Why DD might not want Snape for DADA job

[rorogersmc]

No: HPFGUIDX 94723

Athena Artemis wrote(snipped):
> "JKR: <sighs> That is an excellent question and the reason is 
that, I  have to be careful what I say here, the reason is that to 
answer it fully would give and awful lot away about the remaining 
two books but when Professor Dumbledore took Professor 
Snape on to the staff and Professor Snape said I'd like to teach 
defence against the darks arts please and Professor 
Dumbledore felt that that might bring out the  worst in Professor 
Snape"

 "<laughs> Somewhat"
 
 "JKR: So he said I think we'll let you teach potions and see how 
you  get along there"

 JKR's response confirmed exactly my supposition with regard to 
why DD has not assigned Snape as DADA professor!(So nice to 
be "right"!lol:)
>


Rachael:  First, I want to say that everyone has made great 
points in their responses to this topic.  I snipped Athena Artemis 
because this response from JKR might contradict what I'm going 
to say.  Although what JKR means and knows, and what we think 
she means and think we know, aren't always the same, so, 
maybe it doesn't contradict my idea.

Anyway, suppose that Dumbledore could live with Snape 
teaching DADA for a while (maybe a year or two) until someone 
else who is good applied for the position.  I mean, he could have 
picked Snape for OOTP and let a teacher be appointed for 
Potions.  (I personally think that even a nasty Snape would have 
been better than Umbrige.)  And, Snape seems to apply for 
DADA every year, so I bet he would have taken the job if 
Dumbledore had offered.  

The question this raises for me is: *Is there something about 
Potions that makes it more important for this class to have a 
competant teacher, than DADA?*   While the students have 
learned some important things in DADA, most of what Harry 
uses is stuff that he has learned on his own somehow.  OTOH, 
except for the Polyjuice Potion, when have the Trio spent time 
learning potions on their own?  Is there something that they 
*need* to learn from Snape in Potions?  

Maybe, maybe not, but it's interesting to wonder why Dumbledore 
would prefer to have DADA teachers be iffy, as aposed to Potions 
teachers.

Rachael, who hopes this post makes sense, because it barely 
makes sense to her.