[HPforGrownups] Snape's "Outcast" Status

[Richelle Votaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 42146

Dicentra wrote:

> Uhhh... How do we know Snape was picked on at school?  He might have
> been in opposition to the "alphas," James and Sirius, but that doesn't
> make him an outcast.  If he ran with a crowd of Slyths, he at least
> had friends, and it's doubtful they were all outcasts, either.

The exact quote is that Snape "was part of a gang of Slytherins, most of
which turned out to be death eaters."  Which leads us to believe that more
than likely Lucius and co. were also part of that gang.  It seems to me like
Snape had friends, sure.  Just like Malfoy does.  Do certain people we know
not like Malfoy?  Yep.  Did certain people not like Snape?  Yep.  Is Malfoy
an outcast?  Not really.  He's not part of Harry's circle that we know, so
he's outcast from them, but not "an outcast."  Snape was probably in the
same situation.  Malfoy followed Harry and friends, hoping to get them in
trouble just as Snape followed James and friends out to the whomping willow.
So I'd say Snape wasn't an outcast at school any more than Malfoy is.

Now on the other hand, Snape seems to make himself something of an outcast
at Hogwarts now.  He alienates himself from most of the teachers, does
things that make them think he's trying to put Gryffindor down and doesn't
explain his reasons.  (Refereeing the quidditch match)  I assume most of his
friends from his school days are either in Azkaban, dead, or in the crowd
who claimed to have been placed under the imperious curse.  Not a lot of
people left he can trust.

Richelle