Snape's "mind set"

[jodel at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 44217

Y'know, it occurs to me (and probably a lot of other people who are engaged 
in phrasing it differently) that there could be a rather interesting 
double-bluff going on with Snape's vicious behavior vis-a-vis the Hogwarts 
students.

It is NOT all an act, but, nevertheless, he IS acting. And it DOES serve a 
purpose. I also believe that he has Dumbledore's tacit go-ahead for it, 
although Dumbledore doesn't exactly aprove of his actions.

What he is doing is to very deliberately NOT distance himself from his past. 
He is rubbing the kids' noses in it. With his basic temprament, and in his 
position as head of Slytherin, the chances of his actually living his past 
down are vanishingly small to begin with. Even if he behaved the perfect gent 
(which, with his disposition, would be a strain -- he is not a *nice* man) 
there would still be rumors flying about of his DE background. And it would 
take next to no effort to confirm those rumors to anyone who decided to 
investigate. To the wizarding world, he is always going to be an ex-Death 
Eater. 

It stands to reason that Albus took him on staff with the understanding that 
he would do *something* to discourage other young people from making the same 
mistake he did. He's a Slytherin, not a social justice-seeking Gryffandor. 
The Slytherin kids with DE connections are probably already a lost cause. It 
isn't their own choices which are going to be exercised. Playing the wise and 
kindly councelor to dissuade them from taking that step isn't going to do 
anything but send a message back to their parents which will get him targeted 
for elimination. But, by ghod, he can make an impression on the students of 
the OTHER three houses. And the Slyths can give him a hand by helping spread 
and support the rumors. He intends to send them all a clear, unambiguouis 
message. ("Play to your strengths".)

If they want to see a Death Eater, they will GET a Death Eater. And just see 
how well they like it.

Every day of the week for seven years those kids are getting an up close and 
personal demonstration of just what a Death Eeater is, with ALL the 
pettiness, spite, partiality, injustice, treachery, contempt and cruelty on 
full display. You want to be a Death Eater someday? You want to have to work 
with people like this? You want to have to even ASSOCIATE with people like 
this? (If this is the *tame* virus what must the actual disease be like?) He 
doesn't want the brats to like him. He wants them to LOATHE him. And more 
than that, he wants them to REMEMBER him. And, by ghod, he is going to put on 
a show.

And maybe when some smooth-tongued Voldemort supporter comes around trying to 
recruit some promising young Gryff or 'Puff or 'Claw, maybe the impression 
will have been indelible enough to give them pause before being swept off 
their feet. And maybe they will pass the word on someone to watch out for. 
And, who knows, maybe by counter example he can even reach a few of the 
Slyths.

Besides, it won't hurt them to learn to perform delicate work under pressure. 
There are bastards out in the real world too, after all.

So, with all these justifications in mind,  he has given himself a free 
ticket to play the bastard and act out every natural frustration to the top 
of his bent. Besides, he suspects he probably is a bully, however well he may 
dress it up in fine linen (and I think he probably does dress it up in fine 
linen. He isn't all THAT self-aware). If he hadn't been he probably wouldn't 
have been so quick to sign up with Voldemort in the first place. He ENJOYS 
terrorising adolescents. He LIKES to tormenting Longbottom. He looks forward 
to the opportunity to needle Potter -- who he honestly resents, and can stand 
to be taken down a peg, in his oppinion -- and he was positively hugging 
himself with glee on the red-letter day that he actually managed to make 
Granger *cry*. 

In short, Snape is having a ball. (The rest of the staff, who know what is 
going on, are probably scandalously amused by his antics as well, and 
Dumbledore trusts him.) 

And Rowling is having a ball writing him. And so are we in reading him. And 
when someone does such a good job of entertaining you, you just can't help 
but like them...

-JOdel, who also is very fond of Sir Harry Padget Flashman.