Snape and the Longbottoms

[Eric Oppen]

No: HPFGUIDX 33885

One thing to keep in mind about Snape's attitude toward the senior
Longbottoms is that during the latter stages of the First Voldemort War, the
Aurors were about as ruthless and hair-triggered as the DEs themselves.  We
don't _know_ how Mr. Longbottom, or both Longbottoms if they were both
Aurors, approached their duties...were they like Mad-Eye Moody, and at least
willing to _try_ not to kill, or were they more like Judge Dredd on acid?

Considering what happened to quite a few people (being handed over to the
Dementors without trial---which I, myself, considered to be one of the most
shocking things so far in the series, particularly since _it was the good
guys who did it;_ hey, I'm a lawyer's kid and I _believe in_ a fair trial
_before_ punishment!) it would be far from impossible for the more zealous,
or kill-happy, or careless Aurors to AK the wrong person or people, and get
away with it because "I thought they were DEs!  When we kicked in their door
and roared in screaming, they went for a wand!  We were in fear for our
lives!"  And yes, I am thinking of certain regrettable incidents in recent
US history, not germane to this discussion.  A certain "War" on certain
substances, for example.  *coughs behind hand*

So-o-o...imagine this scenario.  Here's Severus Snape, Agent For Good, on an
honestly innocent, legitimate visit to someone.  Maybe his sweetheart, maybe
an old friend from Slytherin (and Slytherin does NOT equal Death Eater!  If
it did, explain Pettigrew!) or maybe a relative...and in come the
Longbottoms, wands out and ablaze, AKing people first and asking questions
later, if at all.  Although Snape gets away (maybe the Longbottoms know he's
a spy for their side and have strict instructions not to hurt him) the
others, who are no more DEs than Harry Potter is now, do not...and nothing
is done to the Longbottoms.  After all, they're Aurors, and _thought_ that
the people they killed were DEs.

This would explain the Lestranges' choice of the Longbottoms for victims, as
well as their methods...at least as much payback as an attempt to gather
information.  It would also go a long way to explain (if not excuse,
_ever_...my mother was a teacher and I'm sure she'd have been all over Snape
like ugly on an ape if they had been teaching together) Snape's riding poor
Neville Longbottom

*donning fireproof gloves in anticipation of a blizzard of Howlers*