Sirius / Severus (long)

[melclaros]

No: HPFGUIDX 85877

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "greatlit2003" <hieya at h...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "melclaros" <melclaros at y...> 
> wrote:
> 
> >Severus is on Severus' side, plain and simple. 
> > He's got something he needs done and he'll do what it takes to 
see > it > > through.
 
> 
> Brilliant. Ten points to your House :) In my opinion, that 
statement 
> sums up what Severus is all about. 
me:
Why thank you! You can probably tell I've spent a lot of time 
considering this.


you: 
> The question I want answered is whether Snape loves anyone? 

me:
Now here I suspect that question might be wrong. Does he? That's an 
*interesting* question to be sure, but not really the one that leads 
to: 

you:
> Would Snape  die for someone not to fulfill his own agenda, but 
>just out of love?  Sadly, I suspect that the answer to this is no, 

me:
I think, and this might surprise you, that that answer is 'yes'. 
Whether or not 'love' has anything to do with this vendetta he's 
working with now is the *really* interesting question. It is possible 
that someone he loved hurt him so badly--or someone he loved was hurt 
so badly that that is what's driving toward vengence now. (I see 
those banners waving, I do!)
Do I think that IS what's driving him? I honestly don't know. (If it 
is, my vote would have to go with the former.)


you:
> I see a lot of parallels between Sirius and Severus, and I wonder 
> why they are so different? They were both exposed to the Dark Arts 
> at a young age, and presumably had bad childhoods, including 
abusive 
> parents and dysfunctional families. So why did Sirius develop the 
> capability to love, and become an outgoing person, while Severus 
> withdrew into himself? I think that with these two characters, JKR 
> is examining two possible outcomes of similar situations. Granted, 
> we don't know everything about Severus yet, but from what we do 
> know, I think that it is safe to say that his past gave him a drive 
> to study the Dark Arts (possibly because of his father?) so that he 
> would be able to defend himself. Sirius, on the other hand, shunned 
> his past.

me:
I've always thought that one of the reasons Severus and Sirius 
couldn't stand each other was that they were so very much alike. They 
look somewhat alike (sorry Sirius fans, but it's true) and because I 
am absolutley *sure* Severus is related to Phineas it appears to me 
(it did before but it's clearer now) that they are related--cousins 
of some sort at least. 
It seemed to me, and this was re-inforced in OoP, that they saw in 
each other traits they hated in themselves.
Why did Sirius develop the way he did? He got out. He escaped the 
horror of his family home. Severus, apparently, did not. We might be 
safe in assuming that while Severus was alone in his room stunning 
flies, Sirius was at the Potters, having a grand old time and 
learning what it's like to be appreciated for who you are-despite who 
you are I might add.
If we use pop-culture terms Sirius, the 'jock' was surrounded by 
buddies, always with a crowd and had constant affirmation about how 
worthwhile he was.
Severus, the 'goth' or let's just say 'weirdo' since that's what 
Sirius said, spent all his time alone, convincing himself he was 
worthless and that the only way to get out of his dreary life was 
death--or, since he was a wizard a life in the dark arts. 

Then along came Voldemort...or Lucius if you like that route.

But I've said most of this before--we can only hope we'll get an 
answer.
Mel, wondering if she's got that snapologist qualification yet