The possibility of a gay character (WAS: Snape: The fact that he exists)

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 70903

However, I would offer you the fact 
> > that whether the two of you like it or not (and you obviously 
> > don't), teenagers nowadays are aware of all forms of sexuality. 
> 
> Me:  Yes, teenagers do, but this book is also read by 7,8,and 9 
year 
> olds. Let them stay innocent as long as they can.  
> 
> Diana


The innocent and euphemistic terms with which the feelings are 
described, "turning red," "funny feelings in the stomach," etc... 
really remind me of how the Bugs Bunny creators used to handle it.

Bugs Bunny dressing up as a girl bunny was visually funny to kids, 
and the subtext was amusing to teens and adults.  

Let the kids deal with the funny feelings and the adults understand 
perhaps which region these feelings are actually in. 

Such innocence manifests itself in an almost Victorian way in CoS, 
when Percy is flustered by being caught - gasp - kissing his 
girlfriend. (Unless of course, Ginny walked in on something more, 
which could explain how she became so worldly all of a sudden.)

And since this is from a teen's point of view, the only evidence we 
have of any affection beyond a peck on the cheek between Vernon and 
Petunia, Arthur and Molly, James and Lily and Lucius and Narcissa are 
the fact that they have children. A teen would never conceive - heh - 
of adults behaving in that manner.

(Petunia had to have been artificially inseminated. That is the only 
possible answer. The alternative is too revolting to consider.)

Of course, the one exception to this was GoF, where it is pretty 
clear exactly what those older kids are doing in the bushes. Compared 
to the innocence and restraint in the way Harry's first kiss was 
written, the make-out sessions in the bushes are positively risque. 

Let me diverge for a moment, to one of the off-screen scenes that 
amuse me, namely the staff meeting where the chaperones for the dance 
were decided.

Dumbledore: "Right, we have myself, Minerva, Alastor, Prof. Vector 
and Rubeus in the ballroom itself. Profs. Flitwick and Sprout will be 
on-call to handle problems with any younger students not attending 
the dance. But we still need someone to patrol the grounds."

Snape: "I'll do it, Headmaster. Urges are at their most rampant at 
childish events such as this. Might I suggest a Cold Shower Potion or 
perhaps a Shrivelling Spell?"

D-Dore: "Um, no, I think a scare will be enough, Severus."

Back from divergence.

If JKR were to introduce a gay character, or announce that a 
character we already know is gay, I'm sure the Harry juggernaut would 
still continue, undaunted by the inevitable protests.

But I'm also sure that it would be handled in the understated fashion 
we've seen so far.

Darrin
- Severus and the Shrivellers would be a great name for a band.