don't think they'd like/allow it, as that really is an insider sort of thing, even if they don't keep it hidden. Not that that is part of the question, but I just thought I'd throw that personal opinion in.

[Stubbornly_appeared]

Maybe "the Maruaders" is just sort of a title that sprung up. Like the teachers are seeing something reacurring, and they start calling the forsome "those Maruaders...". I could see people using it sparingly, especially younger students who wouldn't know them well.

I don't think people would have used their nicknames though, except for maybe Lily mockingly.

-Stubby

[padfootsgirl1981]

Wow! Thanks so much everyone! You gave me a lot to consider and really helped me with my story.

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