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

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 45378

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., GulPlum <hpfgu at p...> wrote:

> I was nodding with enthusiastic agreement until I got to this bit:
>
Quoting Marina: 
> >(I'm assuming that he [Snape], along with the other teachers, 
knows about 
> >the Hermione's time-turner.)
> 
Richard/GulPlum again:
>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.

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

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

Not at all. Actually, Dumbledore's hint works even if Snape 
doesn't know about the Time-Turner. All Snape has to know 
about is Hermione's impossible  class schedule, and that was 
no secret. Hermione's schedule is handed out openly at 
breakfast in the Great Hall, she roams around the school with 
extra books for all her classes and openly discusses how many 
subjects she's taking.  Potions is one of the classes that she's 
doubling, in fact. 
PoA ch. 7)

Actually, though, I'd be really surprised if Snape, as a head of 
house, isn't  aware that Time-turners are available for 
exceptional students. In fact, I'd wager that the last student to 
have one was none other than Slytherin extraordinaire Tom 
Riddle, who would have found it a useful aid to his search for the 
Chamber.

Pippin