When did Sirius play the trick on Snape?

[Equinox Chick]

The 'trick' being- when he told Snape how to get into the Whomping Willow.I think I know the answer to this but I know other people have differing opinions.

So to kick off I think that it was in the 5th year but before the 'Snape's Worst memory' incident. The reason I think this is that Snape reminds Dumbledore that Sirius Black tried to kill him when he was 16. (so that's 5th or 6th year). Then in 'The Princes Tale' when Harry is seeing his memories- he sees the memory of Lily talking about the incident before he sees the 'Snape's Worst Memory'- thought again. That makes the 'trick' in 5th year.

I'm asking for opinions firstly, because I'm not sure pensieve memories would neccessarily be in chronological order (although they all seem to be in this chapter), but also because I've seen other people placing the incident in the 6th year.

Do we have definitive proof when it is? If I set it at the time I think it is will it get rejected for being non-canon?

Any opinions welcome.

[Elf]

Lily didn't talk to Snape after the SWM incident, so it had to be before they sat their OWL's.

We know that Snape's birthday is in January, so I would say set it any between the Christmas break and the OWL's.

[Hermoine Jean Granger]

According to the Lexicon, the trick was played in the year 1976-1977, during the marauders' sixth year at Hogwarts. It is definitely after their OWL's. This shows that the memories in the pensieve need not be in choronological order. I think that the memories in the pensieve are arranged in the manner in which the person recalls them.....(this is only my guess, it may be wrong).

Hope that helped!!

[Equinox Chick]

Thank-you for that. I'm wondering if the Lexicon is wrong though because as Elf said- Lily didn't talk to Snape again after the SWM incident and in the conversation they have about James saving Snape's life she's also lecturing Snape on his friendship with Mulciber and Avery.

Hmmm confusing. Perhaps the Lexicon info was written before Deathly Hallows.

[Elf]

Yes, I think it was. Snape was saying that they were best friends (or supposed to be), and I don't think that that would have been true after SWM.

Before DH, as most people turn 16 in 6th Year, I would have presumed it occured in their sixth year, because we know that Snape was 16 at the time, but Snape turned 16 in January of his 5th year, so there isn't a contridiion, apart from the Lexicon, which may not have been updated.

[Equinox Chick]

No they turn 16 in their 5th year. They turn 17 in their 6th year- it's just that Harry's birthday is so late in the year that it's always before he's about to start the next year.

Sorry I think I've just confused things even more. I've decided that the 'trick' must have been played before SWM. Ta for your reasoning, Elf, it helped a lot.