Snape's Destiny/JKR quotes (or Snape-aholics and Siriophiles)

[curly_of_oster]

No: HPFGUIDX 105323

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sylvandraconem" 
<rebecca at c...> wrote:

First quoting one bit of my last post:
> Lisa:
> Personally, I agree that Snape is an interesting character, that he
> adds a lot to the books, and that there is clearly more to him that
> we have yet to learn. However, I also think that wanting to know
> about/thinking there is a back-story and motivation for certain
> actions (say, his treatment of Harry and Neville, to use one of 
> your examples) is no more valid than theorizing that he's treating 
> them that way simply because he is a bitter, nasty man.

Now the response:
S.D.
There is also the fact of course that Snape (and I'm un unabashed 
Snape fan) at the points in which his treatment of Harry and 
Neville was extreme could have (and this is a theoretical point) 
been being watched by the Death Eaters, now remembering that to be 
an efficient spy they had to belive that his 'redemption' had been 
as phony as their own this victimisation of 'The Boy Who Lived' 
would have come across as a very easy way of showing continued 
loyalty.

As for his grudge against Sirius and James, I think most people 
would have one against the people that had treated them the way he 
showed in his memories during OoP.

Back to Lisa:
I must admit to some confusion.  My point with this part of my post 
was simply that I think the Snape critics have just as much right to 
the idea that much of his behavior is due to his being, for example, 
a bitter and unpleasant person, as the Snape fans have to the idea 
that there are some deeper/hidden motives driving him.  Maybe 
there's more to it, but maybe not.  I deliberately avoided 
discussion of exactly *what* those motives or reasons might be (and 
whether or not they are valid), as that's really another whole 
argument.  Nowhere in my post did I say that he didn't have a 
legitimate beef with James or Sirius, or that there definitely 
*isn't* an explanation for his treatment of Harry or Neville, so I'm 
not altogether sure what your argument with me is. :)

On the other hand, I've never been terribly convinced by the 
whole "Snape treats Harry and/or Neville badly as part of his act as 
a spy" theory.  From the point of view of Voldemort and his 
supporters, Snape is supposedly on their side, but playing a role as 
a Dumbledore supporter, or at the least playing a role as just 
another Hogwarts professor.  If that is the case, wouldn't he be 
more convincing in either of these roles if he wasn't so 
obviously "against" the "Boy Who Lived"?  Is he trying to convince 
whatever Death Eaters are supposedly keeping tabs on his behavior in 
his classroom (and even in one-on-one Occlumency lessons?) that he's 
a *bad* spy, that he's giving Dumbledore reason to doubt him?  I 
most definitely think there is more to Snape than we know, and I'm 
curious as to what we'll find out in future books, but this is one 
explanation for his behavior that still doesn't make much sense to 
me.  Clarification/explanation of it is most welcome.

Lisa