Who's at fault for Snape v. Harry?

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 68198

Irene: 
> 
> You keep saying it as if their story was the most logical and 
> straightforward thing to accept.
> If I remember, even Dumbledore tells Harry in PoA, that Snape's
> version of the events is much more plausible.
> Besides, from all the ways to infuriate Snape and make him stop 
listen,
> Lupin chooses the surest one: referring to the "schoolboy grudge"
> where Snape sees attempted murder.
> 


But, again, we are talking about the kids who beat all the teachers' 
obstacles to get the Stone AND who figured out -- when apparently, a 
long list of Headmasters and Headmistresses couldn't -- how to get to 
the Chamber of Secrets.

These kids, whether Snape likes it or not, and, I daresay he DOESN'T 
like it, have a knack for solving things.

Look at the words used to describe Snape in that scene. All the 
emphases will be mine.

pg 253: "Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You 
haven't heard everything - I can explain - Sirius is not here to kill 
Harry - "

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes NOW GLEAMING 
FANATICALLY. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes 
this... he was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... 
a tame werewolf..."

In the next paragraph, Lupin says, softly: "You fool. Is a schoolboy 
grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

So, he's ready, before Lupin even uses the "schoolboy grudge" Snape 
is ready to slap them both in cuffs.

Pg 254. Hermione urges Snape to hear what they have to say.

"KEEP QUIET YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, LOOKING SUDDENLY QUITE 
DERANGED. 

Sirius then says he'll come quietly, so long as Ron brings Scabbers 
along, figuring D-Dore would get it solved.

Snape refuses, planning to call the dementors on the spot. Sirius 
protests.

"But there was a MAD GLINT in Snape's eye that Harry had never seen 
before. He seemed beyond reason."

Page 255. 

Snape starts bragging about saving Harry's life, but Harry points out 
that Lupin could have killed him at any time during the year, were he 
helping Black. Snape and Harry yell at each other, and Harry does 
call Snape "pathetic" for not listening, then: 

"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TOO LIKE THAT!" Snape SHRIEKED, 
LOOKING MADDER THAN EVER. "Like father like son, Potter! I have just 
saved your neck, you should be THANKING ME ON BENDED KNEE! You would 
have been well served IF HE'D KILLED YOU!"

Now, my old buddy Grey Wolf would say Snape is multi-tasking here and 
is playing about seven different roles. 

I think Snape's first priority is that old Slytherin ambition. He's 
caught himself a werewolf and a murderer, and nothing will get in the 
way of that, and the slightest possibility of deviation from that 
seems to send him over the edge.

Knowing what we know now about the antagonism between Snape and the 
MWPP, I don't believe this was an act. I believe he wanted Sirius' 
hide nailed to the wall and wasn't going to hear any story to the 
contrary, no matter how logical or far-fetched it might have been.

And the fact that he didn't want Dumbledore anywhere near the case, 
as evidenced by Snape serving as judge, jury and executioner by 
planning to call the Dementors straightaway, tells me he knew in his 
heart of hearts something was fishy about the story.

Now, Snape does, interestingly enough, take Sirius back to the castle 
after Harry 2 drives off the dementors. My guess is that Snape, by 
this point, doesn't want to be dealing with so many dementors by 
himself while having to watch over three unconscious kids. (Yes, I'm 
giving Snape credit for not wanting Ron, Hermione and Harry to get 
their souls sucked. Maybe he thought it would hurt his chances for a 
promotion.) 

Or...to acknowledge Evil!Lupin theories, Snape's true target all 
along was Lupin and when he escaped, he took everyone back to the 
castle.

Snape also comments later, when he has taken Sirius back to the 
castle, that he doesn't want Dumbledore to make any difficulties. 
Page 304.

This is, by the way, after he's shrieked at Hermione in the hospital 
and confronted Dumbledore.

As an aside, I've always thought Dumbledore's line to Snape, "My 
memory is as good as it ever was," can be translated thusly:

"Yes, Severus, I remember what Sirius Black did. I also remember what 
you did as a Death Eater, so please don't question my tendency toward 
second chances again."

Ok, back from the aside. My overriding point here is that Snape was 
beyond reason, beyond logic and beyond dealing with. 

I do give credit to Snape for something though. I wonder if he truly 
does believe the kids were under Sirius' spell when they attacked 
him, yet he tells Fudge that they were.

Several reasons why this could be the case:

1) He truly does believe Harry was under the spell.
2) He knows that, if it comes out how irrational he was in that 
shack, Harry and the kids will come out looking better.
3) He figures that not even Harry deserves to be punished by Fudge.
4) He wants to look more magnanimous. "Potions Professor Protects 
Persuaded Potter" would look great in the Daily Prophet.
4a) It's highly humiliating to get knocked out by three kids and 
having them under the sway of Black sounds better.
5) Deep down, he admires the kids' balls.

Darrin
-- Sorry for the long post. I still think PoA is my favorite book and 
I love quoting from it.