Snivellus Was:The Animagi was Re:

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 89932

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Berit Jakobsen" <belijako at o...>
wrote:
> Sigune wrote:
> who still wants to know why they called Snape 'Snivellus' as he 
> doesn't seem the crybaby type.
> 
> Pippin wrote:
> Not now. But a  "small dark-haired boy cried in a corner" in 
> Snape's memories.
> 
> Berit replies:
> 
> True. Snape doesn't come across as the type who'd grovel and cry when 
> taunted by his enemies, as the pensieve scene shows: He fights with 
> every means he has, not a teardrop in sight, just swearing... But 
> Pippin's got a point. I think the marauder gang might have 
> accidentally come across an eleven-year old Snape crying behing the 
> greenhouses or something like that. And after that the 
> name "Snivellus" stuck. A cruel thing to label him Snivellus after an 
> incident like that, but we know that wouldn't stop James and Sirius...
> 
> Why would a young Snape hide away to cry? Well, if my theory in 
> another thread holds water, his father is abusive and no-good; and 
> his mother is a long-term resident at St. Mungo's disguised as a 
> hairy, barking dog... That'd make any boy cry...
> 
> Berit
> http://home.no.net/berjakob/snape.html


Just to add another "what if" to this thread (and no, I'm not going to
quote canon to back up pure speculation), maybe Snape joined the Death
Eaters in part to get back at his father, who does appear from out
brief glimpse of him to be abusive to Snape's mother and possibly to
him. I'm guessing, though, that the small boy cowering in the corner
is a lot younger than eleven. I picture him as no more than five.

Carol