How Snape is like Harry

[Cindy C.]

No: HPFGUIDX 28949

Cindy wrote:


> >
> >If so, then Snape is inappropriately operating as judge, jury and
> >executioner, and it certainly wouldn't be the first time.  I didn't
> >appreciate that "maybe the dementors will have a kiss for [Lupin]
> >too" remark.  

Ana wrote:

> 
> Previously in that scene Snape had promised to hand Sirius over to 
> Dementors, but when opportunity arose, he chose to bring him to 
Dumbledore 
> instead. Snape, mean as he is, IMO rarely, if ever,  goes further 
than 
> verbal abuse and threats. This leads me to a question:
> In GoF Snape, at his nastiest, threatens Harry with Veritasserum 
the drink 
> of truth, and Harry "wouldn't put it past Snape to slip him some". 
Do you 
> think Snape would have really done it? Or would have poisoned 
Neville's 
> toad?

*backpedaling furiously*  Uh, oh.  It never occured to me that Snape 
threatens not to take Sirius up to the castle, but later does exactly 
that.  But why?  

Snape fans might speculate that it was always just an empty threat.  
Snape detractors might say either (1) there was no time for that, as 
he needed to get Ron some medical attention promptly, or (2) Snape 
couldn't locate a dementor, as they had all retreated, or (3) by the 
time Snape arrived, Black was unconscious, and there's no sadistic 
pleasure to be had from witnessing someone's soul being sucked out if 
they are unconscious.

I guess that, to evaluate whether Snape's threat is real, we could 
look at other threats and see to what extent Snape makes empty 
threats.  

He threatens to feed Neville's botched shrinking solution to Trevor.  
He does, but it works and doesn't kill Trevor. 

He threatens Harry with Veritaserum but does not use it on Harry.

At this point, I'm drawing a blank.  I can think of a few other 
threats, but Snape never has the chance to follow through on them.  
One is when he tells Harry to move out of the way or he will make 
him.  Another is when he tells Harry to turn out his pockets or they 
will go to Dumbledore, but Harry complies.  

Can one of the L.O.O.Ns help here.  Are there other instances where 
Snape threatens someone?

Cindy (who thinks Ana's spelling/grammar/sentence structure are 
terrific)