[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape and the Death Eaters?

[Gina R Rosich]

No: HPFGUIDX 53831

On 3/15/03 2:34 PM, "Badger" <realbadger at earthlink.net> had this to say:

> <snip>
> 
> The impression I got at first was the DE to whom Lord V referred and
> indicated would be killed would be Karkaroff for his snitching to get
> out of Azkaban, and his fleeing when the Black Mark reappeared.  I've
> glanced at the passage again and it does imply Snape is the one Lord
> V **believes** may have left him forever.  There is doubt in the
> statement.  Apparently the Dark Lord is not entirely certain yet;
> facts may have eluded him in this respect, similar to Lupin
> suspecting Sirius and for a time, vice versa.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> My concern is that Lord V clearly has a profound talent for
> discerning truth from falsehoods, correctly noting lies from both
> wizard (Harry and Pettigrew) and Muggle (Bryce).  Hopefully Snape has
> a way around that if he shows up to join the DE gang....
> 
> realbadger, a loyal Hufflepuff
> geoffreygould.notlong.com
> ******
> 
> 
There is a very interesting scene in GoF (The Egg and the Eye) between Snape
and Crouch-Moody, after Harry takes the egg to the Prefects bathroom, and
then discovers Crouch in Snape¹s office and gets trapped in the stair.

Crouch-Moody all but accuses Snape of hiding things in his office, and Snape
is clearly resentful of Crouch-Moody checking his office:

³You know I¹m hiding nothing, Moody,² [Snape] said in a soft and dangerous
voice, ³as you¹ve searched my office pretty thoroughly yourself.²

Moody¹s face twisted into a smile.  ³Auror¹s privilege, Snape.  Dumbledore
told me to keep an eye ---²

³Dumbledore happens to trust me,² said Snape through clenched teeth.  ³I
refuse to believe that he gave you orders to search my office!²

³Course Dumbledore trusts you,² growled Moody.  He¹s a trusting man, isn¹t
he?  Believes in second chances.  But me‹-I say there are spots that don¹t
come off, Snape.  Spots that never come off, d¹you know what I mean?²

Snape clutches his arm (the dark mark of course) and then lets go of his arm
³as though angry with himself.²

Now, what Snape doesn¹t know (and we don¹t know on first read) is that
³Moody² is really Crouch Jr. working for Voldemort.  Snape is there
practically telling Voldemort himself that he is above reproach in
Dumbledore¹s eyes.  That he¹s no longer a death eater.  And his body
language expresses regret at the ³spot² which can never come out.  He is
wearing his regret on his sleeve, as it were.  Furthermore, Crouch-Moody has
searched Snape¹s office and surely must be disappointed to find nothing
suspicious.  It further engenders doubts in Snape¹s loyalty to Voldemort.

Snape is surely thinking Moody suspects ³a leopard can¹t change its spots²
as it were.  But surely, Crouch-Moody is wondering that as well.  And at the
end of the scene, Snape¹s regret and suspicion get the better of him and he
decides to go back to bed.  It¹s the kind of thing which will always haunt
Snape.  Some people will always doubt him.  Much the same way, I think
Voldemort will always doubt him now.  He has his loyal follower checking
things out, and he was on the back of Quirrell¹s head when Snape questioned
his loyalties.  I think that¹s compelling enough for Snape to be ³lost
forever² as opposed to running like a coward.  Because Snape confronts, and
he¹s done it without apology to all but Voldemort himself.  Does that make
sense?

---
Gina 




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