Snape questions for JK

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 107664

>  Laura wrote:
> Thanks everyone who posted for your advice on what to ask JKR, I 
> really needed it!
> 
> Well, I've made a *huge* list of Snape-related questions I'd love 
to 
> know the answers to (filled both sides of 2 A4 pages), spent hours 
> trawling through previous posts here, and of course, the books 
> themselves. I've put all the questions into categories of 'most 
> yearning to know' and 'most likely to be answered', crossed them 
off 
> one by one, and <<finally>> I'm down to the last four. <snip>

Neri:
The way to decide which question to choose is, IMO, to imagine all 
the possible answers to this question, and what they might tell us. 
So lets see:

>  Laura wrote:
> 1) Can you give us any indication as to how Snape finds out what 
> Voldemort is saying to his Deatheaters?

Neri:
What might JKR answer here?

1a) "That would be telling". This at least tells us that Snape DOES 
finds this out, and that the true answer is important, but we are 
already pretty sure of that.

1b) "He turns into a bat and hangs from the ceiling above their heads 
during their meetings" (or any great revelation of this sort). 
Extremely unlikely she'll tell us such a thing.

1c) "If you've been reading OotP closely you might have already 
guessed". This will suggest that he is indeed a double agent and uses 
Occlumency and/or Legillimency. We DID guess that but it would be 
nice to get a bit of reassurance.

1d) "Are you so sure he really finds this out? Perhaps he's only 
making this up?" or some similar evasion. The most likely answer IMO. 
We learn nothing.  


>  Laura wrote: 
> 2) Why DOES Snape call Voldemort 'the Dark Lord'?

Neri:
Possible answers:

2a) "Just a moment, I think somebody's shouting down in the hall. 
Must go check what is it about". An evasion, but at least it's an 
indication that this is indeed important.

2b) "Harry would like to know that". An even better evasion. Now we 
are only sure that Harry thinks it's important.

2c) "Well, if Snape is an agent he needs to play the part" or a 
revelation of that sort. Slim chances.

2d) "He thinks it sounds cool" or some similar disappointing 
explanation. Not very likely.


>  Laura wrote:
> 3) Can you tell us anything about Snape's family, for example, if 
> they're 'pure-bloods' or if he's related to any of the characters 
> we've met so far?


Neri:
3a) "Yes, I can tell you that he has an uncle who is a rocket 
engineer, and the Snapes can't handle the shame" or that sort of 
trivia. Might be moderately interesting.

3b) "They're thirty generations purebloods. Why do you think he was 
sorted to Slytherin?" Interesting, but not likely to be instrumental 
to the plot if Jo divulges it.

3c) "You'll find out something about Snape's family in Book 6". This 
at least tells us that there IS something important about his family.

3d) "His mother is a muggle-born, and little Severus was terrified 
that the other Slytherins will find out about it" or a similar 
exciting revelation. Unlikely Jo will tell us this if it's true.

3e) "They are immigrants from Transylvania, they sleep in coffins and 
all have looong fangs". Gee, I really hope not.


>  Laura wrote:
> And the killer question......
> 4) Is there any truth in the rumours that Snape loved Lily?

Neri:
4a) "Yes, there is". VERY exiting, but VERY unlikely she'll tell us 
if it's true.

4b) "Erm... I don't think so". The good ship LOLLIPOPS is sunk. The 
poor survivors will be extremely miffed, but there will be suddenly 
much more room in TBAY for alternative theories.

4c) "Sorry, but on principle I don't discuss rumors about people's 
love life" or any evasion of this kind. This means it might be 
important. LOLLIPOPS gets a moderate boost.

4d) "Keep reading, and you'll find out". Not very likely IMO, but 
LOLLIPOPS will get a BIG boost.


My conclusion: 4 is easily the best the four questions. Any possible 
answer I can think of will tell us something interesting. 3 would be 
my second choice. 

Neri, 
who really hopes Jo doesn't lurk in HPfGU and is now planning her 
answers.