Sirius vs Snape (WAS:Snape's and Black's grudges)

[Cindy C.]

No: HPFGUIDX 28380

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., MMMfanfic at h... wrote:
> (Come on, Sirius lovers, just admit your guy is not as nice as you 
> think he is, the dark side would just make him more complex and 
> lovely.  Us Snape fans do it all the time!)
> 
> I also have a question stemming from a discussion over at 
> sugarquill.  Is that possible for a rabid Sirius fans to like 
Snape?  
> 

OK, if forced to do so, I'll admit that Sirius might not be 
everyone's cup of tea.  There.  I said it.

Seriously, I like Lupin and Sirius, and I'm feeling more charitable 
toward Snape today, but I like them all for different reasons.

I like Lupin because he has never done anything that I have a problem 
with.  This is unusual, I think, because I've always read that 
characters shouldn't be perfect, and that perfection is boring.  
Well, Lupin is professional, caring, diligent, doesn't rise to 
Snape's bait, loyal, talented and trustworthy.  He doesn't have any 
character flaws that I can see.  OK, he's reserved, but that's not an 
overtly bad thing.  His biggest flaw is something that he can't help -
- being a werewolf.  So why does the Lupin character work despite his 
apparent perfection and lack of significant character flaws?

Then there's Sirius.  Yes, he has flaws, but they are more than 
outweighed by his virtues.  For instance, he detests Snape, but 
because Dumbledore trusts Snape, that is good enough for Sirius.  
That's impressive.  Compare Snape, who doesn't trust Lupin despite 
Dumbledore's assurances.

Then there's Snape.  I must say, I don't like Snape much.  Despite 
the good things he has done, on a day-to-day basis, he goes out of 
his way to make life difficult for others.  Harry.  Hermione.  Lupin 
in particular.  Neville.  In making the pro-Snape argument, I find 
myself saying things like Snape is a good guy for NOT poisoning 
Lupin's potion.  

But I like Snape for a different reason.  He makes my other two 
favorite characters look a bit better by comparison.  If Snape didn't 
exist, who could I cite as proof that Sirius isn't so bad?  :-)  
Snape adds a lot to the conflict in the books, he is mysterious, and 
he may turn out to have taken actions that were critical to 
Voldemort's defeat.  There isn't nearly so much mystery surrounding 
someone like Sirius -- we kind of know who he is and why he does what 
he does.  So Snape is certainly a net plus.  I'm just not joining his 
fan club any time soon.

Cindy (waiting patiently for Lupin, just once, to really let Snape 
have it)