[HPforGrownups] Re: Some questions/comments about GoF

[Barbara D. Poland-Waters]

No: HPFGUIDX 102152

******* Barbara wrote:

Why does VM address PP as Wormtail? Wasn't that just his marauder
nickname in school? **********

>>>Susan now:

Why _would_ LV call PP Wormtail?  It was his nickname,
and I doubt the entire school called PP "Wormtail".  If the nickname
was known by their schoolmates, then why didn't Snape know/figure out
who had made the map? (GoF).  Particularly since the map insults
him!  Since SS went to school with the Marauders, if the nickname was
that popular, it seems to me he of all people would have known.  But
SS doesn't know, even though he went to school with these guys, and
yet LV does know!  Legilimens?<<<


Barbara again:

I didn't quite put it into words as well as you did, but I think that's what
I was thinking. It was his nickname with the Marauders. I was never under
the impression that it was a school-wide or well known nickname. I can buy
the Leglimens thing though. I would imagine VM would be using that quite
often to test his DEs, hence why SS is a good spy, because he knows
Occlumency. But I'll address that further below.



*** Barbara:
It's also clear to me that Snape is a double agent, that DD trusts
him because he went from being a DE (or maybe was even faking that for
VM) to being a spy, and he will be accepted by the DEs again, even though
he didn't show up at VM's rebirth, because he can say he was maintaining his
cover as a spy, not letting DD know anything was going on. *****

>>>Susan:

Why is it clear, to you and everyone else but me, that SS is _still_
a double agent?  I don't see how anyone who's even remotely connected
to the school or to LV could possibly think that SS is still loyal in
any way to LV. I get it that since he didn't show up in the graveyard
scene in GoF that his absence could easily be explained by the fact
that no one can apparate on/off the Hogwarts grounds, but why would
anyone still expect him to show up there?

Again, SS and McG _are_ unquestionably loyal to DD, so why oh why
would anyone think SS is even still capable of being a spy for DD?
The only thing I can think of here is that I'm right, you all are
wrong ;-)  his cover really is blown, and something to reveal this is
going to happen to SS in book 6.<<<


Barbara:

It is obvious to us, the readers, because we see the scenes with DD, SS and
McG and we know that SS does what DD asks of him, for the most part without
question. I don't think it is known to the whole school that he is DD's
right-hand man. In fact, I sometimes buy the argument others have made that
Snape is only treating the Trio as badly as he is to keep up pretenses so if
any of the DEs' kids talk about their teachers, they will be sure to mention
that Snape loathes HP and his mudblood friend as much as they do.

Just to make clear, since I don't even know if I used the term double-agent
correctly, I think Snape WAS a DE, then turned to DD and changed his
allegiance. However, he is still pretending to the DEs that he IS on their
side and that he is spying on DD for them. So he's playing spy for both
sides. I hope and think he is truthful in his allegiance to DD, but as long
as the DEs think Snape is on their side, and just playing a role with DD,
that makes them (and VM) able to excuse his not showing up at the cemetery,
and his doing things that DD asks. I guess one of the mysteries I'd like
solved when this is all over is who is Snape truly loyal to? Is he in fact
an ex-DE or has he been stringing DD along the whole time?

Barbara
bd-bear