Snape's Worst Memory- New Twists

[Lissa Hess]

No: HPFGUIDX 109260

macfotuk



>3. This point (point 3) is probably where this post belongs
>elsewhere, but here goes - re-read the entire memory in the
>following mindset: Snape is hopelessly (literally) in love with Lily
>for some reason, i.e. he feels that at some point there was reason
>to be hopeful; that or she was simply so attractive even badboy
>(pathetic and much wronged and so nasty boy I see him as more like)
>Snape could not help being infatuated. His apparent focus on reading
>the DADA exam paper afterwards is all a ruse to hide what he is
>really up to, which isn't to follow the marauders (why go near such
>awful bullies?) so much as to be near one of their number's real
>target i.e James is following Lily Evans cos he too is infatuated
>and that's what Snape is doing too, if more covertly (from a bush).
>Others have said that Snape can't love Lily because he calls her
>mudblood, but this is exactly what a 'man' might do when a 'girl' is
>seen publicly to be his only defence from bullies - he has (by some
>absurd honour view) to belittle her to make himself look less
>pathetic/unmanly even if it hurts both him AND her to do so. He
>knows that because (some unseen back history here) Lily has given
>him reason to be hopeful, she will understand/forgive his insulting
>her in public.

Lissa:

macfotuk, I agree with you that there's more to this memory from Snape's 
POV than we're seeing.  When Harry watches this memory, he's not watching 
it from Snape's POV, he's watching it from his father's.  I'd LOVE to know 
what other memories Snape put in the Pensieve (it looked like there was 
more than one).

I'm personally 75% fond of the Snape-loved-Lily theory, and since you 
outlined that so nicely, I'm not going to go into it, because I don't have 
anything good to add.  But the other 25% of me has another theory... and 
funnily, I was thinking about posting it this morning anyway.

What if, at the very beginning of their time at Hogwarts, Snape was friends 
with Lupin?

  Picture this scenario: it's the Hogwarts Express, 1970 (or whatever year 
the Marauders all started). Almost all the compartments are full. Severus 
Snape, quiet, greasy boy from a bad background, is looking for a seat. The 
only one he can find is with Remus Lupin- another quiet, tortured kid. 
After staring at each other awkwardly (because neither of them is remotely 
socially adjusted), they eventually get talking.

Snape and Lupin have some similar traits and interests. They're both very 
academic. They're both very socially inept. Can you see where they might be 
drawn to each other?

Of course, that night they're separated into different houses. But it's not 
like Lupin's immediately becoming great friends with the guys in his dorm- 
he's too nervous about being discovered. He smiles and laughs in the 
background, but isn't jumping out and embracing Sirius and James, yet.

Potions hits, and the Gryffindors have double potions with Slytherin. 
Severus and Remus recognize each other, and pair up as lab partners. 
Despite being from different houses, they're actually getting along.

Then something happens, gradually, and over the course of time: Remus DOES 
become friends with Sirius and James. And over the course of time Remus 
discovers the things he has in common with Severus aren't so deep. They 
begin to drift apart.  Remus probably doesn't see it as a big deal- he's 
11-12, and probably thinks Snape has made other friends as well.

Severus is furious. This was HIS friend- maybe even his first friend- and 
Sirius and James STOLE him. He can't get over it.

He knows Lupin pretty well. He notices Lupin disappears every month. He's 
curious as to where Lupin goes. And somehow, Dumbledore managed to shut 
Snape up about Lupin being a werewolf after the Prank. Maybe he just 
threatened Snape with expulsion and that worked, but maybe not. Is it 
possible that there was still a shred of loyalty in Snape? Nothing sure 
stopped him from hating Sirius and James, and Snape is clever enough to 
have gotten the truth out more subtly than just blurting it in the Dining 
Hall. (Assuming he doesn't know Dumbledore is an accomplished 
Leg-a-whootchimawatchie.)

Even come the present day, yes, Snape hates Lupin. With a passion. But even 
though we think it's awful, as soon as we see Snape meet Sirius we know he 
doesn't remotely hate Lupin as much as he despises Sirius.

But now take "Snape's Worst Memory" and put that potential dynamic into 
it.  Lupin's friends are tormenting Snape, and he doesn't do a single thing 
to try and stop it.  Perhaps Snape views this as the final betrayal of what 
was once a friendship?  That would make this sting pretty darn badly as well.

Needless to say there's not a shred of canon to back this up; just my own 
theory.  But that early friendship could explain the bitter rift between 
Snape and the marauders, and put another interesting spin on why that's a 
memory Snape is protective of.  (I also have a theory that now that Sirius 
is gone, it will be possible for Snape and Lupin to actually become 
friends.  They have got to be the two most intensely lonely characters in 
the book, from what I can tell.  In a way, that might actually be really nice.)

Off for the weekend,
Lissa