Snape's job at Hogwarts

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 111236

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "khinterberg" <khinterberg at y...>
wrote:
> In OotP, during the Potions class in which Umbridge supervises Snape,
> he says that he has held his job there for 14 years, which means he
> got the post the year baby Harry's life changed.  What are ideas of
> why he got the job then? We also know he first applied for DADA, but
> didn't get that.  So were both positions open that year?  
> 
> khinterberg, who wants to know more about Snape


Carol responds:
Unless two teachers were killed by DEs at about the same time, I think
it's likely that only the DADA position was open and Snape applied for
it (IMO before the beginning of term; I think he was already at
Hogwarts when the Potters were killed. Note that he said "fourteen
years," not "almost fourteen years" or "fourteen years this
November"). But Dumbledore, we're told, wanted him to try Potions
instead, presumably asking the Potions master to take DADA. (It may
even be that Snape, young as he was at the time, was better qualified
for the Potions post than the person who previously held it. Real
"masters" of potion making appear to be rare in the WW.)

That's just the most likely scenario from my perspective. Others have
been devised, as you'll find if you have the time, energy, and
patience to use Searchmort to find our old posts on the topic. 

Carol