Why does Snape teach?

[jlwc222 at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 21364

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

> Certainly, by selling his potions, Snape would earn a lot more than 
> that. Which brings us once more to the crucial question: why the 
heck 
> does he teach? Possible answers:
> 1) He is an idealist and puts his teaching vocation above 
everything 
> else. No, I certainly wouldn't say that.
> 2) He has another reason why he would rather stay at Hogwarts than 
> anywhere else. Much more plausible, IMHO. Knowing about his 
troubled 
> and certainly not unstained past as a DE who then *betrayed* 
> Voldemort, the only secure place for him to go was logically 
> Hogwarts. 
> As the post of gamekeeper was already occupied, what else could he 
be 
> than a teacher? And what else could he teach than what he was best 
at?

I think another reason Snape became a teacher was for the sense of 
power.  He left the Death Eaters to work for Dumbledore (we still 
don't have all the details on that), changing from one lifestyle to 
an entirely different one.  I think that teaching gives him the 
control over others lives that he may have grown used to as a Death 
Eater, although in a lesser portion.  No doubt he loves his work, and 
he may have initially gone to Hogwarts for protection, but at the end 
of GoF, Dumbledore asks him to do an undoubtedly difficult task on 
pg. 713: "'Severus,' said Dumbledore, turning to Snape, 'you know 
what I must ask you to do.  If you are ready...if you are prepared...'
  'I am,' said Snape.
  He looked slightly paler that usual, and his cold, black eyes 
glittered strangely."
To me, that doesn't sound like a man hiding from danger.
Joelle
dragon heartstring, ash, 7 inches