The real vampire

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 36094

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "adatole" <adatole at y...> wrote:
> *****************
> I totally disagree!!
> 
> While I do not believe Snape will ever cuddle up to Harry and give 
> him a big hug ("You know Harry, it has killed me inside to be so 
mean 
> to you all these years"), I do think that Snape understand the 
> situation and that he is playing role in the great game to keep 
Harry 
> alive.

He'd do that even if he were a psychopath (to make Harry Life-debt to 
him, or pay his *own* debt to James via Harry - and to keep 
Dumbledore's trust).
 
> JK likes things logical. That's not literal, or else magic couldn't 
> exist in her books. But logical is important. It is illogical to 
> believe that, once his name was cleared, Hagrid would not be able to 
> move on with his life (ie: take a teaching position at the school 
> he's loved when it became available). etc. 

Logic vs. feelings... Yes, it is good for Hagrid to get promotion 
after getting his reputation cleaned, but he still lacks education so 
only AD is willing to give him a decent job...
 
> The lesson (IMHO) that is here is - some people are nasty and foul-
> tempered, but still know right from wrong and will do "good" even 
> when it means they have to work with people they dislike. That goes 
> both ways - Snapes opinion of others (probably most of the staff), 
> circumstances (his teaching position), and his boss - and for those 
> around him (Lupin and Black come to mind at the end of GoF). 

So far I have not seen Snape to *care* of anyone but himself. I do not 
know if he has a conscience or not - but even if he isn't a total 
psychopath(Voldy gets full marks), there *are* some characteristics 
pointing to that direction: Willingness to kill Lupin and Sirius with 
no remorse for one, pleasing superiors and being nasty to inferiors, 
calculating of personal benefits with neglect to emotions, 
meticulousness, following rules, yes - but no personal sense of 
ethics, getting angry over things that would calm normal persons (like 
being *saved* by "enemy"), ambitiousness, cunning - always putting 
Reason over Feeling, lack of compassion, not letting emotions getting 
into way, ruthlessness, seeming lack of emotions...
 
> It's a simple reality of life that JK wants to drive home.

Yes, there *are* psychopaths, rare but dangerous... and it's extremely 
difficult to recognise them because they're so good at cheating!

 Just like 
> the fact that a Mother's Love can protect her son from the worst 
> curse ever. I spent a long time trying to find more "technical" 
> reasons why Harry survived, but a friend drove it home to me. There 
> is no other reason. A mother's love should be reason enough. 

Oh yes... I've heard it in several fantasy-books: Love is the 
*strongest* magic there is. And Lily showed the strongest love 
possible. Of course it can block any curse...

> Simple truths. A Mother's Love can protect. You have to work with 
> people you don't like sometimes to get the job done. 
 
Maybe - but what if you must kill or torture to get the job done? 
Or watch it? Would you do it? Or would you think that the job isn't 
worth it?

Anyway... Psychopaths are excellent as literature characters. They add 
interest into the text and make one shiver.