[HPforGrownups] No fire in the office

[Thren]

No: HPFGUIDX 87893

jakedjensen wrote:

>This suggests Snape may be a vampire because he seems indifferent to 
>the ice cold temp. of his office.  Indeed, it suggests that Snape's 
>office is kept cold and that McGonagall knows this (first instinct is 
>to light the fireplace).  McGonagall doesn't even mention it, she 
>just acts.
>
>It becomes even more telling when you consider where Sir Headless 
>Nick has his deathday party (in the basement) and that the party is 
>very cold (suggesting that non-living entities don't care).  
>

Thren:

What it suggests to me is that he hasn't been in his office lately, and 
that he probably wants to keep Harry and Ron as uncomfortable as 
possible. Because that's the kind of guy he is. I always took 
McGongall's starting a fire as just a matter-of-fact way of dealing with 
the situation. She wouldn't say anything about it because to do so *in 
front of the students* would undermine his authority as a teacher, and 
that would be bad. Presenting a united front, and all that. It's the 
same reason Dumbledore (and Lupin, I think) correct Harry when he refers 
to Snape as Snape (without the title)- to let him get away with it in 
front of a teacher would send a message that it was okay to call him 
Snape without any sort of respect for the place that he holds. I'm sure 
they all know students do it anyway, but to sanction it 'officially' 
would be bad.

And it's cold at the deathday party not only because it's in the 
dungeons, but because of all the ghosts in attendance. Harry mentions it 
getting colder as they get nearer the room the party is in. 
Traditionally the chief marker announcing the presence of ghosts or 
other spirits (poltergeists, etc..) is that the area gets unnaturally 
cold. I'm certain that they don't care it's cold, but being in the 
dungeon isn't the *only* reason it's cold.

Thren,
who wonders if it ever crossed anyone's mind that Snape just *likes* it 
down there, or that he might *have* to be down there because of the 
proximity to the Slytherin common room (heads of House tend to be near 
their House's common room).