Snape's status, Sprout and Flitwick

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 14514

Neil wrote:

> There are two things that bug me in general.  The first is that 
Sprout and Flitwick do not seem to have equal status to McGonagall and 
Snape in inter-House matters; despite the fact that the focus is on 
Gryffindor and Slytherin, this imbalance really upsets my 
biorhythms.<snip>
> 
> The second thing on my mind is that McGonagall and Snape seem to be 
>some sort of enforcer double act (as I said recently, like a devil 
>and 
>angel on each of Dumbledore's shoulders).  I don't think they are 
>married, BTW, but we've noted before that Snape appears to have a 
>similar level of seniority to McGonagall.  Is he Deputy Deputy 
>Headmaster or does he hold some other office that gives him cause to 
>behave like next in line to the throne?  Is there some other reason 
>(other than the obvious one - that they are two major characters) 
>that 
>McGonagall and Snape are always at the forefront in any hubbub?  

We could explain Snape's presence/Sprout's absence in the Goblet 
argument by saying it's not really true; they were both there and we 
only see Snape b/c it's who Harry focuses on.

However, I'll go with the idea that Snape came in, along with the more 
obvious choice McGonagall (Dumbledore's deputy and the Student in 
Question's Head of House), solely to give Harry hell.  So, back in the 
Great Hall, a bunch of people started to get up, including Snape and 
the outraged Sprout.  Dumbledore told the latter to please stay in the 
Hall and she was displeased but stayed.  Snape didn't give him a 
chance.  He intends to be where the action is, namely Harry action, 
whether or not he has an official role.  I thought of this as MM got 
so angry at him, and imagined her biting her tongue to keep from 
saying, "And just what are you doing in here, anyway, Severus?"

I think JKR ups Snape's status throughout GF because she needs to 
establish his shift to Powerful Good Guy.  Formerly, he got lots of 
attention, but almost entirely via ways that Harry would naturally 
encounter him: class, the occasional corridor run-in; it wasn't 
anything that would make us think "hmm, is he Deputy Deputy Head?"  
Now we have this Goblet-argument scene, which sets the stage for 
another, more sympathetic pairing of McGonagall and Snape at the end 
of the book.  The latter pairing starts to put them on equal footing 
in Harry's eyes (equal not just in power but in goodness), especially 
with little touches like Snape's glare from the Foe-Glass and his 
support of McGonagall against Fudge; Harry's starting to see Snape as 
an ally, and so are we.

BTW, I think Sprout is named for everything green and growing, not 
those nasty little balls of cabbage that only Hermione seems to like. 
 Though I do picture her looking something like a Brussels sprout with 
limbs: very short and as wide as she is tall.

>Equally, aren't Flitwick and Sprout long overdue some character 
>development?

No doubt.  Rumor has it that the working title of #6 is Harry Potter 
and the Obscurer Professors.  Sinistra fans, your day will come!

I hope your biorhythms return to balance soon.  Try Gatorade, which is 
also useful for flushing the radiator (a good idea before your 
transatlantic flight in any case).

Amy Z

AD/MM ship, anyone?:
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   "Dumbledore, you know what that woman is?"
   "I consider her to be a very able Headmistress--
 and an excellent dancer," said Dumbledore quietly.
                       -HP and the Goblet of Fire
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