Why the Veritaserum theory is all wet (and a bit back to the Sirius vs. Snap

[Liz Sager]

No: HPFGUIDX 34878

Tex wrote:
> > managed to lure Sirius
> > away from his friends, and somehow arranged for Sirius to have
>amnesia
> > about the whole thing.
>
>No amnesia needed. Sirius probaably wouldn't admit he'd been
>had.

Agreed. Sirius would NOT admit that he'd been tricked, especially by Snape, 
if that is indeed the case (I might be totally be wrong about what we're 
even talking about. If that's the case, I apologise.)

>No way Snape is incompetent. I keep wondering why DumbDoor
>doesn't give him the DADA classes

In defense of the Headmaster (do we have an acronym for that?), I think that 
Snape is perfectly happy in his positions as Potions master. Awhile ago on 
this list there were posts about Snape and the DADA position (I'm thinking 
late December/early January, don't quote me on that). Something we said was 
that Lockhart was chosen in CoS because he was the *only applicant*. (I 
could be wrong about this too.) If Snape had wanted to be the DADA teacher, 
surely he could have gotten the job this year. Because as you said, Snape is 
not incompetent, which I agree with.

> >So, Snape has Sirius
> > under the influence of veritaserum.  Snape asks "where does Lupin
>go
> > each month?" Sirius replies "He goes into a tunnel under the
>Whomping
> > Willow.  The tunnel leads to the Shrieking Shack."
>
> > I can pretty much guarantee that the next words out of Snape's
>mouth
> > will be "*Why* does Lupin go to the Shrieking Shack?"  (Or
>something
> > to that effect.)  And, of course veritaserumed Sirius will have to
> > reply "Because Lupin is a werewolf."
> >
>Snape would likely have that figured out, already, like Hermione
>did.  Snape is probably the smartest of all JKR's characters,
>including HP.

I agree. He is a competent teacher and intelligent human, but his 
predjudices (against Harry and co., etc.) sometimes get in the way of his 
judgement and make him look like a...well, a not very nice and very 
judgemental person.

>If Sirus had done it because the was an impulsive kid and Snape was
>a git, I think JKR would have said so. But Sirius doesn't explain his
>motives to Harry, even when he says he did it.  And Siruis' motives
>are simply not explained in canon, so far.

I can see the prank from both Sirius and Snape's point of views. Being 
sixteen myself, I can see it from Sirius: wanting to get back as someone who 
is constantly trying to get you and your friends into trouble and not 
looking far enough ahead to see *all* the possible consequences of your 
actions; and Snape: wanting to get people into trouble who are constantly 
making fun of you and making you feel less than human (i.e. the girl who 
sits next to me in band, my entire L.A. Honors class...). I think this is 
very much a situation that is most difficult to pin blame on a single party.

Liz (who thinks Lupin must have been pretty hacked at Sirius after that 
prank)

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