What's in it for Snape? Finding motive...

[junediamanti]

No: HPFGUIDX 97329

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "arrowsmithbt" 
<arrowsmithbt at b...> wrote:
> 
> Even so it couldn't go the way Crouch!Moody wanted. Snape is not
> vulnerable in that direction - well, not if you listen to my manic
> witterings.
> 
> My Snape studies  when combined with a perverse imagination
> lead to some conclusions that not all (damn few actually) agree 
with.
> One is that Sevvy and DD are the best double act in the WW. 


Can't resist coming in on a rare non-lurk to agree with this.  I'd 
refine it to being similar to, but not exactly the same as "Good Cop, 
bad Cop."  As in the old standard way of talking down a criminal in 
interrogation.  Not quite that, but definitely Dumbledore is 
the "Good Guy" while Snape is definitely the "bad guy".

I think they work together in a number of ways, notably the "Snape 
wants the DADA job and Dumbledore keeps rejecting him" - well that 
perhaps is what they both want people to think.  And it works.

The way
> Snape treats Harry and Neville is with the connivance, indeed active
> cooperation of DD. It's all part  of DD's plan to 'harden' Harry - a
> continuation of Privet Drive project that was not only protection 
> from Voldy but also protection from the well-meaning but potentially
> destructive 'hero worship' factor. Harry saw the WW as a refuge from
> the misery of the Dursleys; not necessarily accurate.  Teach him 
that
> even in the WW there are those who don't like him and he's going to
> have to learn to deal with them and his own emotions.

And a recent re-read of OOP told me that in fact, Snape may have 
saved Neville from injury, if not worse when he intervened with his 
masterful piece of jaded sarcasm, "I shall be forced to mention it if 
you apply for a job" etc, all that was missing was a fussy flick at 
an imaginary speck of dust from an immaculate cuff...

But hidden deeply is the fact that he DID intervene on Neville's 
behalf.

And while I'm not entirely sure I'd go so far as to say that Snape is 
fulfilling the role of tough drill instructor to the Gryffindors, 
there's certainly no reason to disbelieve that he is doing what he 
does with DD's knowledge and tacit consent.

June