[HPforGrownups] What Snape knew and when (was Nitpicky Snapethoughts)

[Horst or Rebecca J. Bohner]

No: HPFGUIDX 15240

Amanda --

> So, all personal animosity aside, Snape still honestly believes Black is
> a dangerous, demented murderer to the end of PoA.

What a wonderful post.  This definitely sheds a lot of light on Snape's
uncharacteristic hysteria at the end of PoA.  Given how little useful
information he actually heard in the Shack, it's no wonder he simply could
not believe that Harry & Co. had *willingly* listened to Sirius or defended
him of their own volition, and no wonder that he flipped his lid at the news
of Sirius's escape.  How would you feel if you knew that a vicious mass
murderer whose escape from prison had terrified everyone had been in your
power, but then escaped?

> However, his reaction
> when suddenly faced with Sirius at the end of GoF is *not* to whip out
> his wand and try to subdue him, pending arrest and dementors. It is
> pure, simple hatred on a personal level.

Which, as somebody else has suggested, makes it very likely that Dumbledore
and Snape had a little talk after Snape had calmed down from the events of
PoA.  Dumbledore would know better than to try and reason with Snape in the
heat of the moment, but there's a good strong relationship and a lot of
respect between D. and Snape, and I really can't imagine that D. would just
leave him totally in the dark about Peter's infamy and Sirius's innocence.
--
Rebecca J. Bohner
rebeccaj at pobox.com
http://home.golden.net/~rebeccaj