What Snape Knew and When He Knew It

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 15279

Amanda wrote of Severus Milhous Snape:

 I considered that (a) he's been just *dying*
> > all year to have something to damn Lupin with, so why would he 
hesitate
> > to go in, since (b) he's wearing an Invisibility Cloak and can 
hear
> > better *and* see inside?
> 
Pippin wrote:

 Snape knows he is taking a chance by going through the door. 
As 
> Harry notes, the invisibility cloak is no good if  someone  bumps 
into 
> you and as we learn in GoF, it doesn't protect you from stunning 
spells 
> either.  Snape does go  in (moving with uncanny silence, hmm) as 
soon 
> as  he hears Sirius so that he'll be in a position to protect Harry 
if 
> necessary.  What he sees is that Sirius has no wand, Lupin's wand is 
in 
> his belt and the trio all have their wands out and ready...so Snape, 
> whose mindset as a spy is to gather information, waits. 

One reason he might have listened at the door awhile is that the door 
is only slightly ajar, and he can't come in without pushing the door 
open, which will look fishy.  So you could imagine a scenario in 
which he waits outside until things start to sound urgent, then 
decides to risk sneaking in.  Fortunately for him, they all put the 
door swinging open down to "old houses do that."  Add to the Heroic 
Adventurers Handbook:  When a door swings open and no one comes in, be 
very, very suspicious, especially when you've left your Invisibility 
Cloak on the ground.

Amy Z