WINDOW SILLS

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 80839

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "msbeadsley" <msbeadsley at y...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "slgazit" <slgazit at s...> 
wrote:
> > Notice how in PS
> > it was Snape who took upon himself the task of protecting Harry 
> > from Quirrell - from the broomstick incident, to following him 
> > around the school and to keeping track of Quirrell.
> 
> But there is an argument which goes, "James saved Snape's life 
(from 
> Sirius' aiming Snape at Moony) and therefore there is a life-debt 
> Snape felt he owed."  Where did Snape follow Harry around in CoS?

I left my original quote above. I never said he followed him in
CoS - he did in PS/SS. The life debt to James was repaid in PS.
It does not explain Snape's active involvement in watching and
protecting Harry thereafter. Compare his involvement to Flitwick's
(for example - or even to McGonagall's who is the head of his House)
and see what I mean. 
 
> (Which brings up another entirely different question:  if Snape 
knew 
> or even suspected Quirrell was after the stone, why didn't he go to 
> Dumbledore and "out" Quirrell?)

Why do you think he did not? I think the whole thing was a setup
to get Quirell to reveal himself and possibly to give Harry an
opportunity to test himself against Voldemort. How otherwise does
Dumbledore know that "Harry went after him"? How does he even know
who "him" is?

[ CoS]
> Is Snape actually out looking for Harry and Ron?  I am as inclined 
to 
> believe that Snape is out to get Harry expelled so he won't have to 
> look at him anymore as I am to believe he was worried about Harry.  
> No, I'm *more* inclined to belief the former, actually.

I am sure he was looking for them. He wanted them expelled, true,
but that's no contradiction to his protectiveness of Harry's life.
What would he be doing outside while every other teacher is
inside watching the sorting? He is the head of Slytherine House,
you'd expect him to be there when new students are added to his House.

[PoA]
> Snape is trying to thwart Harry, that's true. For his own good?  
> Still open to interpretation (or we wouldn't be having so much fun 
> interpreting it, of course!)

To quote Snape (not verbatim - I don't have the book in front of me):
"So everyone from the Minister of Magic down is working to protect
Harry Potter. But Harry Potter is a law unto himself" (or something
along those lines).

And why otherwise would he have risked his life (literally) running
after Lupin when he knew he did not take his potion and that it
was Full Moon?

[OoP]
> I thought Snape was *assigned* that tutoring duty by Dumbledore.

Yes, but he could have refused. And he put a lot of effort into it -
2 lessons per week, each 1-2 hours long, and I suspect nearly as
draining on the teacher as on the student.

>  I 
> suspect any desire Snape has to protect Harry (which I'm not 
denying) 
> has everything to do with how he thinks that Harry is the key to 
> Voldemort's ultimate and permanent defeat.

I don't know how much of the prophecy Snape knows, and I think he
is very conflicted on Voldemort. He is clearly terrified of him,
but he speaks of him in reverence, names him the "Dark Lord" like
the DE's do. His allegiance with the good side hinges on only two 
things I think - loyalty to Dumbledore and that unexplained (as yet)
commitment to Harry's safety. I don't think that he genuinely 
believes in the "good" side - it's these two commitments that are
keeping him there. Once Dumbledore dies, will Snape's allegiance 
change? I am not sure of the answer. I can see his commitment to 
protecting Harry tested against his DE's old binding and his hatres
of him. Maybe that was why JKR had Lupin attend the post-pensieve 
conversation - to tip the scales in Snape's mind, by giving him 
evidence of Harry's real feelings on the subject?

> At those times I like to think that he loved Lily even if it was 
> unrequited; I like to think that at some point in his life he was 
> capable of some kind of love.

We know he is capable of positive feelings - he has a lot of courage 
(acting as a double agent requires that, not to mention going against 
his DE oath), he is protective of Harry, he admires Dumbledore. Why 
couldn't he have loved?

> On the other hand, perhaps we will find that he has been a double-
> double agent and Nagini will get to eat him and I will cheer.

The story will be much more interesting with a conflicted Snape
so I vote for LOLLIPOPS... :-)

Salit
(who does not like Snape but finds him the most interesting character 
in the story)