[HPforGrownups] Re: How much does Snape know?

[Edblanning at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 40563

Darrin,
> It is entirely possible that Snape overheard that Sirius is an 
> Animagus, but did not hear what he could turn into. In all the 
> confusion in the hospital scene of GoF, he might not have 
> said: "Black Dog = Sirius" and indeed been surprised.
> 
> So, Snape being shocked upon seeing Sirius again in GoF is entirely 
> 

This seems to be one of those topics that comes up on a cyclical basis :-)
We know exactly how much of the conversation Snape heard, because JKR is 
careful to emphasise the moment when, cloaked and invisible, he comes into 
the room. He *does* hear that the Marauders are animagi, but not their forms.

However, something struck me today.
Had I been Sirius and feeling about Snape as he did, I'm sure that in 
replaying events afterwards, I would have thought, 'Oh ****! Does that 
slime-ball knows I'm an animagus? Now where had Remus got up to when he came 
in? Yes, dammit he does.'

Instead, when the trio question the wisdom of his staying in the cave near 
Hogsmede, he categorically states that they and Dumbledore are the only ones 
in the vicinity who know his secret. This despite the fact that he's been 
actively contemplating why Dumbledore hired Snape and therefore thinking 
about him.

Which leaves me feeling very unclear about what we are supposed to think that 
Snape does understand.
Is the clearly flagged entrance there to tell us that he *does* know Sirius 
is an animagus? If he does, he doesn't seem to do anything with the 
information and so there is no compelling plot-driven reason for him to know.
And if he *does* know, and *has* been filled in by Dumbledore about Sirius at 
the end of POA as many speculate, then I am very surprised that he hasn't 
twigged that that strange black dog with Harry is Sirius. Putting two and two 
together as only he can. Surely his Latin/astronomy/astrology is up to that.

It makes me wonder, actually, whether if in JKR's mind he hadn't known until 
that revelation in the hospital wing. I wonder if his invisible appearance in 
the Shack at that particular point has nothing to do with the necessity of 
his learning that Sirius was an Animagus, but is for other reasons (assessing 
the situation, picking the right moment to act, etc) and that the animagus 
information, which *is* important to other elements of the story line, just 
happened to be part of that same package for narrative reasons. If it wasn't 
specifically important where Snape was concerned, it was perhaps not 
necessarily incorporated into his profile, as it were. 

I am in complete agreement, however, that whether he knows or not, there are 
good reasons for Snape to be furious and horrified since he is realising that 
he is going to have to work with Sirius and accept him as an equal in 
Dumbledore's eyes. I imagine he feels like the prodigal son's elder brother 
at this point.

It just surprises me if Sirius doesn't realise that Snape knows he's an 
animagus and Snape has no clue as to his form.

Eloise

Who would like to add as a footnote that she very much likes Catlady's theory 
about the founders.
Oh, and as another footnote, found out the other day that at her daughter's 
new school, the Prep Dept used to have just two houses - named Griffin and 
Raven!


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