Snape as Death Eater

[pbnesbit at msn.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 14262

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Margaret Dean <margdean at e...> wrote:
> > 
> I dunno . . . I think it gives Snape more depth if he's allowed
> to be nasty as part of his true personality, rather than it being
> a put-on of any kind.  (That's my one problem with the otherwise
> excellent and moving fic "The Potion-Master's Apprentice.")
> 
> I see him, as a student and young man, as a kind of person who'd
> be easily lured into the Death Eaters by his envy of people (like
> James Potter or Sirius Black) who were better looking, more
> popular, or more skilled than himself, in the spirit of "I'll
> show =them!=."  We don't know anything about his family
> background yet (which I hope to find out in later books!), but I
> would guess that his family was =not= a happy, loving one. 
> There's a lot of stored-up bitterness in Snape -- you can see it
> spurting out like hot lava in the later chapters of PoA, where he
> has to deal with the "Marauders" Lupin and Black.
> 
> I do agree that he's loyal to Dumbledore, who I would suspect
> more or less hauled him out of Hell once he realized he
> =couldn't= go the distance with the Death Eaters.  Under the
> surface he is a principled man, and I don't think he's incapable
> of caring for people, but I don't agree that he is what we
> usually think of as a "caring person."  I see him as bitter,
> lonely, still envious but nevertheless on the right side and
> determined to stay there. 
> 
> Other comments?  Opinions?
> 
> 
> --Margaret Dean
>   <margdean at e...>


I agree with you, Margaret.  I think that he was at one time, very 
committed to the Death Eaters, but because of something that happened 
when he was with them, he found he couldn't continue. I also think 
that he would do pretty much anything for Dumbledore.  

I think he's very passionate underneath that bitter, sarcastic 
exterior (which I think is just part of his personality), and is 
capable of being a loving, caring human being (which is one reason 
why I love The Potions Master's Apprentice).  He doesn't often get to 
show it and I think it's hard for him to do so.  (I also think he had 
a less than wonderful family)  

I also think that undecipherable look he gave Harry at the end of GoF 
was perhaps indicatave of things to come in books 5/6/7.  Indicative 
of *what*, I'm not sure.  I think he is seeing Harry as Harry for the 
first time (and not as James).

Here's hoping this post makes sense. 

Peace & Plenty, 

Parker 

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'...I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper 
death...'  Severus Snape, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

'Sarcasm--just one more service I offer'  T-shirt message
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