In several answers and comments (here, here) there seems to be an implication that James' bullying may have been the cause - or at least, a factor - of him joining the future Death Eater clique in Slytherin Hogwarts.

JKR seems to hint at that:

like many insecure, vulnerable people (like Wormtail) he craved membership of something big and powerful, something impressive.

Slytherincess is a lot more explicit:

He was bullied and the idea of a brethren (the Death Eaters) was appealing to him.

I was all ready to buy into that theory of Slytherincess's, when it dawned on me: Just how did that help him? When James was bullying him, none of his Death Eater buddies seemed to have been around to stick up for him.

So the question is: Is there any canon support that joining that clique helped Severus Snape materially as far as being bullied?

Not just in a theoretical psychological "I belong to a powerful group" way (ala rooting for a sports team despite being a couch potato), but in an actual "I will punch out Malfoy's mouth for insulting my friends" Ron/Hermione/Harry way.

In several answers and comments (here, here) there seems to be an implication that James' bullying may have been the cause - or at least, a factor - of him joining the future Death Eater clique in Slytherin Hogwarts.

JKR seems to hint at that:

like many insecure, vulnerable people (like Wormtail) he craved membership of something big and powerful, something impressive.

Slytherincess is a lot more explicit:

He was bullied and the idea of a brethren (the Death Eaters) was appealing to him.

I was all ready to buy into that theory of Slytherincess's, when it dawned on me: Just how did that help him? When James was bullying him, none of his Death Eater buddies seemed to have been around to stick up for him.

So the question is: Is there any canon support that joining that clique helped Severus Snape materially as far as being bullied?

Not just in a theoretical psychological "I belong to a powerful group" way (ala rooting for a sports team despite being a couch potato), but in an actual "I will punch out Malfoy's mouth for insulting my friends" Ron/Hermione/Harry way.