Let's hear it for good old Snapey!

[Talisman]

No: HPFGUIDX 87815

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "vmonte" <vmonte at y...> wrote:
> Kneasy wrote:
> >>Another poster  pointed to the number of times Snape had tried 
to get Harry expelled as an indicator of his hatred. Really? Who 
does he always voice this opinion to? Dumbledore. Do you think that 
he expects DD to take any notice? Of course not. So why do it? All 
part of the persona Snape is showing to the world. Act the part. 
It's sound and fury, signifying nothing. Those two may be the best 
double-act in the Wizarding World.>>
> 
> vmonte-
> So you think that Dumbledore and Snape are playing: "good cop, bad 
> cop?"  
> <snip>
> > I do not see much love in Snape's heart.
> vmonte

Talisman, hanging out on the third floor of the castle, with the 
ugly old stone head of a medieval wizard--who likes to mutter 
naughty things in Latin (OoP 738)--asks him to hold the thought 
while she has a Snape moment.

Tut, tut vmonte.  Absolutely right Kneasy.  It's all Sound and Fury.

In posts such as #78215 I've noted before that "Snape's rhetoric and 
Snape's actions are two entirely different things.

To obnoxiously quote myself further:

"You might also notice that, in PoA, where M.O.M Law Enforcement 
could have been a problem, i.e. if Snape pressed charges for being 
injured by HRH's spells, he instead absolves them. He tells 
Fudge, "They weren't responsible for their actions." (PoA 386)

But when it comes to severe academic punishment for interference, 
where only Dumbledore has the power (so there is no danger of that 
power being exercised), he argues they should "be suspended--at the 
very least." (387)

Of course he also "threatened" to hand both Sirius and Lupin 
straight over to the dementors for kissing , but carried them back 
to the castle, instead; resuming his bluster in Fudge's presence 
when the ball was back in DD's court and it didn't matter what Snape 
said.

(Sure, Snape takes away house points and hands out an occasional 
detention, but in this he has a lot of competition from McGonagall!) 

Snape is not after Harry.  To the contrary, Snape is frequently 
caught watching over Harry or saving Harry's skin  (easy e.g.'s: the 
SS quidditch matchs, watching for Harry's arrival via Flying Ford 
Anglia in CoS, hanging around the hump-backed witch in PoA, bursting 
into Fake!Moody's office in GoF,  switching Veritaserum and calling 
the Order to Harry's aid in OoP).  

Of course I think he's done a lot more, but we'll avoid controversy 
for the moment.

He has also done a damn fine job of teaching Harry.  Who taught the 
lad the Expelliarmus spell that saved his chestnuts in GoF? Snapey. 
Who elicited the Serpentsortia Spell that clued Harry in to his 
parslemouth talents? Snapey. And when the O.W.L. marks come out, I'm 
betting Harry will be surprised how well he did with Potions ( OoP  
716).

 I'll guarantee that the odious potions essays Harry has had to 
write, and the embarrassing grilling over ingredients in SS, will 
come in handy before it's all over.  (Some of the potables I like 
are the Draught of Living Death (SS 138 ) and an infusion of the 
herb dittany (SS 229), which has uses as a cure for snake bite; an 
aphrodisiac (can't hurt);  and, for those looking forward to the 
conflagration, is also called Burning Bush because it emits 
flammable vapors in hot weather.)
 
Who helped Lupin get the MM back so they could arrange the Shrieking 
Shack reunion in PoA? Snapey.  

Okay, I've dipped into controversial waters.  But really now, do you 
think Lupin was rifling through Filch's filing cabinet drawers 
(doubtless without permission) just looking for a Boggart? (PoA 
236 )  Naw, that's where the twins found the MM and that's the last 
place Lupin saw the MM, back in the good old days when Filch 
confiscated it from the Marauders. 

 Snape catches Harry in the act of sneaking to the tunnel to 
Hogsmeade.  Harry thinks he has fooled Snape, but when he returns, 
Snape is right there to nab him--because Snape and Lupin  know Harry 
has the map by his knowledge of this particular method of egress. 

Clearly Snape is wise to the map, and he and Lupin play out the 
scene.  Lupin is allowed to "save" Harry from Snape's supposed wrath 
(Sound and Fury again) and to take possession of the map with 
Harry's knowledge, setting up Lupin's alibi for coming to the Shack--
where you may recall--Lupin initially disarms HRH and immediately 
acknowledges Sirius' innocence.)  Leading, among othr things, to 
Harry's reunion with Sirius.  See the "Crying Wolf" and "Spy Games" 
threads if you've missed this part.   

I've opined before that Snape's Occlumency-lesson-views of Harry's 
home life are the reason Moody, Tonks and Lupin show up to put the 
muscle on the Dursleys at the end of OoP.  Something sweet old DD 
never saw fit to arrange.

And by the way, Snape did exactly what he was supposed to do vis-à-
vis the Occlumency lessons.  From #80164:

"You can see for yourself as the plot unfolds, and JKR brings to your
attention repeatedly, that Harry's communication with LV
significantly increases after his Occlumency lessons begin, and both
he and others see this as a result of those lessons. (See. e.g.
542, 553-554.)

Moreover, Harry's Dept. of Mysteries vision has stalled out, he can't
make progress in it--until he has some break-through sessions
DURING Occlumency lessons.(537,593)

Dumbledore, himself , reveals that the Occlumency lessons were 
enabling LV to access Harry's mind: " . . .nothing could have been 
more dangerous than to OPEN YOU MIND FURTHER to Voldemort while in my
presence." (833, my emphasis)

[And of course there is that wasp hanging around when Harry gets the 
final piece of the vision during the History of Magic O.W.L.]

Occlumency was all about getting Harry back on track to go to the 
Dept. of Mysteries-- within DD's timeline (before the end of term)."

Then there are my ideas about Snape's protective role during the PoA 
dementor scene. (##78215, 78258, 78273, 79068, 79635, 79943, 80013, 
80168.)

 Again, I believe there are many more instances of Snape's 
beneficial involvement in Harry's life, but I'm trying to stick to 
the ones that don't require a lot of detailed explanation.  Some 
other ideas are in ## 78299, 78307, 78363, 82229, 80164, 78258, etc. 
   
Warning: movie contamination. Did you notice a certain still shot 
from the PoA movie? The one where Snape has his arms flung out, 
shielding the trio? Hmmmm. 

Yep, Snape has done a world of good for Harry, and it's not over yet.

Back to #78215, I noted that: `
 as to the business about Snape not 
being unable to control his emotions where James/Harry are 
concerned:  "Only those skilled at Occlumency are able to SHUT DOWN 
those FEELINGS and memories that contradict the lie, and so utter 
falsehoods in his [LV's] presence without detection. " (Snape, OoP 
531, my emphasis)'

"Harry, I know you don't like Snape, but he is a SUPERB 
Occlumens . . ." (Lupin, OoP 527, my emphasis)'

Snape fans have seen through the "bad-cop" act before, but the 
Umbridge office scene is irrefutable evidence of, as I believe Pip 
put it, "Snape on stage."

Snape is not driven by childish spite that muddles his reasoning.  
The question is, having come as far as Book 5, when are the Snape-
haters going to get past THEIR emotional baggage and see what's 
really going on?

Snape is SO leading a double life. He has to maintain his acts for 
many reasons and many people, including, but not limited to: 
Voldemort, Fudge, Malfoy, Sirius, and Harry.  

As the sphinx tells us in GoF:
"First think of the person who lives in disguise / Who deals in 
secrets and tells naught but lies" (629)

Subterfuge is Snape's essence.  

And, Rowling's education in the Classics is not wasted.  The image 
of two-faced Janus, the god of beginnings and endings, is invoked to 
preside over this series. We began with the revelation of a two-
faced Janus, QuirrellMort, and we will end that way, as well.  

Quirrell saw us in, but-- my condolences to Quirrell fans--he is not 
coming back.  It will be Snape who sees us out in Book 7.

Snape's status as Spy, revealed in book 4, is only a part of his 
secret life. See JKR's interview in The Connection, 12 October 1999:
"there is more to him than meets the eye and you will find out 
*part* of what I am talking about if you read Book 4." (my emphasis)

Rowling has repeatedly pointed out that Snape is named after a 
village.  Via The Lexicon, we know that "The village of Snape . . . 
is located around the long and narrow village green and is evenly 
split by Snape Beck." 

That is to say, the entire village is "evenly split" by a stream, so 
that residents refer to the "front" and "back" of the village, 
respectively.

So appropriate for Snape, the back of whom has yet to be revealed.  

Just as stuttering Quirrell presented a facade that was 180 degrees 
in opposition to the ruthless Lord Voldemort, the side of Snape we 
have not yet fully glimpsed will belie the petty cruelties so many 
readers hold against him. 

In fact, we will find that, just as when he refereed the Quidditch 
match (SS 289), Snape has been willing to endure readers' scorn, 
throughout the series, to accomplish more important ends.

Talisman, returning to her mumbling pal.  What's that you say? 
Mundus vult decipi, et decipiatur?  No doubt, old thing, no doubt.