Snape the sneak/Slytherins/rule breaking(was: Snape/Luc

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 36504

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Edblanning at a... wrote:
> In a message dated 13/03/02 16:05:56 GMT Standard Time, rusalka at i... 
> writes:
 

> I was really referring to his behaviour at school. If Sirius is to 
be 
> believed, his fondness for getting  rule breakers into trouble goes 
back a 
> long way. I assume he was a right little creep.

Even if it means he broke the rules himself! Like getting into that 
Shrieking Shack (for no other reason than to make Gryffindors lose 
points MORE than he would have...)

> It got me wondering about how much rule breaking we see in the 
series. I 
> think *most* of what we see done by Gryffindors. Obviously, we're 
seeing it 
> from Harry's POV, but it seems to be the trio who keep losing house 
points 
> for rule breaking. And then the twins and James/Sirius are the 
notorious 
> school trouble makers of their days.
> We see lots of nasty behaviour from the Slytherins, but less in the 
way of 
> actul rule-breaking. I can recall one case of Draco using magic in 
the 
> corridors, no, that's two, isn't it?

You think stealing Neville's Remembrall is not rule-breaking? It 
brokes rule against taking another's property AND the 'rule' of not 
moving until Madame Hooch got back? At this point Harry's doing what's 
RIGHT, standing up for the absent House-mate. (Not Easy, But Right) He 
did try talking first, but when it didn't work, he could only fly. 
Malfoy just was better at *not getting caught*.

Following rules means safety - being brave often doesn't. Also, only 
time Harry broke rules for *no good reason* - was when he wasn't 
treated the same as others because he lacked caring parents. This 
offended him because he was denied something that others had for 
*granted*. He may have thought he wanted Hogsmeade, but didn't. He 
wanted to be like others AND to have caring parents. Nothing hurts him 
more than reminder of his parents' death. School Rule demanding a 
signature he can't get because he lives on his own... (Dursleys don't 
count as his Guardians, and never did, not to Harry). He also tried to 
do it nicely first by asking Head of House - since Gryffindor *was* 
his true family - but then he's told it's not a Family, against what 
he was told during the first year by McGonagall?

This is understandable. Harry's singled out. It is a protest for all 
mistreated orphans etc. I object more to the way he treated Neville 
than his going.

But for most of the time, if Harry breaks a school rule, it's to 
follow another, more important one.. The Bravery-rules:
1) Saving the World
2) Saving someone's life (Hermione, Sirius)
3) Benefit of doubt, Right to fair trial... (Malfoy(who knew nothing 
of CoS), Sirius, Buckbeak). Even a Slytherin may be creditor!
4) Helping someone in need(Mostly Neville)

Lots of others about doing Right&Risky instead of Easy&Safe...

 And then the time he gets 
punished for 
> being out of bounds when he sneaks on them about Norbert ( which 
parallels 
> Snape's going out of bounds to follow Lupin). I guess they're too 
sneaky to 
> keep making trouble in such an obvious way.

Yeah - they themselves do *what ever it takes* to gain their goal. 
They're also *not getting caught*, and they're *making others take the 
blame*. The latter is something a Gryffindor would NOT do. Slytherin 
strategy to win the House Cup is luring others to break the rules and 
turn them in so that THEY lose points and Slytherin possibly gains for 
reporting. Gryffindor simply won't DO that (except by accident).
 
> Another thing intrigues me about Slytherins. As you so poetically 
pointed 
> out, Snape 'hangs out in a dungeon that a nicer chap would wither in 
/ it 
> doesn't bother him at all because he is a Slytherin'.
> The Slytherin common room is a long, low underground room with rough 
stone 
> walls.
> Why? Surely these self-seeking, ambitious types would relish a bit 
of 
> comfort, think it was their due, even. I know it suits Snape's 
gothic image 
> (and I still want to install an organ down there for him!), but are 
we to 
> believe that Malfoy Manor is quite so spartan? I suppose someone's 
going to 
> tell me it's supposed to be character building.

They may have a sneaky reason for it - Common Room may be Spartan, but 
the Dorms and Bathrooms luxury.