Remus, Severus, mind-games? (Was: Snape: The fact that he exists)

[frumenta]

No: HPFGUIDX 71631

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kathryn Cawte" <kcawte at b...> 
wrote:
> I think I've attributed this correctly but the point I want to 
make ddn't
> occur to me at the time so I snipped this from someone else's 
post. Any
> misattribution is due to confusion on my part however rather than 
inaccuracy
> on the part of whoever I snipped it from
> 
> 
> > --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "frumenta" <p_yanna at h...> 
> <snip>

However, 
> > there are many factors to consider, one of them no doubt the 
fact 
> > that Remus, whatever the circumstances, forgot his Potion.

> >
Kathryn says:  
> I will say that I don't think Remus should have left - the 
situation in which he forgot the potion was incredibly rare and 
stressful and I think after this one mistake he'd be more careful in 
the future, almost paranoid even.


You attributed it correctly, it's me. Been a bit chatty on the 
subject...

He forgot his potion, he kept vital information from Dumbledore and 
(through no fault of his own, really) got in such a situation with 
his Wolfsbane Potion maker that perhaps leaving Hogwarts really was 
his idea.

I suppose he could have remained and promised to never do it again. 
We never know how Dumbledore really would have reacted had Snape not 
forced his hand.

> 
> However regardless of whether Remus should have lost his job 
Severus way of achieving this was unforgivable. He didn't go to 
Albus and demand that Remus leave (or at least we have no evidence 
that he did, he may have I suppose); he didn't wait for Remus to 
return and suggest that he was a risk to the students; he 
deliberately told the students something which Albus was trying
> to keep quiet - bearing in mind the prejudice against werewolves 
in the WW this action is unlikely to have just made Remus leave 
hogwarts but since the news would be spreading from students to 
parents it would make it probably almost impossible for him to find 
another job. He pretty much did his best to ruin Remus' life. I hope 
he did it in a moment of temper after his run inwith the Minister 
because while still bad I would find that a lot more
> forgivable than if it was a calm and calculated move.
> 
> Severus is merely a teacher at the school it is Albus' place to 
decide what
> is and isn't an unacceptable risk to the students. Severus was
> unprofessional here and if I were Albus I would be very very 
annoyed at him.
> 
> K




It is true, what Severus did was unforgivable. I've been trying to 
understand his motives and I'm thinking he wanted to strike both at 
Albus and at Remus with that. Let me explain myself. Snape starts 
ranting and raving when he realises that Sirius has disappeared. He 
immediately knows it has to do with Harry. And while he's in a very 
distraught state in Harry's presence, Dumbledore is laughing at him, 
inwardly.

>From PoA pages 354-355:

Fudge, Snape and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore 
alone looked calm. Indeed he looked as though he was quite enjoying 
himself.

and later on:


Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked 
thoroughly shocked from his behaviour, to Dumbledore, whose eyes 
were twinkling behind his glasses.


Snape's revenge? Gets Remus sacked and strikes a blow to 
Dumbledore's credibility.

Again, I'm not excusing what Snape did to Lupin. I merely understand 
it. And I really think that although Snape/Dumbledore had appeared 
father/son to me at first, I now think it's much more complicated, 
perhaps even sinister and Snape has been yanking on his leash quite 
a bit. Just another demonstration of that.

Was Dumbledore upset about that? Hasn't said so. Has yet to say one 
negative thing about Snape.

Mim