[HPforGrownups] Re: S. Snape suspected snake speech?

[Samaporn Teeravechyan]

No: HPFGUIDX 16767

At 06:31 PM 4/14/01 -0000, you wrote:

>Snape is a highly intelligent wizard who must have spent many hours 
>pondering the whats and whys of the events of the night of the Potter 
>massacre.  Dumbledore had construed that Voldemort had tranferred some 
>of his powers to Harry, and there's no reason why Snape shoud not have 
>as well.  He therefore COULD quite credibly have planned this test for 
>Harry. 
>I equally think the coincidence theory could be right on evidence 
>given.  His reaction might have been much the same if it had just been 
>a coincidence ie: no overt displays of surprise, but thinking through 
>the possibilities non the less - In fact if it was planned mightn't he 
>have looked less thoughtful/calculating as he'd have already thought 
>through the implications? 

Personally, I think that Snape just chose the snake because 1) as the
Slytherin house master, that might be the first creature that came to mind,
and 2) most people fall to pieces when they see snakes. I agree that he
would have looked less thoughtful if it was planned - I would imagine it to
be one of triumph or satisfaction.

>I think the choice of a snake isn't so 
>much of a surprise for a Slytherin - I've wondered how he knew that 
>Draco knew that particular spell - Is it one that all Slytherins 
>practise regularly in their common room in the evenings?

My assumption was that Snape called Draco aside to both suggest the spell
and instruct him on how to cast it.

Samaporn


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