If DD knows, then why...? [was: Snape, trying very hard not to smile?]

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 93970

Susan:
> > ... and looking for flints [what *is* the origin of that word, 
> > btw?]...., 
 
Potioncat:
> Flint is named after Marcus Flint who spent too many years at 
> Hogwarts.

Susan:
> > Can I show that I've likely got a bad case of movie 
> > contamination here?  [Eeeek!!]  *Do* we know that Snape told 
> > Draco to use the serpentsorcia spell [I've butchered that 
> > spelling]??  It's certainly not clear in the movie and I don't 
> > have my book here to check.

Potioncat:
> Yes, I believe the book has Snape whispering to Draco then Draco 
> does the serpensortia spell.  But Snape doesn't seem to expect 
> Harry to be able to deal with it.  I think he is testing Harry in 
> some way, but I'm not sure he's looking for parselmouth.


SUSAN AGAIN:
*Many* thanks to Berit, EustaceScrub & Potioncat for so quickly 
answering my question about "flint" and for providing the dueling 
passage of CoS to clear this up.  The movie *did* provide a 
different take on it.  

I am left w/ the question that Potioncat has alluded to:  Do others 
think Snape was trying to discover whether Harry is a 
Parselmouth...or do you think he was just being mean...or setting up 
some other "test" for Harry?


Potioncat also wondered:
> Why do you think DD knew Tom Riddle opened the Chamber?  I'm sure 
> he knew Hagrid didn't but what did he know for certain? How would 
> he know it was a basilisk? Perhaps he tried to talk to Myrtle, but 
> didn't learn anything. Harry had a difficult enough time getting 
> her to talk and she may not have talked to a professor.  For that 
> matter, DD may have been hampered in his investigation in the 
> early days by Headmaster Dippit 


SUSAN AGAIN:
Yes, I think these are good questions as well.  Is there something 
in canon which makes people *sure* DD knew Tom opened the Chamber 
and what was within it, or is it the "all-knowing DD" assumption?  
It certainly seems he *should* have tried speaking w/ Myrtle.  Would 
DD have "ways" of making a ghost answer questions??

Siriusly Snapey Susan