[HPforGrownups] Re: Where was Snape?

[Edblanning at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 36503


> He has no loyalty to anyone but *himself* (I am under the impression 
> Snape is a psychopath... Hating someone not *despite* that someone 
> 

We Snapefans aren't going to let that go in a hurry. But then you knew that, 
didn't you? Now the last time you accused poor Severus of being a psycopath, 
Judy, who seems to know what she's talking about wrote a nice little piece 
explaining how he didn't fit the profile. I don't know the message no, but it 
was on March 6th.
I don't see the big deal about Snape hating James because he saved him. He 
*hated* James, James has imposed a life debt on him (I tend not to go round 
hating people, but I know I'd far rather be in debt to someone I loved than 
someone I hated) and then he's gone and got himself killedso that Snape 
*can't* repay the blasted debt. You bet he's furious at James. It's logical. 
(Guess that meakes me a psycopath too!)

H
> e was protecting Harry (despite hating him) - because by doing so, 
> he's paying the debt he owes to Harry's father and he hates being in 
> that life-debt.
> 
Exactly. See above.

> I don't think he wanted Quirrell to have the stone - I think he wanted 
> it for himself! To give to Voldemort or to keep - I know not.

Here, I don't follow you. So why wasn't he there, trying to prevent Quirell 
getting to the stone - the point of the original question? (One, now I think 
of it that I raised in my very first post).
Yes, in my worst nightmare scenario, when my boggart Snape advances as an 
unrepentant DE (only to have his wand turn into a rubber kipper as he trips 
over his billowing robes), he's been protecting Harry to present him to 
Voldy. But not when I'm feeling sane.
It feels wrong to me that he just disappears from the story at that point. He 
has to, I suppose, for the sake of the plot - it's essential that we expect 
Snape to be in the chamber with the stone, but it still feels *wrong*. I 
suppose in a one-off book, he probably would have been revealed as Harry's 
ally at the last moment, but given the nature of the series, his motives have 
to remain ambiguous. Similarly, he could have been the one to save Harry from 
Voldy rather than Dumbledore, except then we would know unequivocally that 
Voldy knew Snape's position.

So I think his disappearance is plot-driven. But I can't for the life of me 
think how outside of plot-considerations I would account for his absence. I'm 
*sure* he knew Dumbledore was away - he's too pivotal a figure at Hogwarts 
not to. He pretty well knew the trio were up to something as well. He knew 
Quirell was after the stone. His absence doesn't make sense - UNLESS Quirell 
got to him first. That's it! He stunned him, or hexed him or stuck one of his 
own potions in his pumpkin juice (what a useful device pumpkin juice is 
becoming) or something.

There. Reputation saved. And all in the time it took to print off my essay.

I feel an acronym coming on.
S.U.C.C.E.S.S.  (Snape Unfortunately Concussed Couldn't Ensure Stone's 
Safety).

Eloise.




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