[HPforGrownups] Dumbledore's right hand man ( was Is Snape a dofus?)

[Margaret Dean]

No: HPFGUIDX 32808

Edblanning at aol.com wrote:

> I believe that he is teching at Hogwarts because that is precisely where
> Dumbledore wants him. Dumbledore doesn't seem terribly concerned about what
> the rest of the world would consider as ideal qualities in teachers: he seems
> to have a realistically resigned attitude towards Trelawny, puts up with a
> History of Magic teacher who bores his class to sleep and as for
> Lockhart..... words fail (granted, he didn't have much choice, assuming as I
> do that Snape didn't want the job).
> 
> So he's not there because of his teaching abilities.

Although Snape certainly scores points over Lockhart, and
possibly over Binns and Trelawney as well, by knowing his
=subject.=  (Binns may be knowledgeable, but tends to, er,
overspecialize; Trelawney it's hard to tell about.  I'm convinced
that her actual Sight is erratic and uncontrollable, but that
doesn't mean she can't teach method.)  Granted that interpersonal
relations are not Snape's strong suit *ahem*, if a student can
get past that, s/he will certainly get a thorough and accurate
grounding in Potions from Snape.

I do agree, though, that Dumbledore wants to have Snape at hand,
partly because of his knowledge and competence, and also perhaps
partly to keep him safe.  We're still not sure how much Voldy
and/or the DE's know about Snape's spying career, or on the other
side, how many people in the wizarding world know he was a DE. 
There might be any number of people gunning for Our Severus if he
wandered far from Hogwarts.

(Though I have this feeling he's =not= going to be one of the
ones to die.  I keep thinking of JKR's remark about him:  "He's
tough."  He won't go down easily, any road.)


--Margaret Dean
  <margdean at erols.com>