[HPforGrownups] the Vampire theory

[Porphyria]

No: HPFGUIDX 35668

Just replying to some replies here... First off, I need to thank Judy, 
Yoris, and jklb66 for their kind words about my last post on why Snape 
oughtn't be a Vampire. I feel all gushy inside! See kids, we have to 
band together to drive a stake through the heart of this theory whenever 
it rears its ugly head. ;-) And I'm so happy that you found my Foe Glass 
thingie helpful. I can't let you all be needlessly upset by spurious 
evidence.

And to Pippin, who has obviously given the Vampire matter a lot of 
thought, I want to assure you that I respect your position on this, even 
though I disagree, and I think that since one can't prove or disprove 
Vampirism based on the canon so far, it really boils down to what an 
individual reader wants.

You suggested:

> Rowling could be making the point that 
> Snape has assimilated and could live as a normal wizard, could
> fit in, except that he wouldn't be welcome in normal society just
> because he is a vampire, a member of a despised race. That's
> different than being an ex-Death Eater, which was a choice, or an
> uncontrollably violent werewolf, or a magically handicapped
> Muggle,  or a culturally ignorant Muggleborn.

Interesting, and yes, it could be true. But personally I find most 
appealing the idea that Snape's problems are entirely his own fault; he 
has no one else to blame for the mistakes he's made. This, to my mind, 
makes his sense of guilt a little weightier than that of Lupin, who 
can't help being a werewolf (although his guilt is interesting too, for 
other reasons), or the regret of Sirius, who never choose to do anything 
bad but merely made a well-intentioned mistake, or least of all the 
accidents of birth which pose problems for other characters. I guess 
it's the guilt thing; I like the guilt. However, one could just as 
easily say that a blameless character who is forced to deal with the 
negative stereotypes foist upon him is more interesting; it's really a 
matter of preference. Of course you're saying that you can have it both 
ways with Snape...

> I agree that it's heaping an awful lot of baggage on
> Snape to make him a vampire and an ex-Death Eater, but
> Rowling wasn't afraid to put two monsters in the Castle, so why
> should she be afraid to give Snape more than one issue?

but I like keeping his well-deserved sense of guilt unsullied from the 
effects that anti-vampire prejudice might have upon it. So I'm still 
rooting for the 100% human option.

Pippin added:

> I agree that pale, thin, interesting, angry/depressed characters
> who swoop around in black are a cliche, but that is true even if
> they aren't vampires, so I can't see that being a vampire makes it
> worse.

To which I can only say, hmmmph! Long live the pale, thin, interesting, 
angry/depressed humans who swoop around in black. :-)

~~Porphyria


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