Snape and the Longbottoms

[brewpub44]

No: HPFGUIDX 33985

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "ssk7882" <theennead at a...> wrote:
> [about Moody]: 
> Well, he doesn't believe in plea bargains, which is certainly
> understandable -- most cops don't.  But he also seems to 
> consider it morally acceptable to _break faith_ with captive
> prisoners ("Let's hear his information, I say, and throw him
> straight back to the dementors.")  He is not adverse to 
> dehumanizing his enemies; he feels free to sneer at them;
> in the course of a single page, he refers to Karkaroff as both
> "filth" and "scum."  He is skeptical of Dumbledore's 
> judgement of Snape; he does not believe in second chances.
> He tries not to kill, but he doesn't seem unduly bothered
> by it when he does so.  And he approves of the use of the 
> dementors as prison guards.  ("For scum like this...")
> 

I know it is probably not a good idea to compare British law 
enforcement with American (I am assuming JKR is modelling wizard law 
enforcement on a British model), but I will try.

Moody personified "bad cop" in a good cop/bad cop scenario. The deal 
is one police officer is the nasty guy who treats baddies as scum, 
breaks faith, likes nasty imprisonments, etc. Then there is a "good 
cop" who offers the plea bargains, tries to be the friend, etc. Both 
are actors who try to find a crack in the baddies armor. Then the 
crack is exploited and you get the confessions, squealing, whatever.

Plus, note that Moody is a spectator in the wizard court, it is 
Crouch who acts as the prosecutor. So it's not Moody who sentences, 
unless he has to protect others or defend himself while apprehending 
the bad guy.

A Barkeep in Diagon Alley