Snape and the Defense Against the Dark Arts Job

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 87336

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sawsan_issa" <sawsan_issa at e...>
wrote:
> I read that JKR had said that Snape can't get the Defense Against the
> Dark Arts job  because Dumbledore feels that it will cause Snape's bad
> side (as if it could get worse) to come out. That intrigues me. What
> do you think the reason is? What is it about the Defense Against the
> Dark Arts job that will bring out the evil in Snape?


Actually, Snape could be a lot worse than he is. Compare him with
Umbridge, for example. Snape does ridicule his students and he's a
master of sarcasm, but he isn't a sadist who makes students write
their lines in their own blood and he has yet to use a spell to punish
a student as Imposter!Moody did (transforming Draco into a ferret) and
Umbridge considered doing (she was going to Crucio Harry). Also
consider the number of times that Snape has protected or tried to
protect Harry even though he heartily dislikes him.

I think (I'm not sure) that Snape might be tempted to illustrate the
unforgiveable curses by using them on students (as Imposter!Moody
did--though I'm not sure we can believe his statement that he had DD's
permission). In Snape's case, the temptation to use the methods of the
enemy on his students, ostensibly to teach them to defend themselves,
might be too great and he might succumb to his own darkest impulses.
Also the use of the spells, even under special circumstances, corrodes
the soul. You have to desire to kill or torture or dominate another
person (which is why Crouch!Moody found it so easy to cast them). So I
think DD may be keeping Snape away from both temptation and
corruption. He has the potential to go back to the dark side (though I
don't think he will). I think when Snape has finally proven his
loyalty (really saving Harry from some dreadful danger and paying back
his life debt), he'll be rewarded with the DADA post.

Carol, who hopes that her head cold medication hasn't completely
obliterated her ability to think clearly or post coherently