Draco/Snape relationship

[Kelley]

No: HPFGUIDX 11625

>Teek wrote: 
> >I think that if anyone who Draco "cares about" was to be hurt by
> >Voldemort, it would be Snape. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> 
> Monika Z. wrote:
> I'm not sure Malfoy cares for him. The only thing we know for 
certain is that Snape favours Draco almost beyond common sense. I 
guess Draco likes it, but I'm not sure what he thinks of Snape. I 
have an impression that he finds Snape more "useful" than respect-
worthy (you know, something like "Who cares what Snape thinks? He'll 
back us up no matter what we do!"). <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>
>Amy Z. wrote:
Do we?  I'm not even sure about this.  We know Snape favors the 
Slytherins in general, and he doesn't punish Draco for things he'd 
punish Gryffindors (particularly Harry) for.  This information comes 
to us via Harry, of course, but it seems to be objectively true.  But 
I don't know if we have any reason to think Snape favors, much less 
likes, Draco. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Amy, you make a good point that we're seeing Snape's treatment of 
Draco et al through Harry's eyes, so we don't know how accurate this 
is, or how he treats them when Harry's not around.  Having said that, 
I do believe he favors them, and after GoF, my theory is that he's 
doing this knowing that it'll get back to Lucius.  Lucius is back in 
the DEs, at least he's been working towards helping Vold the last few 
years, so perhaps he may have weight in the Vold camp.  If this is 
so, when Snape attempts to return to Vold as a spy, Lucius may stick 
up for him, telling Vold that Snape has always remained true to Vold 
(his favoring of the Slyth's and unfair treatment of the Gryff's 
point to this), he'll be a genuine asset being in Dumble's inner 
circle, etc.  Vold may remain suspicious, but I think Lucius will be 
convinced of Snape's sincerity.  So, basically, Snape has 'layed it 
on thick' to keep up his cover for when the time comes (now) that he 
has to return to spying.

> Amy Z.:
The most egregious case is in PA when he makes Ron and Harry cut up 
Draco's roots and all that, but is this really for Draco's benefit or 
is Snape just using Draco as a way to get at our boys?  In which case 
Snape and Draco do a lot of mutual using.  (I don't necessarily 
believe Draco thinks Snape is the best teacher in the school, either, 
when he says so in CS.  He's sucking up.) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Agree about the 'mutual using', agree with Monika about Draco 
probably finding Snape more 'useful' than worthy of respect.  I don't 
know if you could even accept an evaluation from Draco about who 
the 'best' teacher is; every student's opinion would differ, anyway.  
But, I do think Snape is the teacher Draco 'likes' best, or whatever, 
because of the favoritism.  I think Draco's sucking up is 
the 'teacher's pet' thing.

> Teek:
> >Voldemort does not generally forgive those who abandon him, and 
any death eater who has been exposed as Dumbledore's "valuable spy" 
would be, in my opinion, first on Voldemort's list of "people to kill 
off most unpleasantly." <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
 
Remind me, when was Snape exposed as Dumble's 'valuable spy', at 
least to anyone who's not a good guy?  I'm thinking that no DEs know 
that Snape was working for Dumble.

> Monika Z.:
> I agree. But some people think that Snape could explain everything 
to Voldemort, even his Anti-Ouirrel Campaign. Personally I doubt it. 
I'm not sure Severus can lie convincingly. He certainly cannot 
control his face too well. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I'm one of those who believe Snape will convince Vold, and I think if 
anyone can 'lie convincingly', it's Snape.  Control his face?  Hmm, 
I'm trying to think what you mean.  I've always thought he had a 
pretty good 'poker face'; usually the same face all the time...
 
> Teek:
> >It's another of Voldemort's blind spots that he hasn't
> >killed Snape already. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> 
> Monika Z.:
> Practically, he had neither time nor opportunity. But I'm sure 
he'll try. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Well, when Vold is addressing his DEs, p. 651, Amer. version, and 
refers to the missing DEs, I think when he says "One, who I believe 
has left me forever...he will be killed, of course...", I think this 
is a reference to Snape.  Vold isn't positive that Snape has left him 
forever, so this is the opening Snape needs.  I do think he'll 
convince him; though, later if Vold learns that Snape has been lying 
to him, and has really been fatihful to Dumble all along, then Snape 
is up a creek.  
 
> Teek: 
> >But a very powerful git. Maybe Voldemort doesn't know that Snape 
is a traitor, but Lucius (or some other death eater) does, and is 
keeping it as black mail. It would explain some of the favoritism 
that Snape shows Draco. <<<<<<<<<<<

This could be possible, but Lucius is one of the ones who said they'd 
been 'brainwashed' or 'controlled' or whatever, when Vold fell.  He 
wussed out, and apparently some in the wizarding community must know 
this.  I'd be surprised if Vold didn't learn of it.  Seems Lucius 
would be just as ripe for blackmail as Snape.  Of course, Lucius has 
been working on Vold's behalf for a while now...
 
> Monika:
>I'm sure that Voldemort meant Snape when he talked about the
> Death Eater "who I believe has left us forever", but that Death 
Eaters (at least some of them) cannot be sure whom he meant.<<<<<<<<<
 
Yes.  Sorry, Monika, I forgot you wrote this.  You're right, I think, 
the DEs don't know who all -are- DEs, and would probably not know 
exactly who Vold meant.

> Teek: 
> >Does anyone think that Snape's blatent unfairness is just residual
> >Potter-Hatred, and a bias toward Slytherin House?
> Monika:
> I'm afraid it might be Snape's sense of humour as well. I do hope 
there's something more in it...

Yes, I think it's all this, plus, serves Snape's spy purposes to keep 
them all believing this...
 
Kelley