Spy/Snape

[Porphyria Ashenden]

No: HPFGUIDX 47661

Welcome to the list, Bish. 

I completely agree with the first two points of your post: 1) that it 
remains extremely unclear who "knows" that Snape was a double agent 
based on Karkaroff's plea bargain hearing (and who even believes it) 
and 2) that Snape acts so cagey with Quirrell that he could indeed 
plead that he didn't know that LV was behind him. 

Naturally this issues has been discussed before; if anyone would like 
to read a consolidation of past discussions, I eagerly recommend our 
Fantastic Posts page of Snape:
http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/faq/snape.html and particularly:
http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/faq/snape.html#voldy

However, Bish did bring up one thing I'd like to clear up:

> I've also seen the opinion that Quirrell knew that Snape was the
> one who was counter cursing Harry's broom. I don't remember
> this
> from canon.

Quirrell states this himself to Harry when they confront each other 
at the end of PS/SS:

<PS/SS>
"But Snape tried to kill me!"

"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger 
accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at 
that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few 
seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it 
before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a countercurse, trying to 
save you."
</PS/SS>

He goes on to remark about how Snape was also trying to protect Harry 
by refereeing the next Quidditch match. Ah, but the question is how 
did he know that? Bish remarks:

> In fact I don't think he could have possibly known, 
> simply because the curse he was using required that his eyes be on 
> the broom constantly, which not allow him to look around to see who 
> might be doing the counter curse. When Snape got the hotfoot, both 
> had their had their concentration broken, so he couldn't have
> known.

It's possible he might not have known at the moment it happened. But 
I think that he did know by process of elimination: namely, I think 
Snape was the only one present with the Dark Arts knowledge and skill 
to foil Quirrell's broom-bucking jinx. Whether or not Snape is really 
envious of the DADA position, it seems common knowledge that he knows 
a great deal about the subject and I'm sure Quirrell of all people 
would be aware of who his possible rival in the field was. Plus, 
Quirrell might have known Snape himself from their school days (and 
thus know his interests and abilities fairly well) -- he certainly is 
aware of Snape's hatred of James, which was a schoolboy thing. 

Also, I always assumed Snape actually told Quirrell himself that he 
caught him trying to jinx Harry's broom. When Snape corners Quirrell 
in the forbidden forest he mentions "-- your little bit of hocus-
pocus." I always interpreted that he meant the broom-bucking jinx by 
"hocus-pocus;" that he, being Snape, was belittling Quirrell's 
ineffectual attempt at dark magic. It's very much in Snape's 
character to flummox an opponent by confronting him with evidence 
against him, and I always assumed he couldn't resist the same with 
Quirrell. 

~Porphyria