Will Dumbledore give Voldemort the finger?

[Porphyria Ashenden]

No: HPFGUIDX 46570

Acire asked:

> I do have a question, though. How would people describe the way 
> Snape looks when he is sent on his mission? Does paler than usual 
> and eyes glittering strangely mean scared, nervous, anxious? 

That's a great question, Acire, and IMO one people don't ask enough. 
I think everyone figures that this means that Snape is frightened and 
that his mission is dangerous. Dumbledore, for is part, *is* 
terrified; he can't bring himself to speak for several minutes after 
Snape leaves, which is hardly typical for him. However, I think if we 
look at the way glittering eyes and blanching are used by the text, 
we'll see that Snape's attitude could be nuanced a little differently 
that the most common assumption. 

This is the actual description of Snape as he's about to embark:

<GoF>
He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes 
glittered strangely.
</GoF>

Let's take glittering eyes first. If we look at the way the text uses 
the adjective "glittering" to refer to eyes, we find that it almost 
always implies maliciousness. Snape's eyes in particular glitter 
constantly (and glint and gleam), and nearly always when he is 
approaching prey like a spider pouncing on a fly caught in its web. 
For instance, when Snape questions Harry after Mrs. Norris is 
Petrified:

<CoS>
"But why not join the feast afterward?" said Snape, his black eyes 
glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?"
</Cos>

Or when Snape's about to test Neville's potion on Trevor:

<PoA>
"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, and 
watch what happens to Longbottom's toad.
</PoA>

Or when Lupin arrives with his DADA class in the staffroom, or when 
Harry asks him why Lupin is too sick to teach class, or when he 
finally thinks he's busted the treacherous Sirius Black:

<PoA>
Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed 
triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he 
said, his eyes glittering.
</PoA>

Or when he reminds his class they'll be testing their own antidotes, 
or when he notices Hermione reading Rita Skeeter's article, or when 
he threatens Harry with Veritaserum, or when he challenges Harry on 
the way to tell Dumbledore about Crouch Sr.'s madness. 

In every case, Snape is thinking something aggressive, and very often 
he's thinking about his favorite subject, namely accosting some 
miscreant or slacker in the act of screwing up. 

Furthermore, there is one other reference I could find to Snape 
blanching, which is in PoA after he catches Harry on the way back 
from Hogsmeade and Harry challenges him about James:

<PoA>
"I told you to shut up about my dad!" Harry yelled. I know
the truth, all right? He saved your life! Dumbledore told me! You
wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad!"

Snape's sallow skin had gone the color of sour milk.

"And did the headmaster tell you the circumstances in which
your father saved my life?" he whispered. "Or did he consider the
details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears?"
</PoA>

Here again, I interpret his feelings to be utter rage and aggression; 
he's about to trash Harry's image of his father in retaliation. 

So I'd say that whatever Snape is about to do at the end of GoF, he's 
champing at the bit. I think he's fantasizing about getting payback 
from all the evil DEs he hates and wants to see punished. I think 
he's a little excited about what he's doing even though he knows it's 
dangerous. 

But wait, I've got more canon! This is the cool part: At the end of 
PS/SS, when Harry is justifying his decision to go through the trap 
door, risking his life, and expulsion, the text reads:

<PS/SS>
"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.

The other two stared at him. He was pale and his eyes were glittering.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the 
Stone first."
</PS/SS>

He defends this dangerous decision by asserting:

<PS/SS>
If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go 
back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's 
only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going 
over to the Dark Side!
</PS/SS>

Don't you think that's the same sort of proud, aggressive death-
defiance that Snape must have in mind? Not to mention the fact that 
temptation by the Dark Side is far more of an issue for Snape than 
Harry. I think if we could read Snape's thoughts during that scene in 
GoF that he'd have something similar to say. 

I also think Snape and Harry have more personality traits in common 
than either would like to admit. :-) 

Well then, there's my take on glittering eyes: risking life and limb 
to pounce on wrongdoers who richly deserve it.

As to the exact nature of Snape's task, I have no idea, but I like to 
imagine it has something to do with harassing (or betraying) Lucius 
Malfoy in particular, which would also explain the "sudden movement" 
at the mention of that name. 

 
> -Acire, who wants to put forth the little-known theory that Snape 
> doesn't actually have eyeballs and that there are gemstones in his 
> sockets. That's why they glitter and flash. And they're magical, 
> too. <vbg>