Shouldn't Snape hate Draco? Is JKR giving us a hint by having him not?

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 84553

"nibleswik" wrote:
> Why does Snape hate Harry? Because he hated James and Harry reminds 
> him of James. Following that, shouldn't Snape despise Draco? I mean, 
> Harry's father was an asshole to Snape, but Draco's dad is a DE! And 
> Snape's the anti-DE, in some ways, more than DD is. I think Snape's 
> the ultimate anti-DE because he went through it; the most fervent 
> are often those who experienced that which they're fighting against. 
> But in any case, Snape's waging a war against Lucius, yet Draco's 
> his favorite? What the hell?!
> 

I think, first, that Lucius Malfoy may have been Snape's contact as a
spy for the Order of the Phoenix until Malfoy was arrested. Snape
couldn't have gone directly to Voldemort, but he may have convinced
Malfoy that he's biding his time and needs to be near Harry to see
what he's up to. (Voldemort no doubt realizes that Snape is his enemy,
but he probably doesn't confide in his Death Eaters and Malfoy may not
know that Snape is the one who will not return. He also doesn't know
that Snape sent the Order to the MoM to rescue Harry and his friends.)
Since Malfoy and the others could escape from Azkaban at any time,
Snape needs to maintain the semblance of friendship with Malfoy to
maintain his cover, he can't afford to rouse Draco's suspicions by
being fair to the Gryffindors (or taking may points from Slytherin).
All this may change with Lucius in prison but I don't think it will.  
  
Also I read somewhere (not on this list) the intriguing idea that
Snape is weakening the Slytherins, especially Draco, by going easy on
them and strengthening the Gryffindors by exposing them to criticism
and forcing them to attain higher standards in his classes. One of the
traits JKR keeps mentioning in relation to Draco is his lazy drawl. I
think the drawl reflects laziness in general. Draco is spoiled, at
least by his mother, and he relies on bullyish bodyguards to do his
fighting for him. The more Snape pampers him, the less effectual he's
going to be if he ever finds the courage (or nerve or whatever) to
become a Death Eater.


Carol