Snape's Power and Spying (WAS: Physical Harm from an Expelliarmus)

[erisedstraeh2002]

No: HPFGUIDX 44222

Cindy wrote:

> That would suggest that Snape is able to blast Lockhart because 
> Lockhart is weak, not because Snape is especially strong.
> 
> And ya gotta love any theory that denies Snape the opportunity to 
> be seen as strong.  ;-)

Now me:

Thanks for the good ideas on Expelliarmus - I had forgotten about the 
Wormtail and spider examples.

As much as I loathe Snape, I do believe he is an extremely powerful 
wizard.  He performed a countercurse in PS/SS that kept Harry from 
falling off his bucking broomstick, even when Quirrell had 
Voldemort's strength behind his curse.  He was able to stop the 
spells of an entire roomful of wizards in CoS when he 
commands "Finite Incantatem" in the duelling club.  IMO, he put some 
of his own power behind Draco's Serpensortia spell (Draco would never 
have been able to manage that on his own with a quickly muttered 
hint, IMO).  And he always seems to show up at just the right time to 
get Harry into trouble, so he may be a Seer as well.

There's been some recent discussion about whether Snape will go back 
to Voldemort as a spy for Dumbledore.  I agree with those who say 
that Snape can't go back to his old spying role since he's already 
been exposed as a spy publicly.  However, I do believe it's possible 
(likely?) that he might be double-crossing Dumbledore and is actually 
a spy for Voldemort.  I think Voldemort is referring to Snape in the 
graveyard in GoF when he says there is "one who I believe has left me 
forever - he will be killed, of course."  If Snape is actually double-
crossing Dumbledore, Voldemort could be protecting his cover with 
this statement (is this one of the pieces of "misinformation" that's 
part of MAGIC DISHWASHER, perhaps)?

~Phyllis
who is very happy that JKR confirmed that the next DADA teacher is a 
woman and that OoP will be GoF-length and is fairly close to 
completion!  Hooray!