Giving the map to Lupin (Was: Lupin's vampire essay)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 89874

With regard to the vampire essay, koinoinia quotes: 
> 'Well!' said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around 
> cheerfully. 'That seems to clear that up!' Severus, I'll take this 
> back, shall I?' He folded the map and tucked it inside his 
> robes. "Harry, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire 
> essay. Excuse us, Severus.'
> PoA/Ch 14/pg 213/UK
> 
 4/pg 77/US

Carol responds:
I've had my say on why I don't think the vampire essay (though it was
assigned) has anything to do with Snape (we've had a werewolf; we
don't need a vampire), but there's something else intriguing about
that quote.

Lupin says, "I'll take that back, shall I?" and tucks the map into his
pocket. When has it been in his possession since the time Filch
confiscated it twenty or so years before? It was in the twins'
possession, then Harry's, and now Snape has confiscated it. He doesn't
trust Lupin, yet he lets him take it without question or objection.
Does he suspect, or even know, that Lupin is one of the makers? Why,
when he sees the nicknames of the four makers (all of whom insult him)
does he immediately call for Lupin? Does he know those four nicknames
from the past? Or is he just so quick on the uptake that he
immediately figures out that four troublemakers, one of whom is named
Moony, must be Lupin, James, Sirius, and Peter? He doesn't know (yet)
that it's a map, but he does suspect it of being useful to Harry. Why,
if Snape distrusts Lupin, let him take the parchment, whatever it is,
when there's a chance he might give it back to Harry.

We know that Lupin is acting in this scene, pretending not to know
what the parchment is or who the makers are. But is Snape acting, too?
Is he playing along, knowing at the very least who the makers are,
guessing that it's a map (he knows Harry has sneaked into Hogsmeade),
calling Lupin in as the supposed authority on the Dark Arts (shades of
Lockhart and the CoS), and then letting Lupin take the parchment "back"?

Are Snape and Lupin in this together?

Carol