Snape used Sectumsempra against James?

[Paul Ciszek]

According to Wikipedia, James used Sectumsempra against James in
the memory Harry viewed in the pensieve. I don't recall anything
quite like that...

Sectumsempra

Pronunciation: SEK-tum-SEM-pruh

Description: A spell that creates a gash on the subject the way the
wand is moved.

Seen/Mentioned: Possibly in Harry Potter and the Order of the
Phoenix by Antonin Dolohov against Hermione
(non-verbal), by Severus Snape against James Potter in
Snape's Worst Memory, and in Harry Potter and the
Half-Blood Prince, by Harry against Draco Malfoy and
then against the Inferi.

Etymology: Latin sectum, "cut", and semper, "always".

BTW, based on the etymology given, "rectumsempra" may not be as effective
a curse as some people have suggested.

[juvenal]

Post by Paul Ciszek
According to Wikipedia, James used Sectumsempra against James in
the memory Harry viewed in the pensieve. I don't recall anything
quite like that...

The reference is presumably to this:

"But too late; Snape had directed his wand straight at James; there was
a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face,
spattering his robes with blood".

(OOTP, Snape's Worst Memory, p. 570)

As James isn't immobilised, and is able to retaliate very quickly with
what appears to be Levicorpus, either a different jinx was used or
Snape employed a less effective version - either because he hadn't
mastered the spell's effects yet, or he wanted to avoid seriously
harming James in the way Harry inadvertently does Malfoy.

[JoeMo]

Post by juvenal

Post by Paul Ciszek
According to Wikipedia, James used Sectumsempra against James in
the memory Harry viewed in the pensieve. I don't recall anything
quite like that...

"But too late; Snape had directed his wand straight at James; there was
a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face,
spattering his robes with blood".
(OOTP, Snape's Worst Memory, p. 570)
As James isn't immobilised, and is able to retaliate very quickly with
what appears to be Levicorpus, either a different jinx was used or
Snape employed a less effective version - either because he hadn't
mastered the spell's effects yet, or he wanted to avoid seriously
harming James in the way Harry inadvertently does Malfoy.

Draco wasn't immobilized from the spell, he just dropped like a sack of
potatoes because he just got sliced open from neck to waist. And
actually, I've seen more people around here figure that the smaller
less "effective version" is a sign that Snape had mastered he spell
much more than Harry had. Harry waved wildly, and nearly murdered a
student. What Snape did was controlled and precise. Just like the
greasy git.

[juvenal]

JoeMo wrote:
<snip>

Post by JoeMo
Draco wasn't immobilized from the spell, he just dropped like a sack of
potatoes because he just got sliced open from neck to waist.

Unable to retaliate, if you like.

Post by JoeMo
actually, I've seen more people around here figure that the smaller
less "effective version" is a sign that Snape had mastered he spell
much more than Harry had. Harry waved wildly, and nearly murdered a
student. What Snape did was controlled and precise. Just like the
greasy git.

That is one of the possibilities I suggested in the previous post.
Harry had absolutely no idea what effect the spell would have, apart
from anything else. However, we can't be certain.

[Richard Eney]

Post by juvenal

Post by Paul Ciszek
According to Wikipedia, James used Sectumsempra against James in
the memory Harry viewed in the pensieve. I don't recall anything
quite like that...

"But too late; Snape had directed his wand straight at James; there
was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face,
spattering his robes with blood".
(OOTP, Snape's Worst Memory, p. 570)
As James isn't immobilised, and is able to retaliate very quickly with
what appears to be Levicorpus, either a different jinx was used or
Snape employed a less effective version - either because he hadn't
mastered the spell's effects yet, or he wanted to avoid seriously
harming James in the way Harry inadvertently does Malfoy.

And because Snape is a much better duellist and has far more control
over the spell than Harry. He gave James the exact equivalent of a
duelling scar of the type popular in earlier centuries in some European
universities (they were a badge of honor because they indicated you had
been in a duel, even if you lost). He then did the same to Harry,
with even more control.

=Tamar

[Barbarossa]

Post by Richard Eney

Post by juvenal

Post by Paul Ciszek
According to Wikipedia, James used Sectumsempra against
James in the memory Harry viewed in the pensieve. I don't
recall anything quite like that...

"But too late; Snape had directed his wand straight at James;
there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of
James's face, spattering his robes with blood".
(OOTP, Snape's Worst Memory, p. 570)
As James isn't immobilised, and is able to retaliate very
quickly with what appears to be Levicorpus, either a
different jinx was used or Snape employed a less effective
version - either because he hadn't mastered the spell's
effects yet, or he wanted to avoid seriously harming James in
the way Harry inadvertently does Malfoy.

And because Snape is a much better duellist and has far more
control over the spell than Harry. He gave James the exact
equivalent of a duelling scar of the type popular in earlier
centuries in some European universities (they were a badge of
honor because they indicated you had been in a duel, even if
you lost). He then did the same to Harry, with even more
control.

Without denigrating Snape's skill and control, remember also
that James has World Class reflexes (cf. playing with his snitch)
and might have been able to react, if just a little, to partially
avoid the Sectumsempra shot.

Speaking of Duelling, what I would REALLY like to see is five
powerful wizards playing draw poker. ;^)