Why ole Snapey is(n't) a vamp (or old, either!)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 88258

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...>
wrote:
> "hermione978"  wrote:
> > Snape as a vampire? I have a hard time buying that one. 
> 
> Now me, Marianne:
> Me, too, but just because there have been so many descriptions of bat-
> like swooping that it seems just a tad over the top.  Plus, how would 
> that advance the story?  Snape as another being looked down upon by 
> wizard society, like werewolves, elves, giants, etc.?  It seems like 
> overkill to me.
> 
> Hermione 978:
> There has 
> > been no evidence of this so far in the books. He is however 
> > connected, at least in his past, to Lord "He Who Must Not be 
> Named". 
> > It was mentioned in the fourth book I believe that he bears the 
> mark 
> > of the Death Eaters.  Snape for whatever reason chose to desert the 
> > dark side and come to the good. 
> > 
> > At the Quidditch World Cup many a Death Eater fled when they found 
> > out about Lord He Who Must Not Be Named's return- out of fear from 
> > deserting as well as cutting a deal with the Ministry of Magic for 
> > their release and freedom if they repented and turned in other dark 
> > wizards for the Azakaban prison. Perhaps Snape is one of those who 
> > has made the deal with the M of M for his freedom. Perhaps he knows 
> > something or has a connection a bit deeper to He Who Must Not Be 
> > Named that has not been revealed yet in his activity.
> > 
> > Regardless, he is a former Death Eater, now one of the Order of the 
> > Phoenix protecting Harry and keeping his activity confined to 
> > Hogwarts as potions master.  In the books remaining that will come 
> I 
> > think that Snape will encounter He Who Must Not Be Named and 
> > possibly killed for his regarded treason to the dark arts by 
> turning 
> > good.  I think we will find out why he was a Death Eater to begin 
> > with and why he went good. 
> 
> I sure hope we get this info.  I'm not entirely convinced that Snape 
> is good, just that he's chosen not to throw his lot in with Vmort and 
> his merry band of DEs.  I'm betting that we will find out that Snape 
> turned to the "good" side simply because he was smart enough to hedge 
> his bets. As Phineas Nigellus says, "We (Slytherins) will always 
> choose to save our own necks."  
> 
> No turning to the side of light because of unrequited love for Lily.  
> No sudden epiphanies about the unholy abominations of DE beliefs.  
> No, no, no.  Those are not nearly Snape-ish enough reasons to change 
> sides.  I think old Sev was simply smart enough to have doubts about 
> the wisdom of throwing in his future with some trumped-up dark lord.  
> After all, had Voldemort won, his loyal henchmen would still have had 
> to bow and scrape before him, kiss his ring or the hem of his robes 
> and swear fealty to him.  Again, it doesn't seem to be Snape's 
> style.  
> 
> I think Snape took the measure of Voldemort and was cunning enough 
> and daring enough to start playing both sides against each other, and 
> eventually decided he'd have a better chance at determining his own 
> future and fortune if he sided with Dumbledore.
> 
> Which still leaves open the door for betrayal, for those of you who 
> lean that way.  Here's Snape, who has been the loyal Potions Master 
> for 14 years, even though he dearly wants to be the DADA instructor.  
> Dumbledore never gives the position to him.  Snape is supposedly 
> trusted by Dumbledore, seems to have as much authority as McGonagal 
> within the school, yet he constantly seems to run up against 
> Dumbledore's wishes.  He wants to be DADA professor, and isn't 
> allowed.  He often seeks to rein in that reprobate, Harry Potter, and 
> Dumbledore constantly rewards or encourages Harry's rule-breaking 
> behavior. He agitates against Lupin's appointment as DADA professor, 
> and seeks to cast doubt on Lupin's motives in PoA, and Dumbledore 
> refuses to believe him.  He thinks he's earned an Order of Merlin 
> with the capture of Sirius Black, and Sirius slips away.  And, now, 
> although he's a member of the Order, there still seems to be this 
> distance between him and the others.
> 
> If Snape indeed is still playing the part of double agent, I think he 
> could very well decide to opt for Voldemort's side in the upcoming 
> battle, especially if Dumbledore dies, and Snape believes that the 
> only hope for the "good" side rests on the undisciplined, headstrong 
> shoulders of Harry Potter, who, in Snape's eyes, is still no match 
> for Voldemort.
> 
> Marianne

Except for one small thing--that life debt that Snape still owes to
James and apparently can't escape unless he really saves Harry. Also,
I very much doubt that Snape underestimates Harry. He's seen him
accidentally cast a blocking spell (Protego) during occlumency lessons
and he's the one who guessed that Harry was a Parseltongue and
confirmed his own theory by having Draco cast Serpensortia. He's also
aware of all of Harry's escapes, some of them narrrow, from Voldemort
and how much he owes to luck and how much to his own abilities
(regardless of whether they're inherited, acquired, or part of the
Voldemort scar package). No, Snape is astute, and however Harry may
underestimate and misunderstand him, I doubt very much that he
underestimates Harry. He does know, especially after MoM, that Harry
isn't ready to face LV *yet,* but I think he knows that at some point,
he *will* be ready.

Carol, who thinks that Snape is helping Harry to reach that point and
that everything he's taught Harry, from bezoars to occlumency, will
come in handy in the battle against LV