Sorry. The Sudden Movement.

[corinthum]

No: HPFGUIDX 56231

Derannimer wrote:

> "Snape made a sudden movement, but as Harry looked at him, Snape's 
> eyes flew back to Fudge."
> 
> The thing that really strikes me about that line is the last
clause; 
> it sounds very much as though, whatever Snape is reacting to, he 
> doesn't want Harry to notice that he is so reacting. (And Harry 
> certainly never does notice it like we have.) Which makes me wonder 
> if there's *something* between him and Lucius Malfoy that he wants 
> hidden. That's one reason why I don't care for the "Snape thought 
> Malfoy had really repented of his DE-hood" explanation--it doesn't 
> seem to me to account for the surreptitious nature of that
reaction. 
> 
> Does anyone have a better idea than the old Gullible!Snape one? 

Not a theory so much, but a vague thought.

I think Snape was reacting, not to Lucius Malfoy's name, but rather to
the listing of names in general.  In line before the one you quoted,
Harry says:

"'I saw the Death Eaters! I can give you their names!  Lucius
Malfoy-'"

At this point, Snape reacts.  Why?  Well, we know Voldemort rarely let
his followers know who each other were.  But, the Death Eaters in the
circle that night did not seem shocked when he began referring to them
by name.  My thought is that this inner circle did know about each
other.  They were Voldemort's right hand men, and therefore received
priveleges that lower followers did not receive.

Now, Snape, at the time of Voldemort's first reign, was very young,
just out of high school.  From what we know, he doesn't seem to be
from a rich, important, or influential family.  For these reasons, I
doubt he was a member of Voldemort's inner circle.  A Death Eater,
certainly, and he may have worked his way pretty high in the ranks,
but not quite to that level yet.  It is possible (probable, in my
mind) that he later learned who the inner circle members were while
working for Dumbledore.  However, Voldemort can't know this for
certain.  Therefore, Snape may feel a bit at risk if Harry starts
listing the names in front of him.  Suddenly, with outside witnesses
(namely, Fudge) there, he can no longer claim ignorance about these
matters.  Note: Fudge doesn't need to be evil to accidently leak this
info to Voldemort or one of his supporters.

Anyway, like I said, this idea isn't very well thought out yet. 
Basically, Snape is reacting to the names in general, not Malfoy's in
particular.

-Corinth