Snape's bloody, violent death/Nasty Nicknames

[junediamanti]

No: HPFGUIDX 71653

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "bibphile" <bibphile at y...> 
wrote:
> The line immediately made me think of Snape as a teenager.  James 
> and Sirius called him Snivillus.  I assumed this was because they 
> had made him cry at some point.  That he showed his emotion too 
much 
> as a teenager and that Voldemort (or his followers) used that 
> against Snape in some way (probably to make him think becoming a 
DE 
> was a good idea.)
> 
> Maybe I'm completely off base.
> 
> bibphile

June:

Am I alone in finding this nickname "Snivellus" really offensive 
(somehow I doubt it).

In the pensieve scene, James and Sirius call Snape "Snivellus" with 
the ease born of long practice.  I think it is unlikely that this 
name was given to Snape in the 5th Year and suspect this has been 
their nickname for him almost throughout their acquaintance.

To the name itself:  to snivel means to cry (yes I'm stating the 
obvious but I do have a point!) but its a derogatory and insulting 
term.  The implication is crying for a long time, for very little 
reason, like in a babyish way.  

I think what happened to originate the name might have gone 
something like this (not a theory - I don't do acronyms).  I suspect 
James and Sirius were a bit jock.  Race each other to class, knock 
unfortunate stragglers out of the way.  Severus gets sent flying and 
cries.  Sirius mock threatens Severus - he cries (he has a 
pathological fear of shouting and violence (thanks dad).  Severus 
falls of the now infamous bucking broomstick in first flying lesson -
 and howls in pain and fear.  Whatever.  James (or Sirius) "Who's 
that kid whining?  Severus? Huh, Snivellus more like!"  

And there you have it.  Never underestimate the requirement for 
schoolboys to take their lumps like men and in silence. Not only 
that, but once he has been called Snivellus (I kinda think this was 
Sirius' name for him - Sirius seems more sharp tongued than James) 
that was it for the rest of school - because in school what is, 
shall be ever after.  

If you want proof of this attitude, what did Sirius call Snape in 
the big kitchen insult session at Grimmaud Place?  Snivellus.  And 
did Snape act in a mature "run away and play, I've left all that 
behind" manner?  No he admirably lowers himself the occasion - wands 
out (phallic that...)and lets get cursing. He's jealous as hell of 
Sirius - classy, rich, cool, goodlooking and gets under his skin in 
the best way possible by accusing him of sitting around doing 
nothing.  These are two people who know exactly which annoying 
buttons to press on each other.  

I think such childhood regression is not uncommon - especially in 
two people who may be very damaged indeed.

Call for the MoM Psychiatry Squad!

June