Vampire/Half Vampire/Schvampire -was all the other vampire Snape stuff

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 88720

Firstly, I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time <g>.  I am 
trying to understand your point of view and elaborate on my own. 
I freely admit I haven't proved my case, and can't as yet. I just 
don't think it's been convincingly refuted either.

> June:
> Firstly, I'm not angry - I'm amused by why your lobby is so 
> determined to crush debate on this issue and not by logical 
rebuttal  of well made points (Snape's wand - which a vampire is 
not allowed to  have is a point - and not one of you has actually 
even attempted to  argue that...). <

Creatures who are legally denied wands can still use them, cf 
Winky in GoF. That vampires are not allowed wands is actually 
an argument in favor of clandestine vampire Snape, since it 
establishes a motive for him to conceal himself.

In order for a vampire to disguise himself as a wizard, he would 
have to be able to conceal all the obvious indicators of 
vampirism, whatever they are. 

  Vampire theorists have  suggested numerous ways in which 
Snape could do that, none of which contradict canon, and you 
have refuted them on grounds which seem to me  at least as 
speculative  as the theories themselves. How can anyone prove 
what Rowling is going to tell us about vampires? We are all free 
to speculate about that. 

> > Big question - still unanswered, why is it SO VERY necessary 
to you  all for Snape to be a vampire?  I prefer him human 
because I believe  he is a more interesting character as a flawed 
human being.  So  go  on - what's your excuse?<<

Snape is fascinating  to contemplate as he is.  But this is an 
action adventure story. IMO, Rowling can't allow the relationship 
between Harry and Snape to become static; she has to keep 
stirring the pot. There will be new complications and new 
reversals of fortune, or Books Six and Seven will be a very long 
slog.

We know vampires  are hated even more than Giants or 
werewolves;  Rita Skeeter is  actively campaigning for genocide. 
Even the Death Eaters aren't being threatened with that.   All in 
all, exposure as a vampire might have the same dire 
consequences for Snape as expulsion from Hogwarts would 
have had for Harry. I think it would be a splendid and necessary 
reversal of fortune if Harry found himself with the power to 
threaten Snape as Snape once threatened him.

There's also a moral challenge. It's been no problem for Harry to 
disavow the pureblood prejudices of his adopted culture when it 
comes to people he likes, such as Hagrid and Lupin.  But what 
about people he hates? If he had such a weapon against Snape, 
would he use it? 

I guess  I don't understand  why Snape's struggles, his joys and 
sorrows, should be less meaningful if he is not supposed to be 
human.  IMO, if Harry believes that, he will fail, for Dumbledore 
says that the magical world must unite against Voldemort and 
whatever divides them must be overcome by bonds of friendship 
and trust. 

I guess it matters to me because the struggle against prejudice 
matters. I realize that many may disagree with me on this, but I 
don't think that the world is divided into bigots and good people. 

In the Los Angeles Museum of Tolerance there is a door marked 
"NOT PREJUDICED." Like that door in the Ministry of Magic, it is 
forever sealed.  Only through the  door marked "PREJUDICED" 
may one enter.   I could be wrong, but  I believe Rowling is 
making the same point in her books: that  prejudice is 
something that we must confront within ourselves if we 
wish to understand it.

Pippin