[HPforGrownups] Snape, Sirius and The Prank...

[Monika Huebner]

No: HPFGUIDX 47788

On Thu, 5 Dec 2002 09:47:05 EST, Lynx412 at aol.com wrote:

>       I agree that we don't know all there is to know about The Prank. A lot 
>of what's been said doesn't add up. I like Ellen's suggestion that Peter may 
>have been behind it. My biggest question, though, is why was Snape harassing 
>and following them? The implication, that the relationships resemble that of 
>the current trio, is Snape = Malfoy. But still doesn't explain why, aside 
>from House hostility. Harry & Draco have a family history and background that 
>triggers their actions.

We don't know anything about Snape's familiar background. Maybe he
comes from an old wizarding family, too. When asked where all the
money came from that Harry inherited, JKR has once said that James
came from a wealthy family and didn't have to work for a living. We
have no information on James' family at all (yet), therefore it's very
difficult to guess where that animosity actually came from.

 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "theresnothingtoit" <mi_shell16 at hotmail.com>


> > I think the text implies that Snape did *not* know Lupin was a
> > werewolf, although I think this is a bit of a plot hole.  Dicentra, 
> do
> > you mean Snape could have tattled to the other students?  The staff
> > obviously knew already about Lupin's condition. 
> 
> This is what has been niggling me since I read PoA.  After the Prank 
> why the hell didn't Snape tell anyone that Lupin was a werewolf.  
> What the devil did Dumbledore say to him that stoped Snape from even 
> hinting the idea to a fellow Slytherin.  

I think Dumbledore is an authority, and he was headmaster of the
school then, too. I always thought he might have told Snape he would
get expelled if he told anyone. Snape strikes me as someone who is
obsessed with rules (a bit like Percy) and who has a pronounced sense
for hierarchy. I guess you must be like that to join someone like
Voldemort whom you would have to obey without questioning. And at
school, Dumbledore was the highest authority. As much as I dislike
Snape, I can't see him disobeying an order from Dumbledore himself or
even not taking it seriously. And Dumbledore certainly didn't do it to
save Sirius' skin (although I believe he didn't consider the prank as
attempted murder), but he did it for Lupin. After all, he had admitted
him to Hogwarts to ensure he would get an education. If anyone had
known Lupin was a werewolf, he would have had to send him away. So I
guess he briefed everyone who was involved about what not to do and
about the potential consequences of disobeying.

> But Snape says nothing.  Why?  Is he ashamed to admit that a 
> Griffindor saved his life, but he could easly deny this if it came 
> up.  Who would his class mates believe?

*If* it came up, he would certainly not like to admit that a
Gryffindor saved his life. After all, Dumbledore told Harry at the end
of PS that Snape could never forgive James for saving his life. While
it might be embarassing for Snape to be saved by his most hated
ennemy, the life debt this involves in the wizarding world surely
makes it even worse. And then James has the guts to die before he
could repay him. I think that's what makes him hate Harry so much on
one hand and trying to save *his* life on the other.


> I was shocked at this answer that Sirius gave.  Yes giving him the 
> scare probably served him right for trying to get them expelled but 
> putting his life in serious danger - no.  I do not believe that MWPP 
> are entirly innocent in this matter anyway.  What had the two rival 
> houses done to each other to create such violent responses.

Has anyone put forward that MWPP were innocent in this matter? Most of
the time, it is discussed whether Snape was an innocent victim here or
not. I don't think it's a question of innocence, just if it can be
seen as cold blooded attempt at murder from a sixteen year old boy,
and many of them aren't very sensitive at this age without being born
criminels. Dumbledore doesn't see it as such, although this can be
interpreted differently. What is interesting in this regard is Snape's
reaction to Dumbledore's statement, "My memory is as good as ever,
Severus". Snape isn't ordinarily a person not knowing what to reply,
but this shuts him up. So he might in fact have some bodies in his
closet we haven't heard about yet. And while I don't see Sirius as
"innocent" here (irresponsible, foolish, immature -yes, but not a
murderer), Snape doesn't seem to be innocent either.

As for the rivalry between the two houses, I think this is going back
to Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin. Unfortunately, we only
have those two generations as a sample, but it is still going on, now
we have Harry and his friends against Draco and his pals. Maybe there
have been similar constellations in almost every generation of pupils.
Of course this is just a thought. I don't believe the problems between
purebloods and Muggle born wizards are new.

Monika