Hagrid; Snape's tattling; DADA; Duelling Lockhart

[Hillman, Lee]

No: HPFGUIDX 19276

On Hagrid:

>    From: "Vicky Ra" <andromache815 at hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: Thoughts on Hagrid
> 
>   In further reference to CoS storylines, does Hagrid know 
> that he was set up 
>   by Tom Riddle and was not, in fact, responsible for 
> Myrtle's death, and does 
>   he know that Tom Riddle grew up to be Lord Voldemort?
> 

Well, you can take his own words to Tom in the flashback sequence from the
diary. He firmly believes that Aragog is innocent, and was moving him out of
the castle so he wouldn't be accused of doing the deeds. I think Hagrid
knows exactly what happened to him and he's learned to accept it.


On Snape and DADA:
> 
>   Pam wrote:
> 
>       Actually, I think Snape's reputed desire for the DADA 
> job is one of
>   those red herrings that we've been discussing here lately.  
> There's no
>   real evidence that Snape wants the DADA job; we've not 
> heard him talk
>   about it, we've not heard any of the teachers (with perhaps the
>   exception of Lupin, whose view of Snape is somewhat colored by their
>   history) say that Snape is after the job.  

Vicky:
>   Perhaps. However, Snape has been particularly nasty to 
> everyone who has held the DADA position. Of course, that 
> could all be chalked up to incompetence, but Lupin and Moody 
> were very competent. I wonder why Snape dislikes Lupin. It 
> can't be just because he's a werewolf.


I agree with Pam on this: I don't think Snape's interested in the DADA job.
I think he does honestly believe in Chapter 9 that there's a better than
even chance Lupin is helping Black and he feels it's his duty to warn
Dumbledore, whether or not Albus is angry with him for doing so. 

As for his behaviour to the other DADA teachers, look at things from Snape's
perspective. He probably thinks: 
1. Quirrell was a jibbering weak-minded fool; 
2. Lockhart was a vain and ignorant fool; 
3. Lupin is a misguided, treacle-coated idiot who thinks he can hide what he
is, what he's done, and what he's up to, and don't forget the age-old
rivalry; and 
4. Moody is a paranoid old git who would love to prove he's still got the
instincts to catch Death Eaters, and guess who looks like a primary target?

Is it any wonder Snape's nasty to them all? Of course, I think he's nasty to
Remus (there, I called him Remus, not Lupin) out of spite, but that's not
out of character at all for Severus to do. But I think his primary
motivation, as I said, is that he honestly fears that Remus is aiding
Sirius. And in a sense, he's right, since at the very least, Remus does
withhold information that would have helped greatly to identify Black.


Vicky again:
>   Hmmm, and another question: Why was Snape Lockheart's 
> assistant for the dueling club? Does it say something about 
> Snape's dueling abilities? I could see Snape getting into a 
> dueling match, perhaps with Voldie.
>
For this, I picture a long-suffering Severus agreeing (possibly
volunteering, but more likely responding to a request from Dumbledore) to be
present to keep things under control. As Flitwick never talks about his
duelling days, it's possible he doesn't like to do it anymore (think the old
gunfighter syndrome), and I can't see McGonagall condoning the club in the
first place. Assuredly it was Lockhart's idea and Albus consented, on the
condition that another, more experienced teacher, run the club with him. I
don't think Snape intended to be an "assistant" at all, by the way, but that
Lockhart twisted the situation to make himself look better, as he does
constantly.

Gwen