What is with the "Prank" ?

[Phil Boswell]

No: HPFGUIDX 99564

sunnylove0 at a... wrote:
> Did Snape figure out that Lupin was a werewolf before the prank?  
> It's not exactly cold fusion, you know.....
[snip]
> OOP chap. 28
> " Did you like question ten, Moony?" asked Sirius as they emerged 
> into the entrance hall.
> " Loved it." said Lupin briskly.  " Give five signs that identify 
> the werewolf.  Excellent question."
> " D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" said James in mock
> concern.
> " Think I did." said Lupin seriously as they joined the crowd 
> thronging around the front doors eager to get out into the sunlit 
> grounds.  " One:  He's sitting on my chair.  Two: He's wearing my 
> clothes.  Three:  His name's Remus Lupin.."

This (IIRC:AFB ATM) was in the thought that Harry drew from the
Pensieve. Apparently there is some debate as to whether the images
thus obtained are *directly* from the memory of the person involved
(i.e. nothing is visible/audible that they could not see/hear) or
whether the Pensieve "boosts the reception" to allow extra
information.

If you believe the former, then this is direct evidence that Snape
*did* know.

Mind you, it would appear that everyone within earshot would have
known also, and Lupin's secret would there not have been any more.

As far as I can tell the number of people who knew Lupin's secret
remained strictly minimal. This remark must have been too quiet to be
generally overheard. So unless Snape was so much closer than anybody
else to MWPP at this point that only he overheard (unlikely :-), the
Pensieve must have interjected this into the "recovered memory".

It would appear therefore that the Pensieve *does* "boost reception".

However it does mean that this sequence can *not* be used as evidence
that Snape pre-knew.

I think :-)
-- 
Phil