The "face-value" theory of PoA -- now with shiny acronym!

[GulPlum]

No: HPFGUIDX 45358

At 01:04 15/10/02 +0000, marinafrants wrote:

>I've been citing the "face-value" reading of the events in PoA in
>response to MAGIC DISHWASHER posts, and it occurs to me that it
>might be useful to explain exactly what I mean by this.

<BIG snip with the garden shears>

I was nodding with enthusiastic agreement until I got to this bit:

>(I'm assuming that he [Snape], along with the other teachers, knows about 
>the Hermione's time-turner.)

<more snippage>

>So he stands there ranting and raving, until Dumbledore makes his
>remark about Harry and Hermione being "in two places at once," and
>it's at that point that the penny drops.  Note that once Dumbledore
>says this, the fight goes out of Snape immediately.  No more
>yelling, no more trying to convince anybody.  He stands there for a
>few moments, looking from Fudge to Dumbledore, then abruptly turns
>and leaves.  Why?  Because Dumbledore's words clue him not only on
>how Black's rescue was done, but also on the fact that *Dumbledore
>was in on it.*  At that point, Snape is stuck.  He understands that
>no matter how much he argues, Dumbledore is not going to back him up
>on this one.  And when it comes right down to it, Dumbledore is the
>man in charge.  So Snape does the only thing left to him and
>retreats from the field.  (And vents his frustration the next day
>forcing Lupin's resignation.)

As I think I previously pointed out, Dumbledore's "amusement" doesn't 
really make sense if Snape knows about the Time-Turner. As I see it, 
Dumbledore is amused as they enter the Hospital Wing not because Snape 
knows how Harry did it, but because never in a month on Sundays would Snape 
be able to work out how Harry did it, *even if Dumbledore gives him a 
whacking great clue*! The only valid reason for Dumbeldore to be amused at 
that point (unless, as the M.D.ers would have it, the surface text makes 
him appear to be sadistic) is that Snape doesn't have a clue what's going 
on and has no grounds to be able to work it out.

As it happens, Dumbledore's first words in that scene are to establish that 
the kids have been locked in the Hospital Wing. Only *then* does he suggest 
that they'd have to be in two places at once to have been able to have 
assisted in Sirius's escape. If we're talking "surface reading", it is the 
realisation of the *impossibility* of that fact that shuts Snape up, not a 
realisation that Dumbledore authorised the use of the Time-Turner.

Snape is said to be looking from Dumbledore to Fudge, *seething*, as if 
looking for a way around the conundrum of bi-location, not knowing whether 
he should be angry at Dumbledore or Fudge. Dumbledore's statement does not 
pacify him in the slightest, it just leaves him speechless.

>So there you have it.  Note that this theory does not assume any
>important events or conversations happening "off-screen."  If canon
>doesn't say it happened, then it didn't happen.

Sorry, as I think I've successfully argued, your explanation implies 
off-screen information given to Snape about the Time-Turner.

>In keeping with the kitchen appliance theme of this topic, I hereby dub 
>this theory PRESSURE COOKER: Presented with Remus' Evil, Snape's Somewhat
>Unhinged; Refuses Explanations, Confronts Outrageously Overt
>Killers; Embarrassment Results.

Despite being very much a non-flag-waver, I'd be happy to display your 
PRESSURE COOKER in my kitchen if you'd accept the above provisos.... :-)

--
GulPlum AKA Richard, who'd REALLY like to deal with the plethora of MAGIC 
DISHWASHER posts from the last 24 hours, but notes that it's almost 4am and 
he has to be up and rested in less than 4 hours, and so hopes to dream of 
kitchen appliances and report his findings on the morrow...