Snape's DE past

[macfotuk at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 111328

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nkafkafi" <nkafkafi at y...> 
wrote:
<snip> 
> 
> Pippin quoted:
> 
> "the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its
> shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep
> through human veins, bewitching the minds, ensnaring the
> senses...
> 
> and that perfect little haiku
> 
> I can teach you how
> to bottle fame, brew glory,
> even stopper death
> 
> Why, the man even casts a logic puzzle into verse.
> 
<snip>

WOW! Had never spotted that - haiku that is - very clever. Always 
thought though that Snape talking about stoppering death was an 
allusion both to death eating and, it now strikes me, perhaps to a 
part he may have played in LV evading death. Perhaps DD keeps Snape 
onside (WHY does he?!!) despite him being such a 'nasty piece of 
work' because he (Snape) knows what LV did to 'protect himself'. I'm 
intrigued by the theories that this same speech (the first time 
Snape talks to Harry) contains lots of clues for Harry about how he 
can defend himself from those with potions-based murderous intent.