Snape or Wormtail at QWC? Was: Snape, trying very hard not to smile

[Berit Jakobsen]

No: HPFGUIDX 93828

Heather wrote:
Until this moment, I have always felt that Snape was likely involved 
in the Muggle-baiting and was the one who flipped Mrs Roberts upside-
down in mid-air. But suddenly, I realized that it was more likely 
to be Wormtail under that mask.<snip> We have no canon to say that 
Wormtail and LV were actually at the campsite following the QWC, but 
we do have LV's statement that he was well aware of the QWC, and that 
Barty Crouch Jr was present.  He states in GoF:

'...then, of course, there was the Quidditch World Cup... I thought 
his protection might be weaker there, away from his relations and 
Dumbledore, but I was not yet strong enough to attempt kidnap in the 
midst of a horde of Ministry wizards."'  GoF  pg 570 Canadian Ed 2000

Berit replies:

To me, this statement indicates that Voldemort and Wormtail was *not* 
present at the QWC. He knew it would be foolish to attempt a 
kidnapping at a place where tens of thousands of wizards were 
swarming all over the place and the security was high. So it would be 
downright stupid to come there in the first place. And considering 
what Voldemort thought of the DE's silly performance of muggle-
baiting at the QWC, how likely is it that Wormtail as Voldie's right 
hand (and under his heavy supervision and control), was actively 
involved in it? Not very likely I'd say :-)

This doesn't mean Snape had to have been one of the DE's having fun 
with muggle-baiting :-) It never entered my mind he could have been. 
Firstly, even if Snape turns out to be an unreformed DE, I have a 
hard time imagining him enjoying that type of "childish" pranks. I 
think it is beneath him, evil or not, just as it is beneath Lord 
Voldemort. I believe upper class Lucius must have been quite drunk in 
the first place to embark on such a silly and risky mission.

Secondly, I don't believe Snape was present at the QWC at all. There 
is no mention of him; Harry and his friends did not spot him 
anywhere. Of course, this could just mean that he disappeared in the 
crowd, there were after all a lot of people gathered in one area. 
Harry couldn't possibly have bumped into everyone there. But the 
reason I think Snape was not at the QWC is that we don't see *any* 
Hogwarts teachers present, not even Dumbledore. And Harry saw a lot 
of ministry officials, fellow students and "common" wizards he didn't 
know passing by his tent, which incidentally was pitched right by the 
main travelling route from the camp to the pitch... But no 
Dumbledore, McGonagall or Snape (or even Hogwarts' own 
Quidditch "expert" Madame Hooch) were to be seen going up that road...
The QWC is a big and celebrated event, but that doesn't mean every 
wizard wants to or is able to show up (the only reason the Weasleys 
were there was because Bagman had been able to give them free 
tickets). I don't remember how close the QWC was to the start of term 
at Hogwarts, but my guess is that the Hogwarts staff was too busy 
preparing for the imminent return of the students to have time for 
the QWC :-)

Berit
http://home.no.net/berjakob/snape.html