"Snape's Job"

[severelysigune]

No: HPFGUIDX 93306

Carol wrote:
<< Maybe I'm naive, but I interpret this exchange as the first moment 
of real and honest communication between Snape and Harry (further 
evidenced by the first bits of praise Harry has ever received from 
Snape)--all ruined later when Harry looks into the Pensieve and Snape 
angrily ends the occlumency lessons. As for the "glint," it's 
perceived by Harry, and he (or we, the readers) could be reading 
malice into what is really just a gleam or glimmer or satisfaction 
(Potter understands something at last). My dictionary (or the one I 
happened to grab) lists as the primary definition of "glint": "a  
gleam or glimmer; sparkle; flash." No suggestion that the glint is 
associated with evil or ill will.>>
 
Geoff:
<< I had an interesting thought - possibly a blind alley. My first  
reaction on reading "glint" took me to:

"Something gold was glinting just above him. The Snitch! He tried to  
catch it but his arms were too heavy.
He blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. 
How strange.
He blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view 
above him."

(PS "The Man with Two Faces" p.214 UK edition)

Gives the word a slightly warmer feel, think you not?>>

Sigune again:
Just to put this straight: when I posted this excerpt I never for a 
minute thought about the 'glint' as being a sign of malice. It struck 
me, though, because we all know this comparison of Snape's eyes with 
dark tunnels and their description as being without the friendly 
glimmer of Hagrid's. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought it was 
the first time we read of anything like a spark in Snape's eyes. This 
suggested to me a kind of enthousiasm or pleasure I have never seen 
associated with him before. It seemed /positive/, like Geoff points 
out, which is exactly what puzzled me.

I agree with other posters who remarked on the importance recognition 
has for Snape; but frankly I don't read much recognition in Harry's 
outburst 'in temper' - and Harry feels 'he had gone too far'. He 
expects anger and gets 'an almost satisfied expression' and glinting 
eyes instead! If what Harry said did come across as something 
positive, it certainly wasn't meant to be so in the first place.

The interpretations invited by Occlumency/Legilimency I find 
positively hair-raising. I mean, Snape could indeed be playing with 
Lord Thingy's expectations/assumptions via Harry. Does he want Thingy 
to think Harry trusts him? Does he sort of stick his tongue out at 
Thingy by telling Harry he spies? In any case it seems to me that, 
moment of confidence or not, Harry already is a liability to Snape's 
cover. He has seen him in the Order Headquarters after all; so 
whether or not Snape is admitting to spying in Chapter 26 does not 
seem to make much of a difference.

Coming to think of it, by refusing to further teach Harry Occlumency, 
is Snape not jeopardising his own safety? Unless, indeed, he is doing 
other things than spying. Maybe he is researching an anti-potion to 
the one that resurrected Lord Thingy... :) (I am one of those who 
like to believe the Resurrection Recipe was Snape's work to begin 
with, though of course there is no canon support at all.)

Heh - Snape is so delightfully open to interpretation that I am 
starting to hope JKR will never fully unravel all the mystery, so 
that we will have maneuvering space forever :).

Yours severely,

Sigune