Snape & Dementors (Was: Re: In defense of Snape was: In Defense of McGonagall

[foxmoth at qnet.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 30236


MMMfanfic at h... wrote:
> I think we have a possible flint here.
> 
> Here's the passage:
> 
> Snape: When WE told Mr Fudge that we had cuaght the Death 
Eater  responsible for tonight's events ... He insisted on 
summoning a > Dementor to accompany him into the castle
 McGonagall: I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!  I told 
him  you would never allow Dementors to set foot inside the 
castle, but -
-

Cindy wrote:
>>I don't think we have a Flint, if the events occurred as follows:

  Fudge says, "OK.  Let me rustle up a dementor."
3.  Snape accompanies Fudge and the dementor into the castle 
and accompanies them to Moody's office, where McGonagall is. 
4.  McGonagall goes into the hall where she greets Snape, 
Fudge and the dementor. 
  <<
 But in that case, McGonagall *did* disobey Dumbledore and 
leave her prisoner unguarded! Sack her, I say! (j/k)
 
What about this?
We know per JKR chat that wizards have ways of communicating 
we haven't seen as yet. Suppose Fudge, as MOM, can 
communicate magically with Minerva in the castle. Not too far 
fetched,I think, since we know he has a way of summoning the 
Dementor too.

1.  Snape goes to fetch Fudge while McGonagall stands guard.
2.  Snape says to Fudge, "Come with me.  We've caught the guy 
who killed Cedric. Minerva's got him in Moody's office. It's young 
Crouch."
3. Fudge, incredulous, pulls out his handy dandy Flint-removing 
Magical Plot Device Assistant (MPDA)and opens a channel to 
Minerva. 
4. She and Fudge exchange a few words. Fudge says, "Good 
heavens! Stay put, Minerva. I'll fetch a Dementor."
5. Minerva says Dumbledore will not agree, that he won't permit 
Dementors to set foot in the castle.
6. Fudge says, "My responsibility, Minerva" and cuts her off. 
7. Fudge summons his Dementor and storms into the castle. 
Fudge *says* he's concerned about his personal safety, but, 
IMO, what he really wants is to prevent a repeat of last years 
debacle, when Sirius slipped from his grasp. Snape has no 
choice but to accompany him, as Fudge refuses to wait. 
  (*We* tend to think of Snape as personally powerful because 
Harry does, but the only adult who actually seems intimidated by 
Snape is Quirrel...and he was *faking*. So Snape goes with 
Fudge. I'm really curious what you think he could have done 
instead. Put a curse on the Minister of Magic? Go for help, 
leaving the Dementor and Fudge to roam the castle at will?)
8. The Dementor, reading Fudge's thoughts, knows that Fudge 
fears that Barty will escape and that Fudge will be very happy 
(yum!) if this is prevented. As it nears the entrance to Moody's 
office, which no longer has a door, it is irresistibly drawn by 
Barty's insane joy. Without warning, it swoops ahead of Fudge 
and Snape, and slurps up Barty's soul.

Cindy  said:
>>Snape doesn't back McGonagall up .<<snip>>he never directly 
defends McGonagall against Dumbledore's biting comment that 
suggests Dumbledore believes she did not guard Crouch 
properly.  <<

McGonagall is deputy headmistress and Snape's superior. It's 
not his place to speak for her, and he'd be making her look 
weaker if he did. Besides,with the Dark Mark burning on his arm 
Snape has more important things on his mind than trying to pick 
up an Order of Merlin. 

   My point here is that the blame for the Crouch incident rests 
exactly where Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore put it: with 
Cornelius Fudge.

   BTW, I'm not denying that Snape has his loose cannon 
moments, but Snape's behavior pales beside Lupin's. Besides 
Not Taking the Potion, there was Not Telling Dumbledore (NTD) 
That Harry Could Leave the Castle, NTD About the Map, NTD 
That Sirius Is An Animagus,and  NTD About The One-Eyed 
Witch. One could argue that Snape, as a team player, decided to 
out Lupin in order to spare Dumbledore the  quite unpleasant, 
though totally justifiable, decision to sack the wolf.

Pippin