[HPforGrownups] No. of students/why sorted?/Lupin's mistake (Snape's strange behavior)

[Rowena Grunnion-Ffitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 31947


--- Adana Robinson <adanaleigh at hotmail.com> wrote:

> I wondered about Snape's behavior the first time I
> read this passage.  The 
> first time the students see him bring the potion, he
> seems to be very 
> concerned about making sure that Lupin takes it. 
> It's understandable that 
> he would make the potion if Dumbledore asked him to,
> but given what we know 
> (or think we know) about him, it would be more in
> character for him to make 
> it, wait for Lupin to come fetch it, and if he
> didn't, to shrug and say, 
> "Well, I did what I was supposed to."  If Lupin runs
> amok, so much the 
> better, from Snape's point of view--another old
> school enemy down.

    I think the explanation is simply Snape's dutiful
concern for the welfare of the school and students. He
may detest Lupin but if the idiot forgets to take his
potion he will not only embarrass Dumbledore and cause
a major scandal but endanger the student body, some of
whom might easily be killed or at best bitten and
infected. As a Master at the School Snape cannot
permit that to happen. 
 
> If this is such a difficult potion to
> brew, it would be easy 
> for Snape to put something nasty in it and claim
> that he made a mistake, he 
> didn't really *mean* for Lupin to break out in
> boils.  But Lupin is not 
> worried.
> 
> Is this all of a piece with Hagrid's absolute
> certainty that Snape wouldn't 
> harm Harry?  Is there something that all the
> grown-ups know about Snape 
> (besides the DE thing) that HRH doesn't?  Even
> Lupin, who has the best of 
> reasons not to trust Snape, does so anyway.

    IMO Snape's professional pride and integrity will
not permit him to 'doctor' a potion, however he may
feel about the recipient. This same trait requires him
to protect the students, even ones he dislikes, as
part of his duty as a schoolmaster. It is likely that
Lupin, Hagrid and Dumbledore all understand this facet
of his character and so know he can be trusted.


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