2x Snape

[mcandrew at bigpond.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 22972

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., pigwidgeon37 at y... wrote:

> Why is Snape always there when Dumbledore&McGonagall show up? <..>
> He's always there, even if no student of his own house is involved. 
> Given that we know of only one deputy Headmaster, which is of 
course  McGonagall, what's so special about Snape that his presence 
in cases  of crisis is indispensable? 

What's so special about Snape?  I think he's very, very special 
because all his scenes sizzle, because he's a totally compelling 
character, and IMHO, pretty central to the story.  So much so that I 
can't imagine the story working without him.  I also feel that Snape 
is present in most of the revelatory scenes not just because of his 
centrality to the plot, nor because his mere presence lends extra 
drama to the scenes, but so that he can be seen to observe at first 
hand as much as possible of the significant events in Harry's life, 
and how Harry handles them.  Because I suspect that we may see the 
relationship between these two change and develop in unexpected ways 
as they get to know more about each other, especially as they 
gradually come to appreciate each other's outstanding strength of 
character and other special qualities.  I'm really looking forward to 
this!

If Snape needs any 'official' reason for being present in all these 
scenes, it's apparent that he, along with Dumbledore and McGonagall, 
are the three staff members who form the Executive Management 
triumvirate at Hogwarts, so to speak.  If Snape is not officially 
No.2 in the Hogwarts hierarchy, he comes a very close third, judging 
from Dumbledore's generally high regard for him and his inclusion of 
Snape in dealing with all the major issues that crop up.

>Is he as skilled with the wand as he is 
> with the cauldron? 

Definitely.  After all he's a former member of the prestigious DE 
corps!  However, for some reason he considers it a lower form of 
magic, stating in Harry's first potions lesson that there will 
be "little foolish wand waving" in his class.

> Second Snape- problem: <..> Snape has 
> turned his back on Voldemort well before V.'s downfall so why would 
> V. say "one I *believe* has left me forever"? It's absolutely clear 
> he has left. Couldn't this statement point in a different 
direction, > namely that the coward is Karkaroff, but the one who has 
left is > somebody we either don't know or don't yet know as a DE? 
And Snape > would simply not be mentioned? 
>
I think (or hope) this statement of Voldemort's does refer to Snape, 
rather than to some other as yet unknown character. It serves to 
heighten the drama surrounding Snape for the next instalment, and it 
can easily be accounted for by the fact that V. knows that Snape has 
left the DEs all right, but has probably been feeling up until now 
that Snape's departure was somewhat ambiguous and that he might 
eventually 'see the dark' and return to the fold... then, on seeing 
Snape's empty place in the circle on his return, V. realises that 
Snape really has gone for good.  However, this puts Snape in a very 
invidious position when it comes to returning to the DEs as a spy... 
he'll have some very fast talking to do to explain his absence that 
night!

Lama

PS. And yes I agree, Alan Rickman, mmm...superb casting choice.