Snape's Secret

Fri Feb 28 08:25:04 UTC 2003

No: HPFGUIDX 52965

First, I'm sorry if my message looks too "spacious", there's something 
wrong with the way my posting window works.

Ok, I just have to put my foot in this soup. I've been racking my 

brain for even a rudimentary explanation for the Severus Snape/Perseus 
Evans anagram which I read about ages ago. I think it's way too good 

to be nothing. How about combining your thoughts with mine? It could 

work... here goes.

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "seventhsqueal 

<seventhsqueal at y...>" <seventhsqueal at y...> wrote:

> > --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "greatlit2003 <hieya at h...>" 

> > <hieya at h...> wrote:

> > > Could Severus Snape be Voldemort's son?  We know that 

> > > Snape knew more hexes and curses as a first year than half the 

> kids 

> > > in seventh year (sorry I don't have page numbers, but that is 

> from 

> > > GOF). 

> > 

> SeventhSqueal responds:

>  

>  Why does Snape still hate the Potters? Mostly because of the 

>  shrieking shack incident when James saved his life, and

established 

>  a 'deep magical bond' between them. (a very clever way to 

neutralize 

>  the son of Voldemort) 

>  It is also possible that it was Snape's doing that saved Harry's 

> life the night his parents died. This would explain why Snape is so 

>  disgusted about Harry getting all of the credit, fame and

celebrity 

>  for defeating Voldemort. 

Now me:

Because of the anagram, I believe that Snape is a biological brother 

of the Evans sisters. But what happened and why? 

Could it be possible that Snape was born as Perseus Evans, either as 

Petunia's twin or before her birth (I'm assuming Petunia is older

than Lily). He was somehow stolen from the family either right at 

birth or later - this was done in a way that let the Evanses firmly 

believe he was dead. Draught of the Living Death, anyone...?

To elaborate a little, maybe little Perseus, such a bright and happy 

child (!), "died" at the age of 6 to 30 months, after he had already 

shown some magical ability. It would be one reason why Mr and Mrs 

Evans were later happy and proud "to have a witch in the family" - it 

reminded them of the child they lost. 

Petunia either doesn't remember having a brother at all, or has put 

this early loss out of her mind as way too painful, along with 

everything else magic-related.

So, Voldemort stole little Perseus or arranged for it. Why did he 

*steal* a child? Maybe he had given up his ability to produce 

biological children in some of his immortality experiments. Sort of 

like "all the lives of my descendants just fo ME". Why did he steal a 

muggle-born wizard baby, if he hated muggle-borns so much? Maybe it 

was supposed to be a kind of experiment in its own right - after all, 

this is Voldemort and not a kind father about to raise a son out of 

love. No, this is the most evil wizard ever, trying to produce *the 

most loyal follower possible*. Not an heir or successor - after all, 

he would become immortal himself and take over the world, and he 

wouldn't want any competition. Think of this - Voldemort is the Heir 

of Slytherin. Would he want a biological son, who would then be the 

new heir? And be able to control the basilisk...? I'd say he *wants* 

to be the last *real* descendant.

For what happened then after the snatching, let me ramble on with my 

theory from yesterday for a moment... I came up with a modified 

version of the idea in The Boys from Brazil - Voldemort copying for 

Snape, to some extent, the circumstances in which he himself grew up. 

Raise a miserable lonely child in a muggle orphanage (with a secret 

*anagram* identity), secretly interfere in what happens to him, make 

sure nobody treats him well, except someone who can feed him the 

desired patterns of thought - "you're a wizard, muggles are scum, 

muggles hate you and all other witches and wizards, that's why your 

muggle family didn't want you, and they don't want you in that 

orphanage either", etc. 

Your theory of V raising Snape as his son sounds a lot better to me 

now, though, because I had forgotten about how he knew lots of hexes 

and curses...

So then Snape goes to school, hates James, ends up in a life debt, 

etc. But at some point in time, before Lily and James' death, Severus 

somehow finds out everything. It happens either at once or gradually, 

and his whole world collapses. Everything Voldemort and/or his 

followers told him since early childhood was a great big lie after 

another. This shocks him into changing sides and starting to spy for 

Dumbledore. Maybe V knows he found out, but doesn't know how 

profoundly it has changed things. Perhaps V had even killed the Evans 

parents, so Snape gets no chance to know his birth parents. Then he 

fails at preventing Lily's death - perhaps V had promised Snape she 

wouldn't be killed, after Snape found out she's his sister? And 

perhaps he really saved Harry... I think that would really fit the 

idea of the books. And it would make sense of the strange way Lupin 

reacted to Harry describing how he heard his dad's voice in the 

Dementor incident...

For a final bit, let's say that at some point, Snape even tries to go 

and see Petunia, and she won't listen to anything, flies into a 

hysterical rage and makes it really clear that wizards are scum, no 

more magic or wizards in this house ever again, thank you very much!! 

This could be either before or after Harry's arrival to the Dursleys.

How's that for a life that would ensure you always stay bitter and 

unpleasant no matter whose side you're fighting on? And make it

almost impossible for you to show any positive emotions whatsoever? 

Brin