How much does Snape know? was Wormtail's Name In the Confession (WAS: Spying Game...)

[naamagatus]

No: HPFGUIDX 40403

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "marinafrants" <rusalka at i...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Amanda Geist" <editor at t...> wrote:
> 
> > The clincher, for me, was the handshake--unwilling as it is, it 
was
> an
> > acknowledgement. Snape has accepted Dumbledore's ruling on this,
> albeit
> > unwillingly, and although he will doubtless be on the lookout for
> any
> > betrayals from Sirius' direction (the exact same thing can be 
said
> of
> > Sirius, about Snape, for Sirius now knows that Snape was a Death
> Eater).
> > Snape's action, if he did not believe Sirius innocent, would
> probably have
> > been to attack immediately, to defend Dumbledore or possibly 
Harry.
> He does
> > nothing of the sort, just stands there and hates him.
> 
> I agree, by that point Snape must've been filled in on the details. 
> (I personally believe that Dumbledore must've filled him in shortly
> after the end of PoA.)  After all, the forced handshake is the 
prelude
> to Dumbledore including Sirius in all his secret anti-Voldemort
> plans.  There's no way Snape would just stand there and go along 
with
> it if he didn't believe that Sirius was loyal.  Too many lives,
> including Snape's own, depend on Sirius not running straight to
> Voldemort as soon as he's out of Dumbledore's sight.  Snape may 
still
> think that Sirius is a reckless, arrogant bastard who got away with
> attempted murder twenty years ago, but he no longer thinks Sirius 
is a
> traitor.
> 

Hmmm. But if Snape knows and accepts (i.e., believes) that Sirius is 
innocent - and therefore an ally - why was he so shocked that Sirius 
was there?  
When Sirius transforms to human form, the look on Snape's face "was 
one of mingled fury and horror." He snarls, "Him! What is he doing 
here?". Again, if Snape knows that Sirius is not a traitor, why the 
fury and horror? I would expect "a look of loathing" (which Snape 
does well) and "So, you're here too, are you?!". Distaste, but 
definitely not horror or fury. 
Also, from Dumbledore's answer, it appears that Dumbledore also 
thinks that Snape is questioning Sirius' allegiance: "He is here at 
my invitation, as are you, Severus. I trust you both." 

On a side note, that's an interesting way to put it, isn't it? He is 
making it impossible for Snape to further question his confidence in 
Sirius, by linking Snape's and Sirius' trustworthiness - as I trust 
you, I trust him. (Which I take to mean, "I have just as much basis 
for trusting him as I have in trusting you.")

I think that Snape does accept Dumbledore's ruling on this - as the 
handshake proves - but I think that this acceptance happened then and 
there, with that "I trust you both." 

Besides the evidence from this scene, it makes sense to me that 
Dumbledore wouldn't fill Snape in following PoA. Look at it this way 
- Snape had just "accidentally" spilled the beans on Lupin, and in 
doing so he went against Dumbledore's direct wishes. Dumbledore may 
have not wanted to give Snape details on Sirius which might, if 
leaked, endanger Sirius' life. Snape was so determined to not believe 
that Sirius is innocent (think of his manic outburst after Sirius' 
escape), that Dumbledore may have felt that Snape would not believe 
him, no matter what he'd tell him - that Snape would see this as 
Dumbledore believing a bunch of Confunded kids. He may have decided 
that there is a risk that Snape will take action against Sirius.


Naama