More on Snape/Hagrid

[Carol Bainbridge]

No: HPFGUIDX 43845

Since the recent discussion about Snape, I've been rereading PS/SS, seeing 
things I had so mindlessly glossed over, but now take on a very different 
meaning.  In Chapter 8, Harry, along with Ron, visits Hagrid for the first 
time and at this meeting, Harry tells Hagrid about his first potions lesson 
with Snape.  He also tells Hagrid that Snape seems to hate him. Hagrid 
replies, "Rubbish! ... Why should he?"

This seems like Hagrid is simply dismissing Harry's feelings and as others 
have mentioned, supporting the teachers.  It does seem quite in character 
with Hagrid that he wouldn't think badly of any teacher. However, the 
narrative continues with: " Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid 
didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that."  Then Hagrid changes the 
subject, asking Ron about his brother Charlie.  The narrative again: "Harry 
wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose."

The first times I read this book, I was just figuring that JKR was setting 
us up to see Snape as the villain, but now I'm not so sure.  The last line 
of the chapter reads, "And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he 
didn't want to tell Harry?"

Just what would that something be?  We know now that there is something 
about Snape: he was a DE.  But why try to hide that from Harry?  What would 
the connection be to Snape's hating Harry, which is all Harry was concerned 
about at the time?  The other possibility of a something that Hagrid knew 
about Snape is the trick Sirius and Harry's father played on Snape.  Would 
this be something Hagrid would know in detail?  Would he know that Snape 
carried a grudge about it?  I don't know.  I suppose that's possible, but I 
can't help thinking that there's something more.

Then there's the dream that Harry had the night of the hat-sorting 
ceremony.  He dreamt that he was wearing Quirrell's turban, which was 
telling him that his "destiny" was to be in Slytherin.  He tried to pull 
the turban off, but couldn't, and as he was trying to get it off, Malfoy 
was laughing at him.  Then "...Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, 
Snape, whose laugh became high and cold -- there was a burst of green light 
and Harry woke, sweating and shaking."

Now I realize it is far-fetched to think that there is some 
connection.  However, I did find it all interesting, given what we know 
about the Malfoys and Snape now.  At the time Harry had his dream, he had 
no idea what that green light was about or the high-pitched laugh.  We find 
out in PoA about the high-pitched laugh.  Harry vaguely remembers a green 
light, but it's not till GoF that he knows just how significant that light 
is.  I'm not suggesting that Snape was with Voldemort when Harry's parents 
were killed, but I do wonder if there's something more about Snape that 
Hagrid knows and if that something has anything to do with the night that 
Hagrid picked Harry up from the ruins of the Potter house.


Carol Bainbridge
(kaityf at jorsm.com)

http://www.lcag.org