Severus Snape's character

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 105745

I'm not going to quote anyone, since there are so many posts on
this subject(!), but I do have a few thoughts regarding Severus
Snape's character and his interactions with other characters.
So, in no particular order:

1. Evil, Dark, Abusive, or just Not Nice?

I've seen all these applied to Snape. It seems everyone agrees that Snape 
is often mean, petty and vindictive, i.e., he is not nice. It's also clear 
that
he was once "dark" in the sense that he was a Death Eater, doing Dark
magic for Voldemort.  Now, if we take Dumbeldore's judgment at face
value, Snape is no longer Dark. He could still return to his Dark ways.
I doubt he will, but we won't know for sure until the series concludes.

As for abusive, there are different levels of abuse. Yes, Snape practices
some of them, namely verbal/emotional abuse, mainly with certain
Gryffindors he dislikes, including Harry, Hermoine, and Neville. But is he
abusive enough to be criminally charged? In our world, I doubt it (though
he'd most likely be fired from his teaching position). In the WW, where
life seems a lot more uncertain and dangerous, I think not. There
are too many far more unpleasant things waiting to be faced by the
students than one mean teacher, especially with Voldemort back. 
And while some of the students will probably remember Snape as their 
most despised teacher years after they've left Hogwarts, I don't think 
what he does will have a lasting negative effect on any student's 
self-esteem, not even Neville's. 

What about evil? To me, evil is a very strong term, like hate. It's as
far as you can go, and usually it's beyond redemption. The Snape we
see teaching at Hogwarts is not a nice man. He was once Dark, and
could possibly become so again. He's occasionally downright abusive
to students. But evil? 

I don't think so. Umbridge is evil. Snape is not. We know he's put his
life on the line to spy on Voldemort for Dumbledore. Someone also
mentioned whether Snape would lay down his life for Harry. I was 
going to say that Snape would do so, not *for* Harry, but because
he is dedicated to defeating Voldemort, and if saving Harry is what it
takes, so be it. But I also think Snape would lay down his life for any
of his students. He takes his responsibility for their safety seriously, 
whether they are Slytherin or Gryffindors. It's in that sense that some
have said Snape has a moral compass, and I agree. 

Of course, that doesn't mean Snape is a good person. I don't think 
most people--or wizards--are either "good" or "evil." There is space 
inbetween (where most of us probably dwell), and Snape definitely 
dwells in that area--as does James, Sirius, and even Harry. Good
does not always equate with nice (I think Lupin is indisputably nice,
but at least during the Pensieve scene he wasn't good, any more
than Germans who looked the other way while Jews were being 
forced out of their homes were good, even if they could say they
didn't actually do anything "wrong"). Same with mean and evil. The 
two don't always equate. 

Oh, and as for whether Snape *was* evil or has done evil things in
the past, I don't know the answer to that. He was a DE, but we 
don't know for how long (do we?), so we don't know how much 
opportunity he had to act, or if he ever killed anyone.  He could
have found a way to be involved without actually going out and 
killing. Not that passive involvement absolves him either. But 
until we know more, we can't really say with complete certainty.

2. Snape treats all students with equal doses of nastiness?

Not by a long shot. I've been re-reading POA, and Snape definitely
favors Slytherins. In the first Potions class scene, Snape makes
Ron and Harry prepare Draco's potion because Draco is nursing his
supposedly injured arm. It's a safe bet that if Harry came to class
with his arms actually cut off, Snape would tell him to quit whining
and fix his own potion, with his toes if necessary!

Maybe this isn't too surprising, given that Snape is head of Slytherin
House, and that he either does not choose or is even incapable
of acting without prejudice. We don't see him with Hufflepuffs or 
Ravenclaws, but I suspect he's somewhere in the middle with them--
strict, but not as permissive as he is with Slytherins, nor as demeaning
as he is to Gryffindors. 

3. Why does Dumbledore let someone like Snape teach?

I think Dumbledore lets Snape teach because Snape is in fact *teaching*
the students something. Not only is he competently teaching them
Potions, but he is also teaching them about the real (i.e. Wizarding)
world. Yes, Snape is mean, even occasionally mildly abusive, and
Dumbledore does call him on it when necessary. But it's a life lesson.
If students can't handle Snape's vitriol, especially certain students
like Harry and Neville who will likely be crucial in saving the WW, 
how will they ever stand up to Voldemort?

BTW, I don't think for a minute there is some good cop/bad cop 
thing going on here. Snape is simply Snape, and I don't believe he is
*acting* at all. He despises Harry, both because of his father, and 
because of Harry's own actions and attitude. Snape goes on his merry
way, doing what he does because that's simply how he is, and 
Dumbledore accepts it because it is far more beneficial than harmful.
And because he knows that the students, while perhaps bruised a
bit by Snape's words, are completely safe in Snape's presence (which
is no small thing, if you consider some of the other teachers). 

4. Snape's Boggart and Patronus?

I don't really have a clue! I do think Snape has both though. I am 
wondering if his Boggart might be whatever drove him from Voldemort's 
side. Something he was nearly forced to do, but realized he couldn't
go through with? Or, something he did, and then regretted enough
to leave? As for his Patronus, Snape has to have at least one happy
memory (I hope). It will be pretty fascinating to see what it is. (Though
I can't quite wrap my mind around the image of a smiling Snape!)

In closing, I have to say that I am a Snape-aholic, simply because he
is such a fascinating character. And of all the things I'm waiting to 
find out in the next two books, I think the one thing I want to know 
most is *what* drove Snape away from Voldemort. There are a dozen
other things I want to know about Snape, which I'd add, but it's getting
late. Maybe in another post!

Julie 






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