Mistaken identity - part two

[laylalast]

No: HPFGUIDX 80535

On with the theory.

Florence identity:

We have Snape, behind the greenhouses, emotionally uptight and all of 
a sudden face to face with a nice-looking red-haired girl, named 
Florence, who has a kind nature but will not be turned down (Why do I 
assume that? Evidence will follow later). Do we have any evidence as 
to who Florence is? No, not direct evidence. Speculations have been 
made as to whether she was the now-Mrs. Lestrange, but that has been 
completely ruled out by OotP. So we're back to the question, who is 
Florence?
I believe she has red hair because of my `mistaken identity'-theory, 
but where can she get red hair from? Let's hear what Draco Malfoy has 
to say:

PS/SS pg 81: `
No need to ask you who you are. My father told me all 
the Weasleys have red hair, freckles and more children than they can 
afford.'

Draco's father, Lucius is 41 in OotP, Bill, the oldest child of 
Arthur and Molly is at least 13 years younger. Lucius has not known 
Bill at school. But Lucius has not known Arthur at school either, at 
least not as a year-mate, because Arthur must be at least 46. Then 
why does Lucius talk about `all the Weasleys'? Surely he does not 
talk about Arthur's own kids in that way. But Lucius could have known 
Arthurs brothers and sisters, as they all would have gone to 
Hogwarts. And that would fit with Lucius saying that `all the 
Weasleys
..'. 
Add to this the idea the thread that the Weasleys put an A-B-C 
sequence in their first names for their children, then Arthur is the 
oldest brother and some 10-12 years later, there comes his sister. 
Red-haired. Florence. Florence Weasley.
In addition to the canon offered by Draco, there are multiple 
references throughout all the books to the red hair of the Weasleys. 
In fact, we are reminded of it so often that we tend to `overlook' 
it,..(sort of: yeah, yeah, we know, we know but get on with the 
story).

But, but, that would mean that Snape got himself involved with a 
WEASLEY, I can hear you all think. Yes, he did. Sorry, for the 
LOLLIPOPS-ers among us, but Snape himself ruled Lily out in OotP as 
she was `a filthy, little mud-blood' (don't like it anymore than you 
do, but he said so). But Florence Weasley is a pureblood after all. I 
don't believe for a minute that she was in Slytherin, but still: a 
pureblood. From a poor family, but Snape was probably also, so that 
didn't really matter. Gryffindor, likely, but we just have something 
blossoming up between these two and who then thinks of these matters?

What happpened then to Snape and Florence? The Prank. 

The Prank could have taken place at the end of the fifth year, 
because all we know is that Sirius was sixteen at the time of the 
Prank, but not when he became sixteen. He may very well have been 
sixteen at the end of the fifth year. But it is more likely that the 
Prank took place at the beginning of the sixth year. Snape would not 
have listened to anything Sirius would have told him shortly after 
the `Snape's worst memory'-scene. But after the summer holidays, some 
sweet dreams about Florence, and a different attitude from Sirius in 
the new school year
. Yup, Snape falls for it.
The `Snape the iconoclast'-thread deals with the, what I consider the 
best, reasons for Snape to become a DE later, but there is IMO 
something else that happened which caused the rift between Snape and 
Florence. 

PS/SS pg 214: `What happened down in the dungeons between you and 
Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole 
school knows.'

OotP pg 513: `By the end of the day, though Harry had not seen so 
much as a corner of The Quibbler anywhere in the school, the whole 
place seemed to be quoting the interview to each other.'

Just picture this. The Prank happens and Snape is sworn to secrecy by 
DD about Lupin being a werewolf. But the school knows that Snape went 
to the Shrieking Shack. And was rescued by James. All the school 
knows. Nothing about Lupin. Maybe about Sirius setting Snape up, but 
oh well, that's a good joke! And Snape fell for it! All they need to 
think to make it worse for Snape. Just imagine ::shudders::. And 
Snape cannot tell the truth because he promised to keep silent. 
Besides, even if he tried, nobody would believe him. James was the 
popular guy, not he.  James was the guy who did heroic things (in 
Quidditch at least), not he.
This is the story that Florence hears. Tells Snape how foolish it was 
to go to the Shrieking Shack. How lucky he was that James saved him. 
How grateful he should be. ::shudders again::. And there goes -by now 
Volcano- Snape! He tells, shouts the truth at her, but Florence will 
not believe it. Lupin, a werewolf? Severus, now really
.Be honest, 
Severus
.. etc. etc. Result: end of affection between the two of them.

- On a side note, Sirius never finds out that it was not Lily that 
Bertha saw with Snape, or who Bertha thought she saw with Snape.  And 
when Harry asks for the reason of the Prank, Sirius will never tell 
Harry it was because his mother, Lily, was ever seen kissing Snape. -

As  Florence is a friend of Lily she later finds out that Lupin is 
indeed a werewolf. Florence then realises that Snape had told her the 
truth all along.
Perhaps as an auror or Order-member, Florence comes across Snape 
again, possibly they just met somehow or other. Some heated 
discussions may have followed, some heartwrenching apologies, 
accusations, whatever but the endresult is: they become a couple 
(again). And this is why (and when) Snape starts to spy for the other 
side. Florence, or his feelings for her, convinces him. 

Canon for this:

GOF:  `Snape was indeed a Death Eater, but came back to our side 
before Voldemort's downfall and has been a spy at great personal 
risk.'

OotP pg 734: `I trust Severus Snape,' said Dumbledore simply.'

Florence convincing Severus to change sides is a bit thin IMO for 
Dumbledore completely trusting him. And that is were the Weasley kids 
come in. 

Lilian